As an art teacher and parent, I've found that having children participate in the fine arts is a great way to build confidence as they spend time thinking, designing, and creating. If your child enjoys art, you've probably seen him sitting at the kitchen table or in his room, hard at work drawing or painting his next great masterpiece. If he's not doing it for a school assignment or contest to enter, can he still be rewarded for his efforts?

Yes! He can receive an even better reward, that of personal satisfaction in a job well-done. And no matter the age of the child, you can encourage this sense of accomplishment by doing one simple thing: displaying his art.

Because I'm a private art teacher, my children take art every year. They smile proudly as I post their work up where everyone can see. When another art student brings me a drawing or painting as a gift, I put that up as well.

While that sounds like a good idea, if your child's a prolific artist, where do you put all that art? If your refrigerator door is already covered up, here are a couple of ideas to get you started:

• Create a coffee table book that showcases the artwork. This could be a scrapbook or a three-ring binder with clear sleeves for the art. You could also have the child create his own book, using decorated cardboard for the cover and tying it together at the spine with yarn or ribbon.
• Choose one wall of your home to be an art gallery. This could be a wall in your foyer or perhaps down the hall. Frame the child's most recent or favorite pieces and hang them up.
• For a simpler display, hang a piece of string or yarn between two small nails, perhaps over a doorway or window. Clip the artwork onto the string using clothespins. When your child creates a new piece, simply unclip the older one and put the new one up.
• Have copies of the artwork made into a calendar for yourself and the grandparents. Every month shows off a new masterpiece.
• Make multiple copies of the artwork and turn it into stationery or cards. Use them to write notes to friends and family.
• Online companies such as VistaPrint.com and CafePress.com will print the artwork on t-shirts, jackets, and hats -- almost anything you can think of. If you go this route, you'll not only be displaying the art -- you'll be wearing it!