Mothers' Day Craft Idea 2017

Are you planning on having your students make a craft for Mothers' Day?  Here is one of my favorites!  Flower pots!

I love the flower pots my own children have made over the years, some were from school and some were from church.

In most crafts, I like to include something unique to the child.  To do that in these flower pots, I have them use their finger prints.  Their finger prints make the ladybugs on their flower pot.

Here is all that you need to get started... plus a clay pot. 

I have my first graders come to my table in groups of 3, so that I can guide them. If you have older students, your can have larger groups and this will go much faster.  I turn the pot over and write their initials and the year on the bottom with a Sharpie.

Then I put a bit of red paint onto a paper plate.   I show them how to dip their finger into the paint, blot it on paper plate if needed, and then press their finger onto the clay pot.  I have a model already made so they can see that I want them to make a top row and a bottom row of finger prints.

Once they have made prints all around their pot, I set them aside to dry.

I do this next part after they go home.   (However, if you have older kiddos, they may be able to to this themselves.)  I use the Sharpie to draw the ladybug features (head, antenna, line down the back, and dots).

The next day, I have students use a paintbrush and the yellow paint, to make a yellow band all around the top.  They love painting with the paintbrush, and they do a really good job.  For first graders, I must show them how to make back-and-forth strokes with the brush so that their finished product looks neat.  Then I have the pots dry again for a few hours.  (Sorry I forgot to take any more pictures, but as I make them again this year, I will upload them.)

After my kiddos go home, I pull out my trusty Sharpie (and sometimes 2 or 3), and I write the following phrase on top of the yellow paint, going around the pot.
"Like a flower, my love for you grows and grows..." (I include the dots at the end)

Lastly, I have my students decorate a white paper bag including the words "Happy Mothers' Day!" I wrap each pot in colorful tissue paper and we put them inside their handmade gift bag.  Ta-da!  All Done!!!