Mother’s Day Gifts Your Kids Can Make

Show Mom How Much She Means To Them

That old saying, “it’s the thought that counts” is especially true when it comes to Mother’s Day gifts. As much as Mom may love a gift that was thoughtfully purchased for her in the store, it’s really those gifts that have been lovingly crafted by her children that she’ll hang onto forever. Here are a few ideas kids can make for Mom with just a little help from Dad.

Little Fingers, Little Toes - Moms have a way of getting all misty-eyed when they think about their children growing up. There is no better way to capture a child’s precious size than making a special card with his or her hand and footprints. Pick up some heavy weight card stock paper and finger paint, and pour the paint into a disposable pan. Dip the bottom of each bare foot into the paint and then quickly onto the paper to make a print. After cleaning the feet, repeat with the hands. Write the child’s name and date on the card with a Mother’s Day message. After the card dries, place it in a frame so Mom can cherish it forever.

Children are Like Lovely Flowers – Mom’s children are the loveliest garden she’ll ever tend. So make her a garden she’ll never forget. Trace your children’s handprint on five colorful pieces of paper. Cut out each handprint and glue together at the palms and halfway up the sides to form a tulip shape. Poke a green chenille stem through the base and twist the top of the stem that’s inside the flower into a circular shape. Finally, take a small photo of the child and glue the picture on top of the stem.

Promises, Promises - Every Mom deserves a break from being Super Mom. Give her something that money can’t buy - a coupon book filled with promises from her children. Using a dollar bill as a template, trace an outline on sheets of construction paper for as many coupons as desired. Cut out the coupons, write one promise on each, and staple them together to make the book. Tie with a pretty ribbon. This is the perfect time to get really creative. Here are few ideas to get started:

• Obey Mom without an Argument
• Give Mom One Hug and Kiss
• Go to bed without a fight
• Set the Table Even if it’s not My Turn
• Fill Pet’s Water and Food Bowls
• Allow Mom to Sit for One Hour without Interruptions

Make a Brag Book – Every mother wants to show off her child’s accomplishments. Make it easy for her by creating a brag book of her children’s undertakings. Get a mini photo album and fill it with: photos of the children at their activities; beautiful drawings; copies of special award certificates; photos of school projects; etc. You get the idea. Show off.

It’s Showtime! – Do your kids have big imaginations? Do they love to perform? Nothing will put a bigger smile on Mom’s face than watching her children create a Mother’s Day Show demonstrating everything she does for them. They can sing, act, dance, or share a story. Once the kids have rehearsed, tape the show for mom to watch whenever she needs a boost.

Make a Keepsake Bracelet or Necklace – Chances are, Mom loves jewelry. So why not design something she’ll be proud of wearing like a colorful necklace or a beautiful bracelet. For a necklace, you’ll need a piece of jewelry cord that is long enough to fit over her head, even when the ends are tied together. If making a bracelet, use a piece of stretchy or elastic cord that can simply be slipped over Mom’s hand. Use a bracelet she already owns as the guide for length. Finally, fill the entire bracelet cord or at least 1/3 of the necklace length with beads. You can choose beads that represent her favorite things; beads in her birthstone color; letter beads that spell her children’s names or a spell out a simple message such as “I Love You”. You can find just about everything you would need to make your jewelry at craft stores such as A.C.Moore, Michaels, or online from Oriental Trading.

Milk and Cookies for Mom – Remember those times when all it took was some milk and cookies to make you feel better? Well, times never change. Give Mom a special treat that will satisfy her sweet tooth. Prepare her favorite cookie dough and spoon enough onto a cookie sheet to make large cookies. Insert a cookie stick in the center of the dough and bake as directed. Next, paint a beautiful design on a clear glass pitcher and let the paint dry. Once finished, arrange the cookies nicely on a tray and fill the pitcher with milk. Tell mom to sit down and close her eyes. When she’s ready, give mom a card that says it’s her turn to sit back, relax and enjoy some milk and cookies.

Mark the Spot – Is Mom a bookworm? Make her something she’ll love every time she grabs her book. Create a bookmark using a small piece of cardboard cut out in the shape of a bookmark. Grab some construction paper and trace around the cardboard to create two rectangular shapes. Next, draw a picture on one of the rectangles and write a special Mother’s Day message on the other rectangle. Cut out the outlines from the construction paper and glue one to each side of the cardboard bookmark. Finally, cover it with clear contact paper to keep it protected.

Good Scents – There’s nothing like walking into a room that smells fresh, clean and wonderful. Simply using a bandana and ribbon, you can create a scented sachet that will please everybody in the household – especially Mom. Fill the bandana with her favorite scents. It could be spicy cinnamon sticks, cloves, vanilla bean and whole nutmeg. Or, simply choose a more traditional potpourri. Once filled, tie it closed with her favorite colored ribbon. Place nicely in a box and top it off with a thoughtful card. Alternatively, you can wrap a scented candle or a handful of small bath soaps in a colorful square of tulle and tie with a coordinating ribbon.

Everlasting Flowers – Simply put, you can never go wrong with flowers…especially with ones that will never wilt. Give Mom the perfect bouquet using tissue paper and green chenille stems. Cut out large circles of tissue paper using a baking pan as a template. Twist a small knot at the end of the stems. Push the straight end through one of the paper circles until the knot is touching the paper and gently crush the paper around the knot. Continue pushing the stem into the circles one at a time, and crushing the paper around the previous layers. Twelve circles should be enough for each flower, but adjust as desired. Once the final circle has been crushed, twist a small rubber band on the stem at the base of each flower to hold the circles in place. Tie the flowers together in a bouquet using a wide, decorative ribbon.

Mom will love any of these ideas. Or, perhaps you’ve read something that will inspire a new idea. The important thing is just be creative and have fun.