How to host a kids’ art show at home

To host a kids’ art show at home, let kids pick 5 to 10 of their favorite drawings, write a label for each, hang them at kid height in one room or hallway, and invite family for a short opening with snacks and an artist talk. It costs almost nothing, celebrates effort, and gives kids a reason to keep drawing.

Why an art show is worth it

Kids rarely get an audience for their art. A show gives them one. It builds confidence, lets them practice talking about their work, and shows that the people they love take their art seriously. It’s also a lovely way to end a summer of drawing, a homeschool term or an art club.

Step 1: Collect the art

Give kids a few weeks to build up drawings. A theme helps: “Monsters and Aliens,” “Our Pets” or “Things I Learned to Draw This Summer.” If you’re using a drawing book, a few lessons a week fills a show quickly. Then the artist picks 5 to 10 favorites.

Step 2: Make labels

Real galleries put a small label next to each piece. Kids love making these. Each label includes:

• The title of the drawing.
• The artist’s name and age.
• The materials (“pencil and crayon”).
• One sentence about it (“I drew this dragon because he’s my favorite”).

Step 3: Set up the gallery

• Hang art at the kids’ eye level, with painter’s tape or string and clothespins.
• Mount drawings on colored paper to make them pop.
• Group by theme or by artist.
• Make a sign: “The [Family Name] Gallery, Opening Today!”
• Add a guest book for visitors to write compliments.

Step 4: Invite guests

Make invitations (a drawing on the front, of course). Invite grandparents, neighbors, friends or the whole class. Far-away family can join on a video call for a gallery tour.

Step 5: The opening

• Artist talk. Each artist talks about one or two pieces. Give them prompts: “What did you draw?” “What was hard?” “What are you proud of?” See questions to ask kids about their art.
• Snacks. Lemonade and crackers make it feel official.
• Ribbons. Make ribbons for every artist (“Most Colorful,” “Funniest Monster,” “Hardest Worker”). Avoid ranking; everyone wins something.
• A live demo. An older child can show guests how to draw a character from a step-by-step lesson.

For classrooms and clubs

Turn the hallway into a gallery for an afternoon, or invite families for the last 15 minutes of the last club session. The after-school art club plan ends with exactly this kind of show.

After the show

Take photos of the gallery, then let each artist choose which pieces to keep up. See how to display and store kids’ art.

Tip: Include a “then and now” pair: a drawing from the first week and one from the last. It’s the clearest way to show kids how much they’ve grown.

The book that helps

A few weeks of lessons from one book give kids a show’s worth of drawings, and mixing formats lets every age in the family take part.

How to Draw: Cool StuffSee it on Amazon

Trace Then Color: Cute Cartoon AnimalsSee it on Amazon

Draw by Grid: Cute Cartoon AnimalsSee it on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate, FirstArtBooks earns from qualifying purchases.