Pre K Fun -- Mother's Day: Arts / Crafts

Mother's Day: Homemade Gift Ideas

Marigolds For Mom

Approximately three weeks before Mother's Day, have the children help plant two or three
marigold seeds in small paper cups filled with potting soil. Water the plants and let them grow
to be sent home with the children for Mother's Day. Attach the poem below:

Once I was so tiny,
As tiny as a seed.
Now I am growing,
As fast as a little weed.

Sometimes I am a challenge,
But please try to understand,
I am trying hard to do,
The very best I can.

I planted this little flower,
To help you see I care.
Help me keep on growing,
'Cause I am very rare.

This flower won't stay small,
It's growing just like me
Please remember, I love You,
And plant it where all can see.

Handprint Tablecloth

Materials Needed:
Tablecloth (Cotton blend works best.)
Plastic to put underneath tablecloth
Acrylic paint(s) -- colors of your choice
Textile medium
Bowl
Sponge
Thin paintbrush (optional)

Directions:
Iron tablecloth. Lay plastic underneath cloth to prevent paint from soaking through.
Mix paint and medium in bowl, following directions on textile medium bottle. Use sponge to
paint palm of child's hand. Spread fingers and press hand down firmly on tablecloth. Repeat with
as many hands as you want. If you want to, you can paint an edge around the hands using a small
paintbrush. This works well on barbeque aprons and t-shirts. Three tips: Prewash the shirts to remove
sizing, do not use fabric softeners of any kind, and put scrap cardboard inside the shirt so that the paint
doesn't bleed through to the back.

Book of Kisses

The children can make a "Book of Kisses" to give to their mothers on Mother's Day.
Make booklets by cutting paper into 4 inch squares and stapling ten sheets together in one booklet
for each child. Write "Book of Kisses" on the top page and invite the children to decorate the page that is
the cover of the booklet. In small groups, color the children's lips with lipstick and have them kiss each page of the book. Send it home with a note explaining that the mothers can redeem each page for a real kiss.

Handprint Hoop

For each child, purchase one 12" wooden or plastic embroidery hoop, 14 inch circle of muslin,
and 5 inch length of ribbon. Tie each ribbon into a bow. Paint each of your children's hands with red fabric
paint. Press their hands onto the muslin circle and allow the paint to dry. Use a variety of fabric paints to
let the children decorate on and around the handprints with dots, squiggles, and zigzags. Allow the paint
to dry. For the finishing touches, insert the muslin between the hoops and glue in place with a hot glue.
Glue the bow to the top of the hoop with the hot glue. Have the children present the hoops to their
mothers or grandmothers on Mothers Day.

Pencil Holder

Remove covering from playdoh cans. Assist the children with gluing cancelled stamps onto the can.
(The can may be painted and allowed to dry before applying the stamps.) After the glue is dry, paint the
entire can with shellac for a shiny, more permanent finish.

Bath Salts

In a large bowl, mix 2 1/2 lb. Epsom salts with food coloring and perfume.
Mix until the color is spread out evenly. Put into smaller jars and let stand 4-6 weeks
before using so that the perfume can absorb full into the salts.

Super Talc Dispenser Craft

Cover an empty Pringles tube with paper. Then get the children to stick or color on the paper.
Then pour talc inside, seal the top with sellotape and make small holes in the lid!!
Nice to receive and easy for the children to complete.

Thumbunny Loves You

Stretch some white or off-white material in a large embroidery frame. Dip your child's thumb into
acrylic paint and put a thumbprint on the material. Best to have them all over. At the top write "Thumbunny
Loves You." At the bottom, write the person it goes to, like "Grandma" or "Mom" or whomever and the year.
When it is dry, glue lace around the edge of the hoop. On the thumbprints, you draw with a black permanent
marker, ears and rabbit feet to each thumbprint. This is so cute and everybody really like them.

