Mother’s Day is right round the corner! We’ve gathered up our best inspirational list of thoughtful handmade gifts for the maternal figures in our lives – representing the love and gratitude we feel for them and to celebrate all they do for us each day.
There are so many keepsakes to create! And the beauty of MTA’s open-ended range of Mother’s Day materials is the ability to adapt the activities to children’s ages, needs & suitability – ensuring they can make a personalised treasure that’s just right for their much-loved role models.
Read on for some creative Mother’s Day themed crafts to make ‘Mum’ feel special.
Ceramic Teacup Planter
Keep Mother’s Day flourishing all year round with the Ceramic Teacup Planter. The plain smooth surface of the cup & saucer welcome personalisation with any combination of porcelain markers, POSCA pens, pastel paints or rhinestones. Decorate with a pattern, draw pretty pictures, or write down words of love for Mum. In whichever way you choose to customise your planter, it’s sure to have pride of place on the windowsill – and in Mum’s heart.
STEP-BY-STEP
- Give your teacup & saucer a good wash and set aside to dry before applying paint or makers.
- Using the Porcelain Markers or paint of choice, carefully draw/paint your design onto the ceramic cup and saucer (paint provides a great overall coverage of colour, while markers provide precise detail).
- Set aside to dry thoroughly.
- To set the markers and paint for wear & tear, cover with a layer of Crystal Clear.
- Set aside to dry thoroughly.
- Add soil and a small plant of choice – flowers, herbs or succulents are ideal.
Done! The perfect Teacup Planter for Mum is ready.
*TOP TIP – Practising your design on paper before adding to the plate is a great help when deciding how the final product will look.
Products Used;
White Chromacryl Acrylic Paint
Sand Art Flower Magnets
These beautiful pre-cut sand art flowers make for conveniently effective gifts that Mum’s are sure to treasure! Simply peel off the protective paper to reveal the sticky surface below for you to sprinkle sand over. As you work through the sections, you’ll see your flower blooming before your very eyes. The supplied magnets are perfect to stick your flower onto any magnetic surface – the fridge, dishwasher, Mum’s office computer etc. Now mum is reminded of her blooming treasures every time she sees her flower magnets.
The Coloured sand used for crafting is available in a handy pack of 10, or choose to purchase individually in the pictured blue, purple, pink, red, orange, yellow and green. The rich vibrant shades are ideal for this project!
Glitter shakers are super handy when it comes to applying the coloured sand too. They come with two types of pouring options from fine sprinkle to steady pour for easy application every time. Feel welcome to add a touch of Bio-glitter to the shakers for your flowers to shine bright!
STEP-BY-STEP
- Choose your flower design and coloured sand.
- Carefully peel back a section of covering to reveal the sticky surface below.
- Pour or shake the sand onto the sticky surface until it’s covered, gently shaking off excess.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the entire flower is covered with coloured sand.
- Attach the supplied magnet onto the back of the tulip.
Done! The perfect sand art fridge magnet is for Mum is ready.
*TOP TIP – Painting trays come in handy to catch the excess spill of sand so that it can be used – and avoid a sandy classroom!
Products Used;
Iron on Bead Frames
Iron on Beads welcome children to create. They work like open-ended craft materials, inviting children to arrange them into any number of shapes & patterns. Perfect to make jewellery or key tags, trinket bowls, coasters, embellishments and so much more – literally anything your imagination desires.
Perfect for Mother’s Day these pastel-coloured non-toxic plastic beads easily arrange on a bead board; just lay on a piece of ironing paper and with a quick iron over, the beads melt together to hold their shape. It’s super easy! Children can also use them as traditional beads, stitching through the openings as they thread and weave – ideal for beaded jewellery or finishing off hanging decorations.
Available in so many shades, choose from vibrant colours and the handy vibrant pack, pastel colours and the handy pastel pack or bright neon if you’re feeling like some flare. And for younger age groups, they might find the jumbo sized beads more workable along with their jumbo-sized square bead boards, or jumbo assorted shapes boards.
STEP-BY-STEP
- Arrange the iron-on beads into a design on the bead board.
- Warm a household iron to high making sure the steam is off.
- Cover the design with a sheet of ironing paper and iron over until the beads start to melt and fuse together into a colourful and flexible shape.
- Allow your design to cool before removing from the bead board.
- Peel the protective layer off an acetate sheet and cut two pieces to the size of your frame.
