Flower
Now that school is out for most of you I have been brainstorming crafts that are a little more challenging but that can be adapted for younger kids as well. This was fun to make and by no means do you or your child have to make flowers, the sky is the limit with these fun vibrant colors. Also you can take this opportunity to talk about shades and hues ! Don’t miss the matching activity after the craft for younger kids either!
- Gather your materials. You will need some paint samples, scissors, paper and glue.
- Start by deciding what to create, or deciding to make an abstract creation.
- I started with some grass and glued it on my paper.
- Next I made flower stems and leaves, and added them.
- Time for some pretty colors, I chose to make pink and purple flowers.
- Cut out the petals and glued them on.
- Now was the more creative part – the “extras” I decided to make some clouds with a dusty blue.
- Then my favorite a butterfly!
- As it dries the glue will stick but the paint samples will pull away some. I personally LOVE this, I like how 3 dimensional it makes the craft. If you don’t like this just pop a piece of wax paper over it and lay a heavy book on top for a few hours.
Paint Color Match
This activity is not just a color match it’s also a wonderful fine motor challenge for toddlers and preschoolers.
Here are the instructions.
One of the most common questions I get asked by readers is ” What do you do with all the art work?!” Which I usually answer back with ” Most gets recycled. ” which is true but with the amount we make I still have a lot that ends up on the fridge. I love using clips like this to hold art work and thought we could make one extra pretty and wrap it up for a great handmade Mother’s Day gift. Although I would suggest this for 5 and up ( cutting foam is tricky) you could easily have the pieces pre- cut and have younger children do it successfully too. So make one of these, have your little Picasso paint a picture and send it off to Grandma for Mother’s Day.
- Gather your materials. You will need 3 or more colors of foam sheets, some clothes pins, magnetic tape, scissors, a pen and glue.
- Start by drawing your flower. Don’t worry about perfection this will be the back anyway. Cut out.
- Draw some leaves , cut out.
- Using the flower shape, trace a larger flower in a different color.
- Cut out and a middle of your flower as well.
- Layer and glue together on the clothes pin. Let dry.
- When dry glue the magnet on the other side of the clothes pin.
- Hang your beautiful art work with your beautiful art work !
Want more Mother’s Day Crafts? Need some Mom themed book recommendations?
Our complete Mother’s Day collection of crafts and book reviews
In the spirit of full disclosure these were actually made for my husband’s office, it’s his birthday today ( yay he’s older than me again) and he needed to take in treats. So I hit two birds with one stone and decided to make them mother’s day themed and make them with my little man. Kids love to help cook and bake and my main tips for a peaceful experience are, expect a mess, don’t worry about perfection and eat a healthy lunch before making them so when the sugar hits their belly it’s not as dramatic! We had fun writing out the letters and making shapes with the candy.
- Gather your materials. You will need your favorite cupcake mix and icing or recipes. Also to make the flowers and letter designs some rope licorice, and pink round candies.
- Mix your cake – I have no pictures of this because I had everything laid out in bowls, the oil, water and eggs and my son was so helpful he through them all in. I usually pre crack the eggs into a bowl and let him dump them in when I am making something that egg shells are hard to fish out of.
- Bake and cool your cupcakes.
- While they cool tear the rope licorice apart into single strands.
- Cut into smaller pieces you can make into petals
- When cupcakes are cool ice .
- Make letters to spell out MOM on one cupcake each or.. put it on a single cupcake.
- Make petals ( it’s easier to make them before adding it to the icing ) by pressing the ends tightly together.
- Add to the cupcake
- Add a candy middle.
Have fun however you make them . Oh and a tip that worked great for us this time. If you have a mini cupcake pan, put a few spoonfuls in that and let your child have a little cupcake before decorating the larger ones. This totally satisfied my son and made me feel better about how much sugar he consumed. I also had a mini one ( ok 2)and was able to leave the big ones alone !
Mama Books That Make Me Cry
Here are my top 3 books that require kleenex:
A Mama for Owen
Love You Forever
by Robert Munsch is perhaps the classic tear jerking picture book. I read this for years and years to children and had no problem getting choked up, it never bothered me, then I gave birth and I can’t read it without sobbing. The premise is simple, a mom sings this simple song to her son as he grows ” I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as you’re living , my baby you’ll be.” until she can’t sing it anymore and it’s his turn. For days after I read this I tear up as I lay my son in bed. * Edited to add that many readers have commented that they do not like this book at all! What do you think? Leave a comment and tell us!
Hair for Mama
This pool noodle garland is not a preschool craft , but younger children could easily thread the ribbon through the middle of the flower instead ! Either way this frugal craft is a great way to decorate for spring for only $3 which is exactly what I spent on the materials. Hope your Friday is frugal and fun!
- Gather your materials. You will need 2 or more colors of pool noodles ( check to see what shape the are on the ends), some ribbon, a bread knife and scissors. I also used a dry paint brush as a “needle”.
- Start by slicing your noodle into sections with your bread knife.
- Cut your ribbon to the length you want and make a large knot.
- Next using sharp scissors make a hole through one of the petals.
- Push your ribbon through the hole – using the end of a paintbrush, or chopstick.
- Alter colors to make a pattern.
- Pin up and enjoy flowers inside for as long as you want!
Book
The Gardener
I love using toilet paper rolls for crafts, it’s one thing that the vast majority of households have on hand at any given time. I love the 3D aspect of this craft and the fine motor work it demands for coloring the petals. It can also be used to teach patterns- or simply art done any way they choose! Toddlers can get in on the action by dipping the cut rolls into plates of paint instead of coloring the petals one by one! You may notice my son is absent, he was outside enjoying the sun and making houses for worms.
- Gather your materials. You will need 2-3 toilet paper rolls, a piece of heavier paper ( construction paper or card stock), some markers or paint, scissors and glue.
- Start by cutting your rolls into smaller pieces.
- Cut vertically into the roll and fan it out to make petals.
- Color the petals with markers, or paint.
This takes patience , which makes this a great group project hand a group of kids a small number of flowers and have them each make the number they wish , so it’s not overwhelming. - Add glue and place the flowers on your paper- ours is pink and looks great in person but is washed out in the pictures.
- Pop on the paper and let dry. We let it dry for 4-5 hours before moving it.
Books
by Eric Carle is a story about a tiny seed who unlike the other seeds from his flower makes it against all odds to continue the cycle of life. I really enjoy this book and love how it shows all the obstacles along the way for a simple little seed. My son liked this book but didn’t make it all the way through, which I expected since it is a long book for a 2 year old.
Chrysanthemum
The Boy Who Grew Flowers
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