A Special Gift

Child picks out box, color of tissue paper & ribbon. Sit with child. Have child close eyes and think
about their mom. (Love mom, love mom, love mom -- get the idea). Then child takes a deep breathe &
blows it into the small box. You catch the breathe-- full of love for mom-- in the box and IMMEDIATELY
close the box, taping the ends shut so none gets out! While you help child to wrap with tissue paper,
talk about what is in the box and no one is to open it and "let your love thoughts for your mom get out!"
As you help the child to tie the ribbon around the "gift" & attach the poem to the 'gift', talk about what is
in the box, do not open the box, SPECIAL gift to mom (get the idea). Children then can decorate a white
(or brown) lunch bag to put their special gift of love thoughts to mom in. You will need to attach a magnet
to the backside of the "gift" box. Use the following poem and attach it to the box by hole punching the top
left corner and tying it on with ribbon.

This is a very special gift,
That you can never see.
The reason it's so special,
It's just for you from me.

Whenever you are lonely,
Or ever feeling blue,
You only have to hold this gift
And know I think of you.

You never can unwrap it.
Please leave the ribbon tied.
Just hold the box close to your heart,
It's filled with LOVE inside.

(have child sign their name)

Painted Pots

Give each child a clay pot and write their name and date on the bottom with perm markers.
Set Pot right side up. Have a selection of acrylic paint. Squirt it onto a large white tile in the middle
of the table. Use a clean brush for each color. Remind children to ask peers for their brush rather than
dip the used brush into a new color. Let the pots dry and then spray with acrylic varnish. (take a field trip
to a nursery and buy pansys to plant in your pots). Attach this poem:

This flower shines with love for you
On this your special day.
You're the best mom in the world
In each and every way.

Candle Holders

Recycle baby food jars. Have children tear tissue paper in small pieces and with white glue glue
to jar and lid. Put an extra coat of glue on all when done. Put a votive candle inside and tie a ribbon
around the top. We cut daisies out of cardstock for the card and attached this to the ribbon.

Sweet Nothing Boxes

The children can begin by carefully cutting tiny angels, cupids and hearts from old valentine
cards and wrapping paper, or gathering a small collection of bric-a-brac, such as colored macaroni,
doilies, buttons and play jewelry. Then they should glue them over the outside of small cardboard boxes
(jewelry boxes for earrings are perfect). Fill the boxes with sweet nothings, such as bath oil beads,
acorn caps, small seashells or colorful bows.

Bath Bomb Bouquet

Mix 1 part citric acid (from pharmacy) with 2 1/4 parts baking soda. Add several drops of olive oil
(or essential oil) and a few drops of food coloring. Moisten by spraying with water until the mixture just
begins to stick together. Roll into balls or use cookie cutters to make flower shapes from it. Let them dry
and harden on a sheet of waxed paper for 24-48 hours. Pack them in saran wrap or a baggie until wrapped
up for Mommy. These can be used in up to 2-3 months. Children wrap them in colored cellophane.

Flower Child

Plaster of Paris in a tiny clay pot, with a Popsicle stick painted or colored green sticking up.
A brown felt circle (with a slit to fit over the stick) serves as the soil. A brightly colored poster board
flower with a photo of the child's face in the center gets glued to the stick and voila!

Bookmarks

Go for a walk and pick stems of grass and interesting leaves, press them. If you have access to
little flowers that can be picked do so too. Otherwise buy some yourself and press them too. To press
just lay between tissue in a book leave for at least a week. (You can press your own early and then
have the children press some and switch them later) Using only a drop of glue or two per item glue onto
strips of paper and laminate as book marks. A thumb print bug looks nice on it as well.

My Mom Story Book

My mom's name is _____________________________. She has __________________hair and ________
eyes. She is _________years old. Her favorite food is ___________________. For fun my mom likes to
_____________________. Her favorite color is ___________. I love my mom because ________________.
My mom is special because ____________. Leave room at the bottom of the page for the children to draw a
picture of their mom.