- Sandwich a photo or drawing between the acetate sheets and glue layers together, then glue to the back of the frame.
- Set aside to dry thoroughly.
- When dry, peel an adhesive magnet from the sheet and attach to the back of the frame.
Done! The perfect keepsake for Mum is ready.
*TOP TIP – Hot irons are not for young children. Have an adult help or complete the ironing steps.
Products Used;
Ironing Paper for Iron on Beads
Creatistics Square Bead Boards
Stained Glass Flowers
Take the hassle out of planning with pre-cut stained glass shapes ready to decorate. Made from black cardboard, these pretty flowers frame the included coloured cellophane beautifully. They even come with their own hanging ribbons. It’s a brilliantly convenient craft pack!
Display on windows, use the ribbons to hang or stick onto greeting cards for handmade gifts that’ll surely bring a smile to Mum. These colourful flowers will last the test of time too– long after cut flowers have wilted these elegant creations will proudly blossom.
STEP-BY-STEP
- Choose your flower design and gently press out the petal inserts.
- Apply a small amount of glue to one side of the flower (the edge of a glue stick or washable school glue will work with precision).
- Press the coloured cellophane onto the glue, snipping the pieces to size as desired.
- Use scissors to carefully snip off any excess cellophane from the edges of the flower.
- Use a tab of strong craft glue (or sticky tape) to attach the enclosed ribbon for hanging.
Done! The perfect blooms are ready for Mum.
*TOP TIP – Use glue sparingly, too much glue with lead to wrinkled cellophane.
Products Used;
Creatistics Superstik Glue Stick
Shrink Film Beaded Key Chain
With her very own handmade key chain, Mum can take your love along with her all the time.
Made using shrink film, this versatile medium works like drawing on a piece of paper – only so much more fun! When you’re finished with your design, simply cut it out, punch a hole in the top (to thread into), and bake in the oven. You’ll see your design shrink before your very eyes! When it’s completely cooled, you’ll see it’s now a durable hard trinket ready to transform into a myriad of things.
Necklaces, bracelets, key chains, bag trinkets, car rear-view mirror accessories & door hanger decorations are all super simple to make. Just thread some beading cord or leather through the hole, add some beads and finish off with a key chain as desired. This is a gift that’s sure to last the distance.
STEP-BY-STEP
- Draw keychain designs onto the shrink using the matte side with coloured pencils or permanent markers.
- Carefully cut around design and punch a hole to attach the beading cord.
- Pre-heat oven to 150°C.
- Place each design on a lined tray (matte side up) and bake.
- Plastic will begin to shrink after 10 seconds, watch carefully! They will shrink to approx. 60% of the original size.
- Remove from oven once plastic has flattened and set tray aside to cool completely before handling.
- Thread beading cord through the shrink film decorations and add desired number of beads.
- Firmly tie the cord onto the key chain to hold everything in place.
Done! The perfect keychain for Mum is ready.
*TOP TIP – Coloured pencil markings will darken in the oven; a very light shading is all that’s needed for bright vibrant colour!
Products Used;
Hanging Porcelain Planter
Perfect for growing creativity! These adorable porcelain planters are ideal to personalise for Mother’s Day. There are so many ways to decorate them! Pastel paint & felt feathers add calming shades to compliment Mum’s soon-to-be favourite plant, or bold & vibrant paint with glitter glue will surely brighten Mum’s day!
STEP-BY-STEP
- Apply your chosen shade of paint to the porcelain planter and set aside to dry thoroughly.
- Decorate your planter using POSCA markers with words, drawings, or messages of love, and then set aside to dry.
- Spray on a layer of Crystal Clear to protect from the weather and wear & tear.
- Use tacky glue to stick on your desired embellishments and set aside to dry once more.
- Add soil and a plant of your choice (flowers, herbs or succulents work well).
Done! The perfect planter is ready for Mum.
*TOP TIP – Before applying paint, markers, or embellishments, it’s recommended to thoroughly wash the porcelain planter and set aside to dry.
Products Used;
Pencil Holder Frame
This Mother’s Day keepsake is not only beautiful, its wonderfully functional too. Decorate the pine wood pencil holder and PVC frame for stationery to sit proudly on Mum’s desk as a reminder of a special occasion for years to come.
