Celebrating Mother's Day

Can y'all believe we're already (quickly) approaching the end of April?!  WHERE DID THE YEAR GO?!  Our babies get out at the end of May and you know how May goes.  Everything sort of hits us at once.  Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, testing, assessment after assessment, portfolios, cumulative folders, plays, musicals, field trips, graduation, etc., etc., etc.  Try as we may to be on top of things, sometimes the inevitable just sneaks up on us!  For me, that is usually Mother's Day.  I always think I have more time to plan and prep.  What about you?!

Well today I wanted to share with you some Mother's Day ideas so that this doesn't sneak up on you and leave you without a spare second to plan.  Shall we?!

I always love introducing different concepts, topics, and holidays with a read aloud.  Here are some of my favorite Mother's Day read alouds.

The Night Before Mother's Day, by Natasha Wing

Mother's Day Blessings, by Jan & Stan Berstain

What Not to Give Your Mom on Mother's Day, by Martha Simpson

Just Me & My Mom, by Mercer Mayer

I Love My Mommy Because..., by Laurel Porter Gaylord

Happy Mother's Day!, by Mercer Mayer

I Love You Mommy, by Jillian Harker

Did You Know My Mom is Awesome?, by Shelley Admont

My Mom, by Anthony Browne

After reading a couple of different read alouds, we talk about different things that moms do.  The responses always make me laugh, LOL.  

Speaking as a mom, my favorite gifts I get from my kids are always the handwritten tokens of love.  It's like a little piece of their hearts and thoughts on paper, forever frozen in time.  I LOVE THEM.  SO, I like having my school babies make the same type of gifts for their moms, or V.I.P's, too!!  My mom kept all of these kinds of things my siblings and I made for her and I have a growing box of goodies my boys have created for me.  Maybe I'm overly sentimental, but I seriously can't get enough.  Here's just a little sample of some things we make for Mother's Day...

My most favorite is this Mother's Day booklet.

We create these as a guided writing activity during our guided reading small groups.  Sometimes I'll even place some of the pages in the writing center throughout the two weeks leading up to Mother's Day...just depends on the class I have and how much time we have to work on them.

I adhere the cover to a piece of construction paper and the first two pages are an original poem and an "all about mom" page.  The "all about" page is always my favorite, LOL!!!  Then I use my 3-hole-punch & ribbon to tie it altogether.

There are lots of different pages within the book.  Sometimes we have enough time to finish them all, sometimes we only have time for 3-5.  It's a new ball game every year :)  

Anybody remember this gem that one of my students gifted her mom back in 2012?!?!  I DIE!!!!  This is my favorite to date.  Mom and I had a huge laugh over this one, LOL!!!  Mom came up to school not long after this booklet went home and she and I could NOT stop laughing!!  Out of the mouths of babes!

If you're interested in having your kids do something like this for their moms, I uploaded a freebie for you to use in your classrooms :)  I was also sure to include pages that read "V.I.P" instead of "mom" should you have any students who need to designate an dad/aunt/uncle/grandma/grandpa/family friend as a mother figure.  

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD MOTHER'S DAY KEEPSAKE BOOKLET

I also have my kids send home Mother's Day coupon books that include coupons redeemable for things like hugs, foot rubs, house cleaning, naps, etc.  My kids get a kick out of these!!!  These are SUPER easy to assemble...just print, cut, collate, and staple!  I'll often tie a ribbon around the booklets for a little something extra.  Your kids can choose the coupons they want to include or you can choose for them :)

In addition to the Mother's Day keepsake booklet, I usually have my kids create Mother's Day simile books.  I usually start with a mentor book and simile lesson to set the stage.  Together we'll brainstorm a list of different descriptors to use in our books.  

I go to the Dollar Tree, but a bunch of white or brown gift bags, and have my kids paint their handprints on the bag.  Once they dry, they write "Happy Mother's Day" with a sharpie over their handprint.  We place all of these keepsakes inside their gift bags to take home & instruct them to make sure that mom doesn't peek until Mother's Day!!!

And no Mother's Day is complete without some sort of craft!  These are a couple of my favorites.  I don't send them both home the same year...unless we have a ton of time!!!...but I'll alternate years and just kind of feel out which one is appropriate for the current school year.  I love getting things like this from my boys!

BLOWING KISSES CRAFTIVITY

MOTHER'S DAY WRITING CRAFTIVITY

Here are a couple of craft ideas that make my heart swell.  Such precious gift ideas for mom or a special V.I.P!!!  And easy to boot!

This suncatcher doubles as a clever little Mother's Day card.  How cute is that?!

via Learning & Exploring Through Play

How simple and easy is this craft?!  "I love my mom because" flowers!  You can take this a step further and place it in a clay pot decorated with their thumbprints :)  That's for the ambitious teacher.  I know this time of the year doesn't always afford us time!  LOL!

via Busy Creating Memories

Blowing kisses to mom!  A canvas some paint, scrapbook paper, photographs, and mod podge make this a pretty easy, and adorable, Mother's Day gift! 

via Hora De Brincar E De Aprender

My oldest brought home a picture just like this in a handmade frame a few years ago.  I died.  His said, "I love you because you give good hugs."  BLESS IT.  It's still hanging in my room :)

via Pinterest (if you know the original source, holler!  Can't find it!!!)

How do you celebrate Mother's Day in the classroom?!?!?!