This Homemade Mother’s Day Gift Is Brilliantly Easy AND Heartfelt

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with a homemade Mother’s Day gift? For students looking to show their appreciation for the special women in their lives, a set of cards to open all year is a perfect choice. Not only is it a thoughtful and personal gift, but it also allows for a year-round reminder of the love and gratitude they have for their mothers, grandmothers, or any other mother figures in their lives. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make this heartwarming gift that will surely bring a smile to their faces. The best part of all of this? You can start this project now in your writing block or writing workshop time, and it will be completely ready to go by the time Mother’s Day inevitably sneaks up on us every year.

What do I need to make this homemade Mother’s Day gift?

To create this homemade Mother’s Day gift, you will need various materials. First, choose the type of paper you want to use as a base for your card. You can choose from cardstock, construction paper, or patterned paper. I’ve used plain white copy paper and cardstock. There is no obvious difference, they look great both ways! There is a materials guide (with various envelope sizes and links) that comes with your product if you purchase here. In addition, I provide the templates for each type of card you’ll create.

Next, you will need scissors, glue or double-sided tape, and a ruler. You can also use decorative elements such as stickers, ribbons, washi tape, and buttons to add a personal touch to your cards. Finally, don’t forget to have a fine-tipped pen or marker to write your message inside the card. I like Flair pens for early elementary – these ones are great for writing with little hands.

How to assemble your homemade gift for Mother’s Day

1- Once you have gathered all the necessary materials, it’s time to start creating your cards! Print a copy of the cards for each student. I recommend keeping paper-clipped stacks for each student so you can gauge their progress at a glance. I saved each stack in a manila filing folder so it had a home at the end of each day that was not trapped in the abyss of a student desk.

2- I recommend doing 1-2 templates per day. Start with a mini modeling lesson and then let students work at their desks or add the card as a center that day. Pencil first, then pen is crucial for this.

3- Students can fill in the blank on their templates using pencil first, or they can create their own!

4-Finally, add any extra touches like coloring the border, applying stickers, ribbons, and washi tape, or buttons to make your card stand out. I also have my students initial the back of each one just in case.

Some of the cards already include fun little extras so feel free to do more!

• One idea is to create a pop-up element inside the card, such as a small paper flower or animal.
• You can also use your computer and printer to print out personalized messages or designs to add to your card.
• Another fun touch is to include a small gift, such as a tea bag or a sachet of lavender, inside the card.
• Other ideas: IOUs, photos, drawings, jokes, comic strip, etc.

Whatever extra touches you choose, remember that handmade cards are a thoughtful and unique way to show someone you care.

To package it all up, you can use envelopes like the ones seen here, or you can tie or roll each letter up with string. This is not only a meaningful gift but one that will definitely bring a tear to your students’ grownup’s eye.

Read more about how to use this product for MORE than Mother’s Day here.