20 Sweet Mother’s Day Crafts for Kids (Plus Must-Have Art Supplies)
With Mother’s Day around the corner, it’s time to start planning the perfect celebration for that special mom in your life. From organizing weekly schedules to finding missing socks and everything (yes, literally, everything) in between, moms aren’t just another cog in the wheel—they are the wheel. So show her just how much she’s appreciated. You don’t need to spend a small fortune; in fact, some of the best Mother’s Day gifts are those special cards and crafts made by the ones who promoted her to parent in the first place. Here, we’ve rounded up several of our favorite Mother’s Day crafts for kids—whether they’re preschoolers, toddlers or even babies—to give you some gift ideas that’ll go straight to Mom’s heart.
Creating art is a perfect activity for preschoolers. So don’t be afraid to enlist the help of your kiddo in making Mother’s Day crafts. Not only will Mom have a sweet memento to treasure, but your child will take so much pride in the gifts they create. Keep reading for some of our favorite Mother’s Day crafts for preschoolers.
Mason jar vase
There’s just something about little hands that steals a mom’s heart every single time—which is why handprint crafts earn a spot on our list of favorite Mother’s Day craft ideas. Easy and adorable, they capture a cherished moment in time. We love this simple but tasteful handprint mason jar craft from Christina’s Adventures. Here, a single handprint stands out against a background color of your choice. It’s the perfect homemade flower vase!
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Papier mache bowl
If you’re up for letting the kids get a little messy, we’ve got one of the best Mother’s Day crafts for you to try! From the Happy Hooligans blog, this adorable papier mache bowl will be just the right addition to her bedside table, and your preschooler will have a blast making it. Once the bowl dries, it’s time to break out the paint and let your little one go to town decorating it. Keep in mind: Adult supervision is recommended when your child is working with papier mache, and you may need to lend a helping hand at points.
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Memory box
Over the years, there will be so many things Mom will want to collect from her little ones. That first tiny tooth, a lock of hair, the misspelled note that says, “you’re the dest.” That’s why a memory box is one of our favorite Mother’s Day crafts for kids. This minimalist-inspired box, complete with your preschooler’s scrawl, from the Mama Papa Bubba blog is easy to make but sure to be a hit.
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Foot soak
Here’s a fun idea for Mother’s Day: Make this do-it-yourself foot soak with your preschooler, then have an at-home spa day for Mom where she’s pampered by her favorite people. Your preschooler will swell with pride when they see how much their mom loves her special gift. This DIY Mother’s Day craft from the Ruffles and Rain Boots blog is simply genius. It uses coffee filters to stitch together a foot soak packet that’ll dissolve in warm water. Note: Leave the handling of essential oils to the adult supervising this art project, as they can be toxic if swallowed.
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Nail polish marbled mugs
Here’s a Mother’s Day craft for kids that pays homage to one of Mom’s favorite things: coffee. Using a few different colors of nail polish, Chrysa at Thrifty Jinxy shows you how to make these totally professional-looking mugs. As long as an adult is supervising, this is definitely one of the cutest craft projects preschoolers can make. We bet Mom will use it every morning!
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DIY journal with matching pen
Got some extra fabric or washi tape laying around? Why not create this super-cute Mother’s Day craft idea from Red Ted Art? It uses matching fabric to create an ensemble that’ll help Mom keep her command center organized and, more importantly, pretty! Any pen and notebook will do for this easy Mother’s Day craft for kids, and the trinket holder can be made using the bottom of pretty much any box.
Supplies to shop:
- 10 Piece Grid Washi Tape Set, $12.95, The Washi Tape Shop
- up & up Spiral Notebook, $2.59, Target
DIY home spray
If you’ve waited until the last minute to make a gift for Mom, you’re probably looking for simple Mother’s Day craft ideas. It doesn’t get any easier than this! This make-it-yourself spray is created from nothing more than water and essential oils, which she can use as a body spray, room spray or to freshen laundry. It’s from Hello, Wonderful , and it’s the perfect Mother’s Day craft for preschoolers to tackle. Bonus points if your child learns about different scents while picking out their favorites for Mom. Note: Be sure to help your child when handling any essential oils, as they can be harmful if swallowed.