Helping Hands Book

Ask the children to tell you of ways they help out their mothers. Then let them make helping hands books to give to their mothers. Make paint pads by placing folded paper towels in shallow containers and pouring on small amounts of tempera paint. Give each child five or six pieces of white construction paper. Have each child gently press his or her hand on a paint pad, then press it once on each of his or her papers. (Have a tub of warm soapy water and some towels ready for the children to use for cleaning their hands.) Let the children decorate construction paper covers on which you have written, "Whenever there is work to do, just tear out a hand and I'll help you." Then complete each child's book by stapling his or her pages and cover together.

Tissue Collage Vase

Materials Needed:
clean, clear glass bottle (salad dressing, vinegar, Snapple)
tissue paper
Mod Podge (1 1/2 gal. per class of 28) -- a white glue that dries clear
inexpensive paste brushes
plastic containers with air tight lids for the Mod Podge (1 for every 4 children)
disposable plastic gloves
masking tape (to label the bottles)
newspaper (to cover the work area)

Directions:
Brush the bottom of the bottle with Mod Podge. Cover with overlapping pieces of torn tissue paper.
Brush Mod Podge over the tissue paper. Make sure that the tissue paper is flat. wrinkles add
interest, however, pieces that stick out will harden that way and cannot be flattened once dry. Use enough
Mod Podge so that it soaks through the tissue. This makes the tissue paper transparent and gives it a
stained glass effect. Build up 4 layers of tissue paper and Mod Podge. Once the bottom of the bottle has
been finished, cover the sides and the top in the same manner. Now for the creative part! The children
makethree-dimensional flowers, vines and leaves to add to their vase. Put on a pair of disposable gloves.
This part is very messy. Take a piece of tissue paper about 4"x4" and form it into the following shapes: thick
oval for petals and leaves, a bunched ball for the flower center, and a long twisted rope for the vine. Dip the
shape into Mod Podge. Gently work the Mod Podge into the tissue paper while removing any excess. Form
into the desired shape and press onto the vase. Attach the leaves and petals so that they stand out. Turn the
vase while working so that you can view the overall 3-D effect. Mod Podge won't dry well in humid conditions.

Tea For Mom

Children cut out a teapot shape, decorate it and attach a real teabag. Add writing -

On Mothers day I give to thee
A spot of rest and a cup of tea.

What you do is cut out a teapot shape and then this is the poem for it :

Here's a gift for Mother's Day
I'll try my best in every way,
But when you get upset with me
Relax and have a cup of tea.

Then you attach a tea bag to the pot.

Flowers for Mom

Have children paint little terra cotta flower pots with acrylic paints (be careful, acrylic paints
do not come out of clothing so wear smocks!). A couple days later, have children help fill pots with
potting soil and plant small flowers in pots. (Do this outside, or cover floor with newspaper.) Give to
Moms on the Friday before Mother's Day.

Handprint Magnets

Paint the child's right hand with poster paint and make a handprint on a piece of poster board.
Do the same thing with his/ her left hand. Let the prints dry. Cut around the outside of both handprints.
Write the possessive form of the child's name on one hand and something like "work" or "masterpiece"
on the other hand. Put a piece of sticky-backed magnet on the back of each hand.

Handprint Hot Pads

Buy inexpensive, plain, light colored hot pads. Paint children's hands with fabric paint.

Handprint Dough

2 c. flour, 1 c. salt, 1 c. water, food coloring

Mix food coloring in with the water before you add the water to the flour and salt. Mix it and knead
it into a soft dough. Roll it out onto a floured surface. Have the kids press their hand down into the dough.
Be sure to press firmly enough that the imprints are clear and deep, but not so deep that they go clear
down to the table or surface. Then, take a toothpick and write their name and the year wherever you can find
the space. I cut a big circle around the handprint and then poked two holes at the top of the circle tie a pretty
ribbon at the top of the plaque. Bake at 200 degrees for 2 or 3 hours, watching closely so that it doesn't burn.

These Little Hands

Copy the poem below and center it on an 81/2 x 11 sheet of plain copier paper. To each side of the poem
paint the child's hands and make handprints. Just below the poem, place a picture of the child that was
taken in the classroom. If the child can write he or she can sign their name and date the paper. If not, then
you do it. Then use colored construction paper for a background, and place the white sheet on top in a
matching color. Finally, laminate it, roll it up, and tie with a ribbon for each child to present to Mom.

