Grown-Up Goals. Kid-Sized Joy.
Learning in disguise.
Preschool Activities for Celebrating Mother's Day
This Mother’s Day curriculum focuses on appreciation, fine motor development, and creative expression. For children aged 3–5, the goal is to help children recognize the "helpers" in their lives while creating meaningful keepsakes that parents will cherish.
Books to Read
"The Night Before Mother's Day" by Natasha Wing: A fun look at how a family prepares a special surprise.
"Llama Llama Mad at Mama" by Anna Dewdney: A relatable story that explores the bond and patience between mother and child.
"How to Raise a Mom" by Jean Reagan: A humorous "role-reversal" story that children find hilarious.
"Are You My Mother?" by P.D. Eastman: A classic for younger preschoolers focusing on different animals and their babies.
Creative Arts: Keepsake Crafts for Mom
"Helping Hands" Flower Pot:
Activity: Paint the child’s hand with bright colors and press it onto cardstock to create "flowers." Draw green stems and leaves.
Alternative: Use a small terra cotta pot. Have the child use their thumbprints to create little "bugs" or "flowers" around the rim.
Economy option: Use a colorful plastic pot to plant seeds in.
Watercolor "Secret Message" Cards:
Activity: Use a white crayon to write "MOM" or draw a heart on thick white paper. Have the child paint over it with watercolors. The wax will resist the paint, and the "secret" message will appear like magic.
Mother’s Day Portrait:
Activity: Provide a blank face template and a variety of materials (yarn for hair, buttons for eyes, fabric scraps). Ask the child to create a masterpiece of their mom or the person who cares for thPem.
Paint 3 Rocks: Paint the rocks one color. Have the children paint the letters M-O-M on the rocks.
Literacy & Language Arts
"All About My Mom" Interview:
Activity: Ask each child a series of questions and write down their literal answers. These are often the most treasured gifts.
This is a classic activity for Mother's Day or birthdays! Since kids' answers are usually the most entertaining when the prompts are simple, I’ve organized this into a clean, easy-to-read layout that leaves plenty of room for their handwriting.
Portrait: You can add a blank box at the top or bottom labeled "A Portrait of My Mom" so they can draw her with the hair and eye colors they described!
All About My Mom!
My mother’s name is __________________________.
She is ____________ years old.
She has _________________ hair and _________________ eyes.
She stands ____________ feet tall.
She has never told me how much she weighs, but I think she weighs about ____________ pounds.
Some of her favorite things to do are: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My favorite thing to do with my Mom is: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The funniest thing I ever saw my mother do was: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Her favorite color is: ___________________________________________________________
Her favorite TV show is: ____________________________________________________________
My Mom is a great cook! My favorite meal she makes is: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I really wish she would stop making: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My Mom is very special to me because: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The "M" is for Mom Hunt:
Activity: Hide letters around the room or in a sensory bin. Have children search specifically for the letter M, practicing the "mmm" sound as they find them.
Nature & STEM
Flower Sorting & Stem Measuring:
Activity: Provide a variety real or silk flowers. Have children sort them by color or size. Use a ruler or Unifix cubes to see which flower has the longest stem.
Planting Seeds of Love:
Themed Snacks
"Flower" Fruit Plate:
Ingredients: Orange slices (petals), a grape (center), and a celery stick (stem).
Activity: Children can assemble their own edible flower on their plate before eating.
Heart-Shaped Sandwiches:
Ingredients: Bread, jam, and cream cheese (or peanut butter). (Be mindful of food allergies)
Activity: Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to let the children "punch out" their sandwiches. It’s great for hand-strength and very festive.
Practical Activities
Mother’s Day Tea Party:
Activity: Practice pouring (using water and small pitchers) and passing a plate of crackers to a friend. This works on grace, courtesy, and motor control.
Children can practice cleaning to help keep their homes clean.
"The Cleaning Game":
Activity: Explain that one way to show love is by being responsible for their own messes. Turn on upbeat music and have a "5-minute tidy" where everyone works together to put toys away.
Mother's Day Songs
Music is a fantastic way to help preschoolers express their feelings, especially for those who are still developing their verbal skills. Here are a few simple, catchy songs for Mother's Day set to familiar tunes so the kids can pick them up quickly.
I Love Mommy
(Tune: "The Farmer in the Dell")
I love my mommy, I love my mommy, Heigh-ho, the derry-no, I love my mommy!
She helps me when I fall, She helps me when I fall, Heigh-ho, the derry-no, I love my mommy!
M-O-M-M-Y
(Tune: "B-I-N-G-O")
I have a friend who loves me so, And Mommy is her name-o! M-O-M-M-Y, M-O-M-M-Y, M-O-M-M-Y, And Mommy is her name-o!
A Special Message
(Tune: "Frère Jacques" / "Are You Sleeping?")
I love Mommy, I love Mommy, Yes I do, yes I do! And my mommy loves me, And my mommy loves me, I love her, and she loves me!
Skinnamarink
(A preschool favorite for showing affection with hand motions)
Skinnamarink-a-dink-a-dink, Skinnamarink-a-doo, I love you! I love you in the morning, And in the afternoon, I love you in the evening, And underneath the moon!
Performance Tip for Teachers:
If you are doing a small performance for parents, have the children hold up a large paper heart or a flower they made during craft time while they sing. It adds a visual "wow" factor that moms and caregivers absolutely love!
Quick Classroom Helper: If you need rhythm instruments, dance scarves, or small bells to go along with these songs, we’ve added links to our favorites. You can have them shipped directly to your school so you're ready for music time by Monday! (Note: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn a small commission on these items. at no additional expense to you.)
We know how much effort goes into making Mother’s Day special while managing a busy classroom. To save you a trip to the store, we've linked craft supplies, books, and other items mentioned in this curriculum. As an Amazon Affiliate, we may earn a small commission on these items at no extra cost to you, which helps us keep these resources coming. Simply click, order, and have everything delivered straight to your door!”