The Greatest Mother's Day Activity Isn't What You Think

It's a bright and sunny Saturday afternoon as I write this.

My children and I just returned from a ceramics shop that allows you to paint anything from cars and puppies to butterflies and hearts.

Besides being a surprisingly relaxing activity with a creative and easy way to entertain the children, it also caused me to have an "a-ha" moment about a fun and loving Mother's Day activity the children could do.

The standard argument is that gathering all the family together on Mother's Day, and freeing Mom of the loving but overwhelming task of cooking Sunday dinner, is most popular.

I've tended to agree.

But why not think outside the box this Mother's Day?

Wouldn't it be much more fun to turn Mother's Day into the most loving, thoughtful and heartfelt day you could plan?

As a mother, daughter and granddaughter, I know from experience that homemade gifts are the most cherished Mother's Day gifts given.

Keep reading, and I'll give you a Mother's Day activity that children 3 to 92 can do!

So let's get started!

Mother's Day Vase of Love

Idea: To create a unique and wonderful Vase of Flowers - a precious and wonderful Mother's Day activity the entire family can enjoy.

As an added bonus, this Mother's Day activity can be used for all the "Mothers" in your family.

Materials Needed:

Popsicle Sticks
Rubber Glue
Color Construction Paper (8 ^1/2 x 11) - All colors
Scissors
Cotton (1 bag for each vase)
Stapler
Magazines
Family Photographs

THE STEPS

Thought Process

1. Ask the child to describe their Mom with pictures. You will be surprised at what they come up with.

2. Pull out some magazines and let the child look for at least 5 pictures. For example, my 3-year-old son found a picture of a fancy hat and said, "That looks like Nana to me!" (She loves to wear unusual hats to Church, especially on Mother's Day, and it was cute that he noticed.)

3. Go through family photos, and let them pick 2 of their favorites. One picture will go on the front, and the other on the back.

Make Your Vase

4. Choose 2 pieces of construction paper.

5. Take a piece of green construction paper and cut it to create the illusion of grass.

6. Glue the grass to one side of each piece of construction paper - the grass will be on the "inside" of the vase.

7. Glue the photos to the front and back of the vase.

8. Stuff several pieces of cotton in between the 2 pieces of construction paper. This will make the construction paper puff up.

9. Staple the sides and bottom of the 2 pieces of construction paper together.

Make Your Flowers

10. Choose different pieces of construction paper for each of the pictures picked out of the magazines.

11. Cut the construction paper to fit each picture chosen.

12. Glue each picture to the construction paper to create a "framed" picture.

13. Glue framed picture to the Popsicle sticks.

Put It All Together

14. Glue the Popsicle sticks to the inside of the vase.

And your Mother's Day activity is done!

Since Mother's Day is about love and appreciation, the Vase of Love helps to accomplish this and so much more.

Enjoy.