Handmade Mother's Day Cards From Kids: Design Inspiration To Make With Your Children

Let’s face it, when children are still young, all mums love to receive homemade cards from them. These works of art usually take pride of place on the fridge for months, or even years, despite the fact they’re usually made from a plain piece of paper decorated with scribbles, glitter and stickers. We still love it.

Mum Nikki Vivian, 35, from Cardiff, said she always loves the homemade cards she gets from her kids each year. Her four-year-old daughter made the below for her last Mother’s Day. “It’s me eating all the cakes in my favourite green dress with the rest of our family,” said Nikki.

Nikki Vivian

Mum Kelly Pietrangeli, 51, from London, also shared a homemade card on a poster board that her sons, now 12 and 15, made her three years ago (which came along with breakfast in bed = winner).

“They still make me heartfelt, handwritten cards every year but this was the huge joint card they made for me,” she said.

Kelly Pietrangeli

If you want to get crafty before Sunday, we’ve scoured Instagram for five completely do-able yet adorable cards you could create with your kids.

1. Annotated Flower

You will need: Coloured paper, pens, scissors, glue.

Optional: Green paint for finger painting on the flower stem.

2. Extending Hands

You will need: White paper, scissors, coloured pens, glue.

Optional: Glitter to decorate.

3. Cupcake Handprint

You will need: White paper or card, coloured paint, coloured paper, glue, pens.

4. Button Quote

You will need: White paper or card, loose buttons, a pen glue.

5. Glitter Mad

You will need