1-2-3 Come Color Mom's World With Me

This fingerprint keepsake card is a quick, easy and fun craftivity, with wonderful results.  I've included 2 options for creating them.  Little ones can simply color the letters and then carefully press fingerprints on the paper. 

Older students can place the letter templates over the blank poem-page and then press their prints in and around the letters.  After they are content with the look of their paper, they carefully lift off the templates to reveal the word mom. 

This is the technique that I used on the photograph.  I saw a similar poem all over the Internet, and revamped it for this project.  The original author is unknown.  Here is my version:

"I've left some little fingerprints on just about every wall, on furniture, doors and windows, I've really marked them all.  Here are some that won't rub off to remember when I was small, because I'll love you forever, even when I'm big and tall."

Show children your sample and have them read the word MOM, then flip the page upside down and ask them to read the "new" word WOW.  Encourage them to share this demostration with their own card, explaining that they think their mom is a wow mom. 

Click on the link to view/download the Fingerprint Mother's Day Keepsake Card.

Another colorful card is the Mother's Day Rainbow Writing Prompt Mobile. Have students brainstorm with you, thinking of ways their mothers color their world with love, caring, joy etc.  List these on the board.

Cut strips of construction paper.  Students fold the strips in half.  Using a glue stick, they rub glue over one section, place a piece of yarn down the middle and then press shut.  They continue this process until they have all of the colors of the rainbow represented.

Students complete the writing prompt by composing a sentence on each strip.  Older students can write on both sides.  Add the finishing touch by including a photograph. 

Click on the link to view/download the Mother's Day Rainbow Writing Prompt Mobile.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away. 

"The phrase 'working mother' is redundant." -Jane Sellman

1-2-3 Come Make Some Mother's Day Keepsakes With Me

I really enjoy designing things that incorporate standards at the same time creating a keepsake that moms will like.  With that in mind, I came up with a "berry" special packet.

Strawberries are one of my favorite fruits, and were also popular with my Y5's.  They are fun and easy to draw and provide a great play on words. 

In the "Berry" Special Packet, I've included templates for both a mom and dad, so you can use this "craftivity" for Mother's Day or Father's Day.  There's also a generic one that says: "You are 'berry' special" so students can make this for another significant other as well.  This would be fun for Grandparents' Day too.

I've included a pattern to make the leafy portion.  Add a bit more pizzazz by making the leaves 3D.  Have students cut out two and then fold one in half.  Match up the leaves and glue only one section on top of the other. 

If you look closely at the photo you'll be able to see how the leaves pop up.  Adding a stem and strawberry blossom, gives the card that finishing touch.

Older students can add a second strawberry and "hinge" their card with a small piece of Scotch tape.  Children complete the writing prompt, add a bit of color, trim and glue to the inside.  Younger students can simply complete just the sentence on the front.

To make things extra special, have students glue on their school picture and make a heart using their thumbprints (see photo).

Leaves can also be made by tracing a child's handprints.   I made an example of both, so you can see how they turned out.   Click on the link to view/download the "Berry" Special Craftivity.  

While I was making my sample, I thought that a mini version of this would make a quick, easy and inexpensive end or beginning of the year gift for students.  

Turn this into a sweet treat by attaching your card to a berry-flavored juice box, or package of Wild Berry Skittles and you're set! 

Click on the link to view/download the "Berry Special Summer/School Year Gift. 

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  To see another fun keepsake craft for Mom, scroll down and take a look at a cute "horseshoe."

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside of your body." -Elizabeth Stone

1-2-3 Come Make A Mother's Day Craftivity With Me

My Y5's enjoyed putting puzzles together.  Since it was one of our report card standards, I made time for them to work on puzzles for a few minutes at the end of the day.  With this in mind, I thought I'd design some "paper love" using puzzle pieces.

While I was diddling around with the puzzle idea, I wondered if there was some sort of easy & inexpensive gift my kiddos could make to give their mom to go along with their card.  Since the card was all about pieces, Reese's pieces came to mind. 

You certainly don't have to include them with this craft, but it's a simple way to add a little something to their creations, so you don't have to make something else.  Thus, there are several options for putting this activity together.  

Take a photo of each of your students and then have them cut it into puzzle pieces.  You can make them look more like a puzzle by placing my puzzle template over the photo and then cutting on the lines, or you can use carbon paper and trace the template onto the photo for easier cutting.

If you think this is too difficult for your students, they can simply cut their photo into several pieces.  Remind them to cut their photo into only 3-6 pieces, or you can bet that they’ll snip away, with no chance of gluing things back together. 

For preschool kiddos, have a room helper do this for you and then put each photo in a snack Baggie for students to put together.  They'll be surprised to find that it's a photo of them.

Students can glue their photo puzzle together onto a sheet of construction paper, so that all of the pieces fit snuggly together, or you can have them trim a bit from the edges so there is a gap between the pieces.  

I like the effect of this better, but I made sure that I cut my puzzle, so that it did not slice up the facial portion of my photo. If you're going to have your kiddos glue their puzzle this way, make sure you show them a sample, and explain the importance of not cutting through the center of their face.

Have students sign their picture puzzle and then glue it to the “I love you to pieces” paper and trim. 
I’ve included a template for mom, as well as a blank one for students who don’t have a mom, or if you wish to use this card for Grandparent’s or Father’s Day.

It's nice to give children color options, but I chose orange and yellow construction paper, because I wanted to include some Reese’s Pieces as a gift, with a double play on words. 

To keep the cost down, you can buy small packages of the candy and staple the little bag to the bottom of the photo puzzle, or you can buy it in bulk and fill mini snack bags.

Brainstorm with your students why they love their moms, and make a list on the board, so that students can refer to it as they complete their writing prompt.

Run off the large puzzle template and have students write six reasons why they love their mom (special person) to pieces (one reason in each of the six puzzle pieces). 

Have them glue their photo puzzle to the side of their writing prompt.

I mounted the writing prompt to a sheet of construction paper as well.  You could also attach it to the back of the picture puzzle and not trim that down.

I’ve also included an “I love you to pieces” header in two sizes.  Have students color the word with a yellow marker.

You can add the larger one to your Snack Baggie, or use the smaller one and glue it to the corner of the writing prompt for that finishing touch. (This is what I did for my sample.)

I forgot to do it in my photo, but have students outline their puzzle pieces with crayons or markers.  As I was working on my sample, I thought this would also make a sweet end-of-the-year gift for your students.  Have a helper take a photo of you with each of your kiddos. 

You cut up the puzzles and put them into a Snack Baggie that you attach to a box or bag of Reese’s Pieces, then complete a puzzle note for each child. 

Tuck them into their backpacks the last week of school, or they can put them together at the end of the day, while they eat a few pieces of candy.  Make sure none of your kiddos has a peanut allergy.

Click on the link to view/download the "I love you to pieces" packet.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.

"A mother's hug lasts long after she lets go." -Unknown