12 Mother's Day Crafts for Kids to Make for Mom

The days of pasta necklaces and grade-school drawings as gifts made-for-mom may seem trite, but these artworks are treasured nonetheless. Any Mom will tell you this: The best Mother's Day gifts are those that are handmade, especially when they're made by the special little people who made her a parent in the first place.

As for what makes for a one-of-a-kind handmade gift on Mother's Day? As long as it was crafted with love, any mother would be thrilled to receive something her kids made with their own two hands. You likely already have the household supplies to get them started like paper, ink, and pantry staples, but simple arts and crafts supplies—such as clay, beads, and fabric—can take their work to the next level. Use family memento for your kids' inspiration: scrapbooks, family photographs, and shadow boxes are great places to start. Then add a personalized touch with their handprints, drawings, or handwriting. They double as a thoughtful keepsake: Think personalized tote bags, custom cards with quotes, fingerprint art, handmade necklaces (but with a special technique for finesse), and sweet-but-simple fingerprint cards or classic coupon books, that will surely put a smile on Mom's face. These projects are good for little crafters of all ages—toddlers, preschoolers, and older children alike.

Not only will Mom love these gifted crafts, but your kids can get their creative juices flowing while having a blast making them. Whether you gift-wrap and present your kids' crafts with her Mother's Day breakfast in bed or celebrate her by making these crafts together as a family, this year will surely be a special occasion to remember.

Here’s a sweet variation on the "I love you thiiiiis much" theme: an expandable hand-shaped card for Mother's Day.

No more searching for the right card—now a truly one-of-a-kind option is at your fingertips. Press your thumbs into an ink pad to make the momma animals, and dip your (or your little one's) pinkies for the babies; let dry. Draw the details with a fine-tipped marker, and post as a card made special for Mom.

Kids can make Mom a new necklace by rolling, kneading, and shaping clay into beads that—with an adult's helping hand—are baked in the oven and strung onto leather cord.

With a little help from an adult—that is, you!—kids can create adorable cards, boxes, labels, pins, and tags using our printable "Mom Rules" clip-art.

There's no need to buy Mom spring flowers this year when your crafty young gardener can make ones that last longer. Gather branches that have fallen outside; let dry, if necessary. Snip petal clusters off pink or red freeze-dried hydrangeas and glue them to branches.

For older kids who know their way with a needle and thread, they'll adore embellishing this printed photograph for Mother's Day with the real equivalent of a heart emoji.

Handcrafted end pages featuring kid drawings transform basic journals into keepsakes for Mom. A journal of any size will work. Measure the book's original endpaper, then cut your little crafter's picture so that it's slightly wider to accommodate the fold. Next, use a paintbrush to apply white glue evenly over the endpaper. Lay artwork over the glued area and press, starting at the center and working out. Wipe off any excess glue; trim the edges with a utility knife if needed. Close the journal and stack heavy books on top. Let dry overnight.