These little hands will never grow,
These little hands will stay, just so,
When I'm grown and far away,
These little hands with you will stay.

Photo Collage Placemat

Arrange photos of the children (or sibling groups) between two placemat-sized sheets
of clear contac paper. If needed, bare spots can be filled in with messages like I Love You,
Happy Mother's Day, You're the Greatest, etc.

Photo Key Chain

Buy a cheap (2 for $1.00) plastic key chain with a place to slip a photo inside.
For 1 child families, we write, 'Happy Mother's Day' or 'I love you' or something on a rectangle of
colored paper to put on the reverse side of the photo. For siblings, put the photos back-to-back.

Popsicle Stick Photo Frames

Make frames out of popsicle sticks and glue wooden hearts to them and then have the kids paint them.

Handprint Aprons

Purchase a solid colored apron per child. Have them pain their handprints hands down onto the apron.
Write the following above the handprints: Hands down Mom's the best cook!

Cook Book

Have each child bring in 3 - 5 of their Mom's favorite recipes.
Compile them all together and make a cookbook. Don't forget to add your favorite recipes.
Encourage the children to work together to design a cover page for the cookbooks.

Scented Candles

Take 1/4 cup of liquid potpourri and 4 packages of gelatin and mix. Pour it in a bay food jar and
now you have a scented jelly candle. Use lace to decorate the lids.

Make a book with the children

Cover have child draw his /her mom

first page I love my moms _________
second page My moms favorite color is _________
3rd mom is pretty as a _________
4th My mom is smart because she knows ___________
5 th My mom can do many things she is best at ________
6 put hugs and kisses have kids put lip stick on and kiss kiss kiss the last page

Coupon Keeper

Materials Needed:
two index cards
Hole Punch
Yarn
Crayons/Markers

Directions:
To make a coupon keeper, stack two index cards. Punch Holes through both cards on the
ends and one long side. Tie a long piece of yarn to one of the top corners.Lace the yarn through
all the holes and tie off. Decorate both sides of the coupon holder with crayons or markers.

Mom's Care Package

A STICK OF GUM - to remind you to stick with it.

A CANDLE - to give you light when you feel burned out.

A CHOCOLATE KISS - to remind you that someone cares.

SMARTIES - to help you on days when you don't feel so smart.

LIFESAVER - to remind you that everyone needs help once in a while.

A SNICKER - to remind you to see the funny side -- there is one!

A ROSE - to remind you to take time to smell the flowers.

CONFETTI - to help you celebrate the good times.

A PENNY - with thanks for sharing your thoughts.

A BAG - to help you keep it all together.

Note Pad For Mom

Have children paint a design on the shiny surface of a plastic tile. Provide each child with a small
note pad or small sheets of paper cut to fit the plastic tile. The paper can be attached to the tile with
a wooden clothes pin. Paint the clothes pin to make it pretty.

Handprint Magnet

Trace the students hands on craft foam and cut them out. The children then decorate them with
sequins etc, and glue a spring clothespin and magnet on the back. (To hold notes on the fridge).

Scoop of Love!

Materials Needed::
One laundry detergent scoop per child
Stickers & Ribbon (various colors)
Some conversation hearts or Hershey's Kisses or Hugs
Plastic wrap (the colored kind is especially pretty)

Directions:
Be sure to was and and dry the scoops well. Allow children to decorate the
scoops with stickers. If you have a small photo of the child, glue it on as
well. Next, instruct the children to fill the scoops with choice of
candies. (Make it a math lesson by having them to count out a certain
number of each candy available). Help the children cover it with plastic
wrap. Gather and tie with bow. ( be sure to let the child pick whatever
color wrap or ribbon to make it that much more personal) Now you can add
heart shaped message " A scoopful of (love), )hugs), (kisses) for you from _____"

A "Spoonful of Love"

Materials per child:
1 plastic spoon, 2 hershey kisses, a square of netting, ribbon, poem below printed out to attach

A spoonful of love
And a couple of wishes
That you enjoy your
Mother's Day Kisses!

