Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Make Your Own Mother's Day Card
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Make Your Own Mother's Day Card is a free printable craft sheet for children to make a homemade card for Mothering Sunday. It is a creative activity with no right or wrong answers, and it works well for toddlers and young children with a grown up to help. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas and a stretch task.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well, and children can add all the colour.
What is on the sheet
This sheet is a craft activity, not a worksheet with answers to find. Children make a homemade card to give to their mum, or to another special grown up, for Mothering Sunday. They decide on a design, choose their colours and add a personal message. Every card ends up different, which is what makes it special. Grown ups can join in, help with the writing and keep the finished card a surprise.
Ideas for making your card
Choose a shape and fold
Fold a sheet of paper or thin card in half to make the card. Let your child press down the fold with their hand. Talk about which way the card opens and where the picture will go.
Decorate the front
Use crayons, felt tips, paint or collage scraps. Flowers, hearts, rainbows and portraits of mum are all popular. Washable paint handprints also make a lovely front cover.
Write the message inside
Older children can write their own words. Younger children can copy a short message, trace a pencil guide or add a scribble and a name. A grown up can write what the child says.
Add a finishing touch
Stick on a paper flower, a ribbon or a drawn border. Keep extras simple so the card stays flat enough to post or slip into an envelope.
About Mothering Sunday and homemade cards
In the UK, Mothering Sunday falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent, so the date changes each year. It began as a church tradition and has become a day for thanking mothers and other people who care for us. Many families give cards, flowers and small gifts, and share a meal together.
A homemade card means more to most people than one from a shop, because a child has put in time and thought. Making one also gives children real practice with drawing, colouring, folding and writing. It lets them show care for someone in a way they can control and be proud of.
Adults should do any cutting with a craft knife. Small items such as sequins, buttons and googly eyes are a choking risk, so keep them away from children under three. Use washable paint and glue, and supervise closely.
Fun facts about Mothering Sunday
- Mothering Sunday in the UK is on a different date each year.
- It falls in the season of Lent, a few weeks before Easter.
- Mother's Day in the USA is in May, so the UK date is not the same.
- People often give flowers such as daffodils and tulips.
- Mothering Sunday is also a day to thank grandmothers, carers and other special grown ups.
Skills and curriculum link
- Creativity
- Fine motor control
- Colouring and drawing
- Planning a design
- Early writing
- Showing kindness
Helping your child make a card
- Let them leadOffer choices, such as two colours or two shapes, and let your child decide. The card should look like their work, not yours.
- Talk while they workAsk what mum likes, or what makes her laugh. Their answers can turn into the picture or the message.
- Keep materials simplePaper, crayons and glue are enough. Too many choices can overwhelm a young child.
- Praise the effortComment on colours, care and ideas rather than how neat it looks. This keeps children happy to create.
Key words
- CardA folded piece of paper or thin card with a picture on the front and a message inside.
- DesignThe plan for how something will look.
- MessageThe words you write to tell someone how you feel.
- FoldTo bend paper so one part lies over another.
- CollageA picture made by sticking different materials onto paper.
- Mothering SundayA day in the UK for thanking mothers and special grown ups who care for us.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has notes, help and a stretch idea.
- Gather simple materials such as crayons, pens, paper and child safe glue. Use what you already have at home.
- Talk about mum or the person the card is for. Ask what they like, and let your child choose colours and a design.
- Let your child make the card in their own way. Offer help with folding and writing only when it is needed.
- Add a message and a name, then hide the card until Mothering Sunday. Ask your child to tell mum about it when they give it.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start with one simple choice, such as the colour of the card. Let your child draw or scribble the front while you talk about mum. Offer a ready written message to copy, or write it lightly for them to trace. Stop when interest fades.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to plan a card for someone else, such as a gran, an aunt or a carer. They choose a different colour scheme, think about what that person likes, and write a message of two sentences in their own words.
Make it a game
Play Guess the Card. One person describes a card with three clues, such as colours, shapes and a message word. The others draw what they hear. Compare the drawings with the idea, then swap roles. Everyone can keep a favourite design for their own card.
Talk about it
- What does mum like best? How could we show that on the card?
- Which colours make you think of her?
- What is your favourite thing to do with mum?
- What would you like to say thank you for?
- Who else takes care of you? Could you make them a card too?
- How do you think mum will feel when she opens it?
Take it off the page
Flower collage
Tear coloured paper or old magazine pages into small pieces. Stick them down to make a flower, then use it on the front of a card.
Thank you drawing
Draw a picture of something you did with mum. Tell a grown up the story and ask them to write a caption underneath.
Posy of paper flowers
Fold, twist and stick paper to make a small bunch of flowers. Tie them with string or ribbon to give with the card.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child and keep the pressure low. Let them make their own choices, even if the result looks messy. Write down what they say if they cannot write yet. Keep the card a secret until the day.
Teachers
Use it before Mothering Sunday as a calm creative session or a fine motor task. Remember that some children may not live with their mother, so invite them to make the card for any special grown up. Page 2 has notes for support and extension.
Home educators
Make it part of a creative morning with other crafts. Mixed age groups can work together, with older children helping younger ones with folding or writing. Display the cards for a few days before giving them.
Where this fits in your child's learning
Before this, children build the basics through mark making, scribbling, colouring and handling chunky crayons and brushes. They also practise holding paper still with one hand while the other draws, and gluing and sticking with help.
After this, children can write longer messages, practise their own name and make cards for birthdays, thank yous and other celebrations. They can also try more planned crafts, such as pop up cards or cards with several parts.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- Is this Mother's Day card sheet free?
Yes. The sheet is free to print from the Mini Minds Hub. You can print it as often as you like for home or classroom use. You only need to supply your own simple craft materials.
- What do I need to make the card?
You need paper or thin card, crayons or pens, and glue if you want to add decorations. Use what you already have at home. Keep any small items away from young children and supervise closely.
- Is it suitable for toddlers?
Yes, with help. Toddlers can scribble, make handprints and choose colours while a grown up does the folding and writing. Older children can plan the design and write their own message.
- Do I need to print page 2?
No, but it helps. Page 2 is for the grown up. It has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard, and a stretch idea. Your child only needs page 1.
- When is Mothering Sunday?
Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent, so the date changes each year. Check a calendar or search online for this year's date, then plan to finish the card a few days early.
- Can my child make the card for someone other than mum?
Yes. Children can make it for a grandmother, aunt, carer, stepmother or any special grown up. This is a kind option for children who do not live with their mother, and the same ideas work for any person they love.
- Can I use the sheet at other times of year?
Yes. The skills of planning, decorating and writing a message work for any card. Children can use the same ideas for birthdays, thank yous or get well soon cards.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.