Tired of sentencing your favorite photos to a life in a traditional (read: boring) frame in the living room? Take a look at those memories you’ve captured over the summer, and let your favorite shots out of the box with these quick and easy photo projects.
1. It’s puzzling.
Get an 11 x 14 or 16 x 20 print of a family photo and glue it to a piece of foam core board the same size. On the back side of the board, draw the lines of puzzle pieces. Use an Exacto® knife or similar sharp, precise cutting tool to cut out the pieces. (Tip: use a mat or kitchen cutting board underneath to protect surfaces from the cutting tool) Flip the pieces over, and you have a custom family puzzle for the kids to enjoy!
2. Get sticky.
Pick out a couple of your favorite summer shots and use your home office software to print them on regular labels. Many software programs will even allow you to add text on top of the image, making super-cute gift stickers, book plates, etc.
3. Go big.
Tweens and teens have a psychological need to put posters on the walls of their rooms. Lucky for you, photo enlarging has never been cheaper or easier. Instead of looking at the pop star of the moment all year, let your kids choose a favorite shot of themselves with family or friends, or a scene from a family trip. Upload it to an online photo processing site and have it printed poster size. Voilà—art you both can live with!
4. Frame it up.
Want a great photo project for kids? Let each child choose a favorite shot from the summer. Purchase inexpensive, wide, white photo mats sized for your prints. Let the kids decorate the mats by coloring, writing memories, or painting something fun around the photo. It’s a memory and art rolled into one.
5. Magnetize it.
Buy a few adhesive photo magnets at the craft store. Stick on your favorite shots, and maybe even trim it down to the shape of the individual in the photo using a sharp tool. Pop your custom magnets on the fridge and enjoy 2,456 times per day.