Directions:
To prepare, I write "Mothers Day 2002" on the handle of the spoon Then the kids put their kisses in the
spoon and wrap the tulle around the spoon and kisses. Working together, the child and I tie a ribbon around
the tulle at the base of the handle. Then we attach the poem.

Book of Mommy

My Mom By:______
This is my Mom. (they will draw a picture of Mom.)
I think my Mom looks just like_______.
Do you know how old my Mom is? She is ___ years old.
My Mom weighs about ____ pounds.
My Mom works hard all day. She is a _________.
My Mom can ______ better than anyone else I know.
I would not trade my Mom for anything, not even_________.
If I could I would buy my Mom ________ for Mother's Day.
Happy Mother's Day! Love, ______.

Thankful Bag
Dear____________________

        Thank you for your loving care
        Thank you for all the kindness that you share
        Thank you for helping me to learn and grow
        Thank you for showing me all that you know
        That's why I just want to say
        "THANK YOU" in the biggest way

This thankful bag contains:

A rubber band-to keep our hearts tied together always
A candy kiss-to say thank you for all your love
A penny-to say thank you for sharing my thoughts and letting me know they are important to you
A warm fuzzy-to make you feel good when you are sad like you always do for me.
A band-aid - to say thank you for all the times you make my hurts feel better
A facial tissue-to say thank you for all the times you dry my tears
And a piece of lifesaver candy-a circle to show that my love for you will never end.

Love:__________________________________

Mother's Day Kisses

You will need 2 wrapped candy kisses, 1 plastic spoon, a 4x4 piece of netting, and ribbon.
Place the two kisses back to back in the bowl of the spoon. Cover with the netting and tie with small ribbon.
To the ribbon's bow attach the following poem:

"Happy Mother's Day!
A spoonful of love
And a couple of wishes,
That you enjoy your
Mother's Day kisses!"

I Love You Flower

Trace their hand and then glue the fingers down to make the sign for Love (ring and middle fingers down.).
Add a chenille stem or a straw as the flower stem. Put some plaster or glue in the bottom of a paper
cup and put the stem down into the cup - makes a really cute present.

Picture Frames

I went to the dollar store and bought some 500 piece puzzles that were floral scenes and
we are going to use the pieces to make a picture frame. I will give them a piece of construction
paper that has the shape of a frame copied on it so they will have a guide. They will glue the
pieces on and glue some on to of the others. I won't have them paint it as the floral colors
look really pretty without paint. I will have them paint glue over the whole thing to give it a
finish (like decoupage). I am going to take a picture of each child doing something in school to put in the frame, so it will be a remembrance of Kindergarten. I am using a digital camera so there will be no cost.

Potpourri Sachet

Cut a piece of lace, netting or other desirable fabric about 8" by 11". Place a handful of
potpourri in the center. Bring the 4 corners up to the top and gather the fabric around the top.
Secure the sachet with a rubberband. Cut and tie a piece of colored ribbon and attach the following poem:

This pretty bag of potpourri
Was made for you by little me.
In it there are leaves and flowers
That will smell sweet for many hours.
I helped cut the ribbon and lace,
And tied a bow in a special place.
So keep it somewhere it can stay
To remind you of this Mother's Day!

Handprint Flower

Glue a white paper on top of a larger colored paper. Paint the child's palm any color.
Child presses down about the center or slightly above. Now paint the child's fingers using
another color and have child press down above palm print. The child may add a cut out heart
for the center of the flower. Colored paper leaves and stem may be added. Here is the poem:

A piece of me
I give to you.
I painted this flower
To say "I love you."

The heart is you.
The hand is me.
To show we are friends-
The best there can be.

I hope you will save it
And look back someday
At the flower we shared
On your special day.

