Keep These Interests and Issues in Mind for Mother’s Day Crafts to Thank Mom

Expressing appreciation for the important people in our lives can take various forms, but for children, a craft is a perfect opportunity to make something personal that speaks of such appreciation. As Mother’s Day approaches, children of all ages can use their interests and abilities to create special tokens of love for their mothers. Whether you are a father, grandparent, or caretaker, you might be in search of clever ideas for helping the youngsters in your charge to create that customized gift through crafting activities. Here are some factors to keep in mind as you research and do these projects with your youngsters.

Age Appropriate Activities

It is always important to be aware of your child’s abilities, especially when putting a craft together to thank Mom. In the case of a baby, for example, a craft may involve handprints or footprints, but it is unlikely that the youngster will be able to contribute otherwise to the project. At two or three years of age, you can expect a youngster to help in adding stickers to an image, but don’t be surprised at minimal coloring or drawing skills. Artistic and manual skills will improve with age, and older children can function with less direction. As your child reaches the upper-elementary years, it is more likely that a Mother’s Day craft will require minimal direction and allow for maximum creativity.

Adult Assistance for Multi-Age Craft Options

Some craft ideas can work well across the ages, suiting both younger and older children in thanking Mom for her love and support. Photo collages are excellent, and as a parent or loved one provides the photos, a child can adorn a frame with colorful accents like buttons, ribbon, dyed pasta, or other craft items. Plaster molds are perfect for capturing handprints or footprints. Using a child’s drawing to create a mug or plate can also be a fun craft project to express love to Mom on her special day. Remember that with a more sophisticated craft, the support needed from an adult will be greater.

Direction with Flexibility

One of the fundamental concepts at work in Discovery Point’s Creative Curriculum is that of creating a responsive and rich learning environment. Direction is important, but flexibility is also a priority. This is just as true for arts and crafts as for language arts and math, and as a parent or caregiver, you can implement such a strategy in helping your child to create a special thank you craft for Mom. Provide guidance as you decide on the right craft for the occasion. Allow your child to help in choosing after you have compiled a selection of a few crafting projects that you find to be suitable for their abilities and interests. Empower your youngster with the freedom to choose colors, materials, or other facets of the project that will provide for that personal touch to be evident when Mom receives that gift. Whether it is a word collage in a picture frame or a planter that has been painted and embellished to hold a special bouquet or plant, you can provide the supervision to ensure that the project is completed while you encourage the creativity that will make the craft a memorable token that Mom will treasure for years to come.