How to Hang Kids Artwork Without Frames or Tape
The easiest way to hang kids artwork is on a magnetic display mounted to the wall: you hang the display once, and after that the art goes up and comes down with magnets. Mounting one takes about 15 minutes, either with the screws and anchors that come in the box or with adhesive strips(not included) if you’d rather not drill.
What you’ll need
- Your display and the included screws/anchors
- A pencil and a small level
- For screws: a drill and 3/16" drill bit
- For no-drill mounting: adhesive picture-hanging strips such as 3M Command (not included)
A second pair of hands helps. As one customer put it, “it would be easier with two people so one can hold the level.”
Method 1: Screws and drywall anchors (included)
- Hold the display where you want it and check it with the level.
- Mark the wall through each mounting hole with a pencil. The 18” and 23” displays have 3 holes; the 35” and 46” have 5.
- Drill a pilot hole at each mark and tap an anchor in until it sits flush with the wall.
- Hold the display in place and drive a screw through each hole into its anchor. Snug them up, but don’t overtighten.
You don’t need to find a stud. Even the longest display weighs under a pound, so the drywall anchors are plenty, and you can put it exactly where you want it.
The screws are color-matched: black displays ship with black screws, white with white, hammered copper with black, and gold and white gold with silver.
Method 2: Adhesive strips (not included)
Adhesive strips are one of the most popular ways our customers hang these magnetic art displays: no drill, no holes, no landlord conversation. They’re a good fit for rentals, dorms and plaster walls.
- Clean the wall where the display will go, following the directions on the strip package.
- Press the strips onto the back of the display. 2 strips are perfect for 18" and 23" bars, and 3-4 strips per 35" and 46" display bar.
- Level the display and press it firmly to the wall.
- Let the strips set for an hour before you load up the artwork.
Strips also let you mount a display somewhere you can’t drill. One customer stuck hers to the wood panel beside her refrigerator “so we could keep our cards and invites safe.”
How high to hang it
If your kids will change the art themselves, mount the display low enough for them to reach it comfortably. If you have a child under 6, do the opposite and hang it above their reach, because the magnets are small and a choking hazard (more on magnet safety). In a hallway or above a couch, treat it like a picture: a common rule is to put the center of the artwork about 57 inches from the floor.
Building a gallery wall
Stacking two or three displays of the same length makes a tidy gallery wall, and the 46” is the size people stack most. Space each row a little more than the height of the paper you hang most often, so the art in one row doesn’t cover the display below it. Measure from the floor for each row rather than from the row above, so small errors don’t add up.
Magnets vs. clips, wire and frames
Art clips for hanging artwork, usually on a wire or string, are inexpensive and they work. The trade-off is that clips grip only the top edge, the wire can sag, and a full line of clips can look busy. Frames look polished, but every swap means opening the frame. A magnetic display sits in between: neat on the wall, and changing the art takes seconds. For a closer look, see our kids art display page.
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