Colored Soaps

Let the children make colored soaps to give as Mother's Day presents. Tint the water with the desired
color of food coloring and stir it into Ivory Snow to make a dough-like mixture (about 2 cups of soap
powder to 1/2 cups of water). Have the children mold the mixture into balls or other shapes and place
them on waxed paper to dry for several days. If the soaps are very small, let each child put several of them into a large baby food jar and decorate the lid with a sticker. Then tie a ribbon around the neck of the jar.

Mother's Day Cookbooks

I individually ask each child to tell me their favorite food that Mom fixes and then I ask them to tell me
how they prepare it. I type the recipes and underneath I ask them to draw a picture of Mom cooking in
their kitchen. Then I put all the pages together and make copies for each parent. The children color and
design their own covers. All the Moms really like these cookbooks because they make them laugh!

Scented Bath Salts

Materials Needed:
Epsom salts
food coloring
fragrance (ex:scented oils)

Directions:
Children can pour epsom salt into a small bowl and then add their favorite scent and
color to create a unique combination. Allow about a day for mixture to dry completely.

Using a clean jar (a baby food jar works well), children can create a label, and
add some decorative touches using tissue paper, wrapping paper, ribbons, etc.

Fill a clean baby food jar with mixture and add bow or ribbons.

Pot Gifts for Moms

Paint small clay pots using acrylic paints. I'm letting the kids do what ever they want,
then fill the pots with popopurri (sp?), and wrap with colored saran wrap and a bow, the attach
cards for mom made by the kids.

Mother's Day Gift

Materials Needed:
wooden embroidery hoop
muslin
fabric paint
ribbon

Directions:
Paint a childs hands and press onto the center of a piece of muslin. Allow to dry. Right a saying
or make a design around the hands. Insert in the hoop and glue on a bow out of ribbon. Very cute!

Mom's Mini Sewing Kit

Remove the staples and insides of a matchbook. Open it out flat and glue a piece of bright gift wrap to the
outside. cut a small piece of poster board that will fit inside the matchbook. Wrap several different colors of
thread around the cardboard and place it in the matchbook. A small piece of felt containing a few straight pins
and a needle or two should also be included. Staple the matchbook together to hold everything in place.

Scented Sachets

Cut an eight-inch square of nylon netting. Place a cotton ball in the center of the netting and
sprinkle with scented powder or cologne. Gather the four corners of the netting together and tie with
a pretty ribbon. Mom will lobe having this sachet to hang in her closet or place in her dresser drawer.

Mother's Day Book Marks

Cotton fabric can be laminated to make delightful bookmark. After laminating the fabric,
cut it into 2"x 6" strips. Punch a hole in one end of the bookmark and add colorful tassel.
Mom will love using her new bookmark when reading.

Handprints in the Sand

Supply a plastic tub of moist sand and have each child take turns pressing his or her hand into the sand.
Make sure each child makes a deep, clear impression. Pour a think mixture of plaster into the impression
and allow it to dry. Carefully remove the print and brush the excess sand away. (footprints are also fun to
make the same way.) These hand prints make wonderful paper weights for Mom on Mother's Day

Hand Spray

Mix a thin mixture of water and tempera paint and pour it into an empty bottle. Ask a child to place his or her
hand on a sheet of paper and spray the hand with paint. When the child removes the hand, (hold the paper
down) a silhouette will appear against the spattered paper. Children can easily wash up with soap and water.

Colorful Handprints

Ask each child to paint the palm of their hand with thick poster paint. Have them carefully
press their hand onto the construction paper. Children might like to repeat the handprint several
times with different colors. Mom will love receiving this colorful reminder of her child's early years.

Poem

I GIVE MY HAND TO YOU THIS DAY!
REMEMBER ME NOW,
AS I GROW AND PLAY!