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Floral picture frame
You can’t have a list of Mother’s Day crafts for kids without including a picture frame! Here’s one we love, from the All Because She Saved blog. You can find everything you need for this simple Mother’s Day craft at the dollar store, which is a huge plus. And while you’re manning the glue gun, your preschooler will have a blast adorning the frame with flowers.
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Why I love Mom card
Tell Mom all the ways she’s loved with this adorable keepsake Mother’s Day gift courtesy of the Paper Heart Family blog. While you may have to help with the handwriting, this is among the classic Mother’s Day crafts for preschoolers, because the answers are always equal parts adorable and hilarious. After all, you never know what’s going through those little minds until you prompt them with questions like these.
Supplies to shop:
- Large Crayola Washable Crayons, $2.49, Target
Button letters
M-O-M—it’s the word of the day on Mother’s Day! Work with your preschooler to help Mom proudly display her title with these super-cute letters from Thrifty Jinxy. All it takes is a quick trip to the craft store to pull this project off. Your kiddo can help glue the buttons and decide which color combinations to use, which doubles as a valuable lesson in color names, matching and coordinating. Together, you can try to guess where Mom might hang her new gift!
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Flower coupons
We can’t think of a mom who wouldn’t love to get a little help around the house—and if you can translate that into Mother’s Day crafts she can keep, all the better. These flower coupons from Stepping into First Grade are super-simple to pull together; all you really need is a pen and some colored construction paper. If your preschooler is ready to use scissors, you could trace the outline of the flowers and let them practice their newfound skills. Mom will love “picking” a flower to have a little helper by her side while she tackles household tasks.
Supplies to shop:
- Crayola Construction Paper, 96 Sheets, $5.14, Walmart
Button chalkboard frame
Let’s be honest—some Mother’s Day crafts go straight to the memory box for “safekeeping,” while others are beautiful enough to be displayed permanently. We think this adorable chalkboard from This Mama Loves fall into the latter category! Framed with multicolored buttons, it’s easy enough for preschoolers to help with but it’s functional and totally cute too! Mom can hang this up near the family calendar to make important notes or jot down items to add to the grocery list.
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Mother’s Day crafts for toddlers should be short and simple—kind of like their attention spans! Toddlers can’t get enough of glue, so that’s a great place to start when considering which Mother’s Day arts and crafts you can do with this age group. Just be sure to supervise to ensure nothing goes in their mouths that doesn’t belong there. Here are some Mother’s Day crafts for toddlers that’ll yield great results without too much mess and frustration.
Heart art
From the Best Ideas for Kids blog comes what we think is truly one of the best Mother’s Day crafts for toddlers: This mess-free painted heart project. The secret here is using a Ziploc bag to contain the paint and prevent your tot from decorating everything, including themselves and your pet. Once your little one is finished creating their masterpiece, you can use another piece of cardstock to turn it into a heart, or any other shape or message the special mommy in your life will love.
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Hug from Mom card
Who doesn’t love a hug? Moms sure do, especially when it’s coming from their kids. Here’s a fun Mother’s Day craft for kids that Mom can get all wrapped up in: A card from Moms & Crafters that reads, “My favorite thing ever is a hug from Mom.” Inside is a drawing of her, where two ribbons serve as arms giving a hug. Your toddler can help glue the googly eyes and the ribbon in just the right places, while you handle the handwriting.
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Shrinky Dink necklace
Clumsy Crafter brings us this great idea that lets Mom wear her toddler’s art around her neck: A Shrinky Dink necklace that features your child’s very own creations. Let your little one’s doodles be the star of the show with one of the cutest Mother’s Day craft ideas we’ve seen; plus, they’ll get a huge kick out of watching their artwork shrink in the oven. Just be sure to explain the process ahead of time, to fend off any tantrums over the withering art. Another note: Adult supervision and help will be necessary for this craft (especially when using the oven!), and Shrinky Dinks are recommended for children 5 years or older.
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Teapot craft
Make tea time part of your celebration with this adorable teapot Mother’s Day craft from Wolfelicious—it’s perfect for toddlers. It features a teapot cut from construction paper with a sweet little poem in the middle and a real teabag affixed to the spout so Mom can enjoy a warm cup of her favorite brew on Mother’s Day. Let your toddler use their imagination to “decorate” the teapot using their favorite crayons or stickers.
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When it comes to doing crafts, there isn’t much babies can do quite yet. But that doesn’t mean you can’t put together a totally heartfelt and personal Mother’s Day gift. Here, we’ve got some Mother’s Day crafts for infants that are totally doable when you use baby’s tiny fingers and toes. We guarantee these crafts are ones Mom will store forever and pull out whenever she wants to remember how tiny her child once was.
Heart thumbprint charm necklace
Here’s another great Mother’s Day craft that lets Mom keep her little one close to her heart all day, from That’s What Che Said. Baby’s tiny thumbprints can be formed into the shape of a heart when you press them into molding clay and let it harden. A coat of Mom’s favorite paint color, and voila—baby’s first craft will be the perfect way to celebrate Mom.
Supplies to shop:
- Cra-Z-Art Modeling Clay, $3.72, Walmart
Handprint ring holder
We literally can’t even _hand_le the cuteness of this ring dish made from baby’s hand, brought to you by the Mama.Papa.Bubba blog. If the special mom in your life is hoping for a handprint gift from baby, here’s your opportunity. This minimalist-inspired handprint ring dish is one of our absolute favorite Mother’s Day crafts for infants.
Supplies to shop:
- Crayola Air Dry Clay Bucket, $10.62, Walmart
Fingerprint bird card
When it comes to Mother’s Day crafts for babies, this one makes us want to sing! Pay homage to the “nest” with this adorable Mother’s Day card from Artsy Craftsy Mom. Easy Mother’s Day crafts like this are a great way to give a heartfelt gift without breaking the bank. Here, baby’s sweet little fingerprints are used to make birds perched on a tree branch. And if you have more than one kiddo, it’s a great way to get everyone involved.
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Thumbprint glass magnets
Here’s another unique way to make baby’s fingerprints into a timeless Mother’s Day gift. Follow this how-to guide from the Rhythms of Play blog to make these awesome glass magnets featuring baby’s prints. Our bet? These will still be on the fridge long after the little ones have left for college.
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Need to stock up on Mother’s Day craft art supplies for your kiddo? We’ve got you covered. Check out these essentials that will help your tot confidently (and safely!) bring their creative vision to life.
Toddler art smock
When it comes to toddler art projects, messes are pretty much inevitable. Reduce some of the cleanup by keeping a pint-sized smock. This colorful option is waterproof, stain-resistant and even machine-washable. Thanks to the long sleeves and elasticized cuffs, you can count on your kiddo’s shirt staying clean—plus, it has three roomy pockets to hold art supplies and other trinkets.
Washable paint set
Another must-have for your tot’s art supply box? Non-toxic, washable paints. This set includes 12 vibrant colors for your little one to get creative with. Note: These paints are recommended for children 3 years or older.
Jumbo paint brush set
Designed with 2- to 4-year-olds in mind, these jumbo paint brushes have easy-to-grip handles and a unique, ergonomic shape. This way, your kiddo can independently learn how to put their ideas to paper. When arts-and-crafts time is over, simply clean these brushes with warm water and soap, then store them in the provided pouch.
Non-toxic glue sticks
Your tot will love learning how to stick together construction paper, googly eyes, feathers, buttons or any other crafting material they have with these glue sticks. They’re non-toxic, acid-free and made with a disappearing purple formula to help little ones see where they’ve applied glue.
Safety scissors
If your preschooler is ready to start using scissors, opt for this training pair. They feature safety blades to protect fingers as little ones learn how to cut paper, string and other craft materials. What’s more, the scissors are made with an antimicrobial agent to prevent stains and odors.
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