This year, prepare your kids for Mother's Day well in advance by creating gifts that are unique and sure to be treasured over the years.  These crafts are perfect for older siblings to help younger ones create, and will show moms how much they are appreciated.  Each can also be embellished with additional decorations of things that your mother loves, such as particular colors, flowers, animals, hobbies, or more.  Most importantly, be sure to have your kids give their crafts with a hug, a kiss, and a thank you!

Clay Thumbprint Necklace

Materials:

• Bakeable clay
• Wax paper
• Pen
• Jump ring
• Circular template
• Necklace
• Pliers

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. 
2. Take a small piece of clay and roll it into a ball.
3. Put the ball on a piece of wax paper, and put a piece of wax paper over it. Flatten it with a rolling pin, but do not make it too thin.
4. Use your circular template (any small ring or even a coin would do) to make a pendant design. Use a butter knife to cut away the extra clay.
5. Using the pen, make a hole at the top of the pendant for the jump ring.
6. Press child’s thumb into the pendant with enough force to get a good impression of their fingerprint.
7. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes per 1/4 inch of clay. Let it cool.
8. Put jump ring through the hole and close, and then string the necklace string or chain through it.

Ladybug Flower Pot

Materials:

• 1 flower pot
• Red paint
• 1 paintbrush
• 1 sharpie marker
• 2 Googly eyes
• 1 black pipe cleaner
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun

Instructions:

1. Paint the flower pot with red paint to begin making it the ladybug’s body. 
2. After the red paint dries, draw black spots on the pot with the sharpie marker. 
3. Take the pipe cleaner and fold it into a V, and then curl the ends to form the antennas. 
4. Using a hot glue gun, glue the antennas to the lip of the pot. 
5. Below the antennas, glue both googly eyes. 
6. Wrap it up as a gift, or add soil and seeds to give your mom a flowering plant in your cute ladybug pot.

Cupcake Flowers

Materials:

• Pipe cleaners
• Pen
• Scissors
• Paper cupcake liners

Instructions:

1. Color the inside of the cupcake liners with markers or colored pencils making colorful flower designs.
2. Poke a small hole in the middle of cupcake liners with a pen.
3. Put pipe cleaner through the hole, and then tie the end with a knot.
4. Repeat until you are done with your bouquet. Then, tie another pipe cleaner around the “stems” to hold them all together.

Love Jar

Materials:

• Empty plastic or glass jar
• Paper
• Pens or markers

Instructions:
For a simple but thoughtful gift, write down each reason why you love your mom on a small strip of paper, roll it up, and put it in a jar, labelled “All the Ways I Love Mom,” and decorate the jar as you please.  Mom will have a new reason why you love her to pull out each day, and it is sure to put a smile on her face.