Craft Idea for Gift to Mom

Using fabric, I have used canvas, Denim, potholders and linen table cloths or dish towels.
(any size that will accommodate 1-2 hand prints is fine) Off white, denim, or light colors seem to
work best. Paint child's hands and put hand prints on fabric. Around the outside or beneath hand
prints include this poem:

Here's my little hand print, so when I have grown tall.
You will always remember the prints I left upon the walls.....
and doors........and windows........and~~~~~~~

Painted Flower Pots

We had our class of 3, 4 and 5 year olds paint the outside of a medium sized clay pot with flowers.
We had them use stamps for the actual flower and then they painted the stem on and put the grass at
the bottom. The pots were then filled with a baggie of potting soil, a flower packet and a poem. We
wrapped the entire pot in clear wrap and tied it with ribbons. The poem we enclosed was: Here's a little pot,
I painted just for you, Inside is a special project, For the two of us to do. Happy Mother's Day.

Homemade Soap Shapes

Mix a good quantity of Ivory Snow powder and water in a bucket. Then invite the children to
mold the mixture into different shapes such as hearts, butterflies, etc. Allow two or three days for
the soap shapes to dry. These make great Mother's Day gifts.

Paper Weights

Materials Needed:
A baby food jar for each child,
Salt, & Colored chalk,
Scratch paper,
Ribbon & Glue

Directions:
Place one or two spoonfuls of salt on a piece of scratch paper for each child.
Give each child a piece of colored chalk and have him or her rub the chalk into the salt.
When the salt is colored, pour it into the child's jar. Then have the child repeat the process with
more salt and a different color of chalk. Continue layering the colored salt in the jar until it is full.
Later, the lids of the jars can be glued shut and ribbons can be tied around the tops to make paper
weights. Clear plastic bottles may be substituted for the glass baby food jars, if desired.

Breakfast In Bed

For our M's Day present this year we made each mom BREAKFAST IN BED! Here's how:

1. Make butter - in a plastic baby food jar (Heinz baby juice comes in these) put 1 marble and
1 tablespoon whipping cream. Put the lid on and the kids SHAKE AND SHAKE AND SHAKE and
in a few minutes it will turn to butter. I scooped the butter into a clean baby food jar for each child.
The kids wrapped the jar in colored tissue paper and secured with a pipe cleaner.

2. Make JELLY - Kids cut strawberries into small pieces and cooked in a pot with about 1/2 cup water
and sugar to taste. Cook to a boil and simmer over low heat for 1/2 hour. When cool, TEACHER pours
into baby food jars. (SMELLS GREAT THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL AND EVERYONE WILL STOP IN
TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!). Kids wrap in colored tissue paper and secure with a pipe cleaner.

3. Taste the butter on a cracker AND the strawberry jelly on a slice of bread (WE JOKINGLY SAY...
TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT "POISONOUS" and some of my DRAMA QUEENS & KINGS will pretend to
pass out or choke but almost repeatedly ask for more!!!)

4. Make MUFFINS - use favorite recipe. We used JIFFY baking mix recipe that was on the side of the
box and added some sliced strawberries to the batter once poured into the liners. We made enough for
each child to take home 3 muffins in a ziplock baggie.

5. Each child decorates a lunch size bag. Use colored bags or brown ones. Add colorful shredded paper
(we just shredded construction paper in the office shredder) to the bag for "padding"
so if you use glass baby food jars they are padded a little from breakage.

6. Have the children put the butter, jelly and muffins in their bag with the following note:

Dear Moms,
We thought and thought
about what to do
for a Mother's Day gift
for moms as awesome
as each of you

So...here is your gift
and we hope it is said
that you never have had
a better BREAKFAST IN BED!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

love,
(Teacher's Name) & the (name of class/center) Kids

7. Fold the top of the bag over 2 times, punch a hole in top and add a tag which reads -
KEEPREFRIGERATED UNTIL MOTHER'S DAY! DON'T PEEK!!!! The kids signed their name to the
back of the tags and wrote To Mom Love Sam. I copied the tags on colored card stock and laminated them
after the kids printed their names. Punch a hole in each tag and secure to lunch bag with a pipe cleaner.

NOTE: (I only have 15 students so the cost of the entire project was not that overwhelming.)
Using pipecleaners to secure things means most kids can do it themselves with little adult help.

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I do not claim any of these as my own ideas.
They are shared from friends and fellow group members.
Some ideas found have been compiled from groups through the yrs.
Thanks for sharing all your great ideas!

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