Perfect to decorate with pastel paint and special papers (Mother’s Day, Impressionist or Patterned) and then finished off with the cutest accent embellishments (Flowers, Feathers, Wooden MUM Tiles, Glittery Daisies or Flower Rhinestones). Follow the simple step-by-step guide below to assemble yours. The only tough choice here is, how will you decorate yours?
STEP-BY-STEP
- Remove the PVC display frame from the wooden pencil holder and set aside.
- Using a brush, apply paint to your pencil holder and set aside to dry.
- To cover some of the sides with patterned paper, lay the pencil holder onto the paper and use a pencil to trace around.
- Lift the pencil holder off the paper, and using scissors, cut around the pencil markings (snipping inside of the pencil markings will ensure the paper fits neatly in place).
- Apply a layer of Superstik Glue Stick to the surface of the pencil holder you’re wanting to place the paper on, and then firmly press the paper onto the surface, using your hands to smooth it down.
- Repeat steps 3 to 5 for as many sides of the holder as desired (children’s drawings on cover paper also make a beautiful alternative to patterned paper).
- Use dabs of Tacky Glue to apply your choice of embellishments and set aside to dry.
- For the display frame, print and cut-to-size a photograph or child’s drawing, and gently slot it into place along with the PVC frame.
Done! Mum’s perfect pencil holder is ready.
*TOP TIP – Several layers of paint will provide complete coverage, while paint thinned with water will provide a rustic whitewashed effect.
Products Used;
Personalised Latte Mugs
A one-of-a-kind latte mug is just perfect to remind Mum how loved she is. Whether she’s gearing up for a big day ahead, or ready to relax at the end of it, her very own personalised will be Mum’s go-to favourite cup! These beautiful mugs are supplied as plain white, providing the perfect canvas for children to decorate and personalise with drawings and messages.
STEP-BY-STEP
- For best results, we recommend to thoroughly clean your mug with soapy water, giving them a good rinse and dry afterwards (a dishwater is ideal).
- Draw or paint your desired designs onto the outside of the mug.
- Set aside to dry thoroughly.
- To set the mug ready for drinking, wear & tear and dishwasher use it will need to be baked in an oven. Set oven to 150 degrees C, and once oven temp has been reached, bake the mug for 30 minutes, turn oven off and allow to cool before removing.
Done! The perfect latte mug is ready.
*TOP TIP – Paint provides a great overall coverage of colour, while porcelain markers provide precise detail.
Products Used;
Latte Mugs & Marker Value Pack
Love Heart Tie Dye Calico Bag
Tie-Dye (or tied dying) is an ancient art that’s been well-known across continents and cultures for thousands of years. It’s made a modern resurgence with plenty of colourful textile designs to experiment with. All that’s needed is fabric, coloured dyes, and string – although modern tie dye is made a breeze with the use of rubber bands.
Choose any number of coloured dyes in vibrant rainbow and bright fluorescent shades or keep to the pictured warm colour tones of purple, magenta, red, orange, and yellow and you’re all ready to start! It’s the position of the rubber bands wound tightly around the fabric that creates the unique and mesmerising result. Creatistics Tie Dye takes the hassle out of the process too! No need for messy salt & vinegar and tubs of water, simply apply the coloured dye straight from the bottle onto the fabric.
Whichever collected of shades and pattern of rubber bands you choose; Mum’s shopping bag will be the envy of every shopper!
STEP-BY-STEP
- Soak your calico bag in cold water and wring out the excess water.
- Fold your damp calico bag vertically in half.
- Use a Creatistics Colouring Marker to draw a half-heart shape with the centre aligning on the fold (washable markers will come off when you put the bag in the washing machine).
- Scrunch the bag with tight pleats following along the marker line, matching up the marking together, and tightly wrap a rubber band around the pleats on the marker line.
- Add another rubber band approx. 4cm below the first one.
- Keep adding rubber bands until you reach the length of the bag.
- Wearing gloves, apply Creatistics Tie Dye straight from the bottle onto the fabric bag, a new colour for each banded section, covering the entire surface.
- Place the calico bag into a plastic bag or alternative plastic wrap.
- Let sit for a few hours in a cool damp place (a fridge is ideal).
- Remove the fabric bag from the plastic bag and remove the rubber bands (carefully cutting away with scissors is ideal).
- Hang the calico bag on the clothesline and allow it to air dry.
- Once thoroughly dry, place the calico bag in a dryer for 5-10 minutes on a hot spin setting to enable the colours to fully bind (we also recommend to separately wash the bag 3 to 4 times before washing with other laundry to avoid running).
Done! The perfect carry bag for Mum is ready.
*TOP TIP – Educators and older students will find applying the dye straight from the bottle the easiest methods, however younger age groups may find it easier to apply the dye from a bowl with a brush.
Products Used;
Creatistics Chunky Colouring Markers
Shrink Film Jewellery
Just like the key chain earlier, shrink film jewellery makes beautifully memorable keepsakes and yet they’re easy-peasy to assemble. With just a few simple items and a touch of creativity, in no time at all Mums around the country can proudly sport their Mother’s Day jewellery.
Whether you choose clear shrink film, printable white or pre-cut charms, young creators will have free reign to design the perfect adornments for their mums and much-loved role models. Read on to follow through the steps to make the colourful pictured pendants.
STEP-BY-STEP
- Draw jewellery designs onto the shrink film using the matte side with coloured pencils or permanent markers.
- Carefully cut around design and punch a hole to thread through.
- Pre-heat oven to 150°C.
- Place each design on a lined tray (matte side up) and bake.
- Plastic will begin to shrink after 10 seconds, watch carefully! They will shrink to approx. 60% of the original size.
- Remove from oven once plastic has flattened and set tray aside to cool completely before handling.
- Thread beading cord through the shrink film decorations and add desired number of beads.
- Firmly tie the cord to hold everything in place, leaving enough room to fit a bracelet or necklace on as desired.
Done! The perfect jewellery for Mum is ready.
*TOP TIP – Coloured pencil markings will darken in the oven; a very light shading is all that’s needed for bright vibrant colour!
Products Used;
Scratch Art Greeting Cards
DIY Mother’s Day cards are perfect for children to use their creativity in imaginative ways to make something just right for their Mum. A thoughtful and loving message inside the card will be something Mum will hold in her heart forever.
And because they’re so quick and simple to make, they’ll be time for children to make a card for all their role models & friends – mums, step-mums, grandmas, aunties, the kind neighbour always offering a friendly wave… Why not get the class together to send kind messages to the residents at the local retirement village? These beautiful cards will make anyone’s day!
STEP-BY-STEP
- Using the provided scratch tools scratch away the black surface of a scratch-art heart to reveal the colour gradient below. It could be a special message with words, drawings or pretty patterns.
- To make the coloured card front, apply a small layer of glue stick to the front of the card and lay it onto a piece of coloured paper.
- Cut away excess paper.
- Apply the glue stick to the back of the scratch-art heart and firmly press onto the font of the greeting card.
- Set aside to dry thoroughly if needed.
- Draw and write loving messages inside.
Done! Mum’s perfect Mother’s Day card is ready.
*TOP TIP – Don’t forget the envelope! It’s a terrific space for children to personalise with drawings, stickers or embellishments.
Products Used;
Scratch Art Hearts & Cards Pack
Alphabet & Number Stamps
Perfect to incorporate printmaking into arts & crafts, this traditional alphabet & number stamp set will print messages of love into all sorts of mediums. Whether they’re used with ink on cards, or stamped into paper Magiclay, silk clay and air dry clay your creations will have that extra special touch this Mother’s Day.
STEP-BY-STEP
- With a rolling pin, roll out your chosen clay medium to create a smooth surface.
- Use a cookie cutter or free form your clay in your desired shape, eg. Necklace pendants, trinket bowls, key chains, tea light holders, desk paper weights etc.
- Gently press the letters/numbers into the clay, forming messages of love, eg. ‘MUM’, ‘XOXO’, ‘BEST MUM’ etc.
- Set your works aside to thoroughly dry (don’t forget to poke a hole in your works if you’ll be threading leather or cord to hang).
Done! The perfect message for mum is ready.
*TOP TIP – A sprinkle of Bio-Glitter always adds a touch of sparkle to Mum’s present.
Products Used;
Now that your craft supplies are organised, have you got your wrapping sorted?
For large presents tissue paper, cellophane or paper rolls that can be personalised with paintings or drawings are ideal. For small items, paper bags are perfect, available in festive polka dots or easy-to- personalise natural or white. Finish off with ribbons made with satin, raffia or jute and you’ll be all set for Mum’s special day.
Now it’s time to gather the class and get your craft on!
Download our Mother’s Day activities PDF Bundle