Since Mother’s Day is right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about ways to celebrate the maternal figures in your students’ lives. While tried-and-true crafts that involve flowers or homemade cards are included here, so are some more unconventional ways to celebrate. Kids can make that beloved mother figure a video letting her know how important she is, or create a one-of-a-kind poem just for her. You can even hold a history lesson with your class all about Mother’s Day. Regardless of how you want to celebrate, you are sure to find something on our list of the best Mother’s Day crafts for kids!
1. Descriptive Blooming Flower
Students come up with eight adjectives that describe their mom, write the words on the flower petals, color their flowers, and cut them out. Then, they color the smaller flowers, cut those out, glue the centers on top of their larger flowers, and bend the petals upward. Add a stem (a pipe cleaner, Popsicle stick, etc.). Mom can lift up the petals to read the special words that describe her.
Learn more: WeAreTeachers/Printable
2. Washi Tape Spatulas
Mother’s Day crafts for kids that also serve a practical purpose are the best. This is a simple way to personalize something that Mom can see every day in the kitchen. Invest in some pretty and varied rolls of washi tape so your students can really express themselves!
Learn more: Honey We’re Home
3. Mom Snapshot
Kids say the darndest things! Have your students answer questions about their moms and draw (or insert) an image of her in the mommy snapshot frame. Click here for the printable.
Learn more: E Is for Explore
4. WOW-MOM Card
Integrate math while having your students construct cards for their moms. This project teaches children about the line of symmetry and some basic transformations. Click here for a free printable that includes three variations of the WOW-MOM card (example printed on colored card stock)!
Learn more: E Is for Explore
5. Acrostic Poem
Learning about poetry is key to growing children’s literacy skills, and these fun acrostic poems help with that. Challenge students to come up with words or phrases for each letter in the word mother. These poems will undoubtedly tug at the heartstrings of the mother figures in your students’ lives.
Learn more: Ministry to Children/Free Printable
6. Blooms Recycled Paper
This Mother’s Day gift idea integrates science and art. Students create a special gift that grows by making paper and adding seeds to the solution. When the paper dries, moms can plant their paper and watch their seeds grow.
The process is fairly simple and requires only a few ingredients: newspaper strips, hot water, starch, and flower seeds. (Marigolds work well.) You’ll also need a piece of non-rusting screen. Click here for simple step-by-step directions. (Be sure to add the flower seeds between steps 2 and 3.)
Once your paper has dried, cut it into squares and have students write special messages to their moms. Tell moms to plant their seed paper in a cup, pot, or in their backyard soil.
Learn more: E Is for Explore
7. Recycled Bouquet
This clever lesson can work double duty as your students upcycle trash into beautiful flowers. Originally written as an Earth Day activity, your students can create their bouquets on Earth Day and hold onto their creations to present to their mom on Mother’s Day.
Learn more: WeAreTeachers Recycled Garden Activity
8. 3D Sculpture
Using construction paper (maybe in Mom’s favorite colors), students cut strips of different lengths and widths. Then they manipulate their strips into different designs, creating a 3D collage their moms will love! This is a great way to reinforce measuring concepts and tap into your students’ creativity.
Learn more: E Is for Explore
9. Mason Jar Yarn Flowers
We love that this project teaches kids about recycling since you can have them save cardboard boxes (think pizza night) to use for the base of their flowers. Once you’ve cut the flower shapes from the cardboard, have students wrap different-colored yarn around them for a unique bouquet. Finally, attach Popsicle sticks or something similar for the stems and place them in mason jars.
Learn more: More Like Grace
10. Thumbprint Love Bug Card
Who doesn’t love a card or craft made from your little one’s pint-sized fingers? These adorable thumbprint fireflies are just so sweet and will be sure to make any mother melt.
Learn more: Glued to My Crafts
11. Thank-You Letter
Teaching kids gratefulness is equally as important as teaching them good writing skills. We especially love Mother’s Day crafts for kids that do both like this one!
Learn more: Three Little Ferns
12. Beaded Necklace
This project is probably best suited toward slightly older kids since painting the wood beads might prove painstaking for younger kids. Provide them with a lot of options for bead shapes and acrylic paints so they can personalize something that’s just right for the mother figure in their life. Once the beads are dry, help them attach them to some suede cord for a really special gift.
Learn more: One She Two She
13. Washi Tape Note Cards
Although this project would work well even with younger kids, older ones will really be able to get into decorating these cards. Give students washi tape, buttons, card stock, and any other materials you think they could use to personalize blank cards. Have them work on their writing skills with a sweet message inside to the mother figure in their life.
Learn more: Amy Latta Creations
14. Photo Bookmarks
If you have a love of laminating, these Mother’s Day crafts for kids are for you! Photograph your students in one of these positions, print the pictures, then laminate and cut them. Finally, attach a tassel to the top. Your students will get a kick out of seeing their mom using them as a bookmark!
Learn more: Come Together Kids
15. Host a Mother’s Day Story Time
Follow the suggestions laid out by the Stratford Library and host your own Mother’s Day story time in the classroom. You can also stack your classroom’s library with books about mothers and mother figures.
Learn more: Stratford Library
16. Mother’s Day Coupons
Give Mom a book of coupons that she can redeem for anything, from a free hug to emptying the dishwasher. See how creative your students can get while coming up with ideas for their coupons.
Learn more: The Spruce Crafts
17. Painted Lace Wall Hanging
Cut up some old lace fabric into sizes of your choosing, then let your students color on them with Sharpies. Once the first step is done, have kids use droppers to apply watercolor paints to their designs. Kids will enjoy watching the colors spread, plus it’s a science lesson on capillary action!
Learn more: Artful Parent
18. A Handprint Apron
You’ll need some canvas aprons, heat-transfer vinyl, fabric paint, and trim to bring this project to fruition. This one is for the Cricut lovers out there since you’ll need the machine to cut the letters out.
Learn more: The Craft Patch
19. Coffee Filter Bouquet
Start with some large, white coffee filters, then cut and fold them according to the directions at the link to make your flowers. Once you’ve cut your flowers, have kids apply watercolor paint to them using eye droppers. Don’t add too much since just two drops work well per petal. The end result will brighten up anyone’s day!
Learn more: Fun at Home With Kids
20. A Mother’s Day History Lesson
Hold a Mother’s Day history lesson in your classroom with fun facts from the Census! Kids will enjoy sharing what they learned with their families at home.
Learn more: Census.gov
21. Felt Flower Bookmark
These felt flower bookmarks are so precious and perfect for the bookworm mother figure in your life! Kids will enjoy making different varieties from provided felt and buttons.
Learn more: Happiness Is Homemade
22. Photo Mason Jars
There’s nothing moms love more than a heartfelt homemade gift that reminds them of their child. If you’re attempting to make this in school, you’ll definitely want to pick a day when it’s nice out so you can spread out without worrying about the mess. You can take a picture of your students or ask them to bring one in from home for these Mother’s Day crafts for kids.
Learn more: Home Stories A to Z
23. Mother’s Day Awards
These DIY awards are so adorable and any mother figure would be excited to accept their award. Kids will be so proud to explain how they made them. The best part? It’s wearable for the whole world to see!
24. Make a Video for Mom
Take inspiration from this video while you hold your own interviews with your students about their mothers or mother figures. Some kids may need more than one take in front of the camera, but the heartfelt and adorable things they say are sure to touch the hearts of their moms. Once filmed, save the files and share them with their families. We especially love that this project will work on your students’ communication and verbal language skills. Plus it’s low-prep and low-budget. Warning: This one may evoke (happy) mom tears!
25. Beaded Tray
Perler beads are equally beloved among adults and kids alike. Buy a big bucket of beads and let your students’ imaginations run wild. You can have them copy the pattern at the provided link, but we think personalizing them is even better! Make sure you have an extra pair of adult hands on deck since you’ll need to do a lot of ironing.
Learn more: Tried and True Blog
26. Corsage for Mom
What could make Mom feel more special than presenting her with a corsage to wear on her special day? Before beginning, purchase a lot of tissue paper in a wide variety of colors. You’ll need to cut circles from the tissue paper that are about 5 inches in diameter. Once the circles are cut, stack them and poke a hole through the center with a pipe cleaner. Finally, have kids assemble them into beautiful corsages for their loved ones.
Learn more: Fun Family Crafts
What are your favorite Mother’s Day crafts for kids? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Plus, why this teacher is against canceling Mother’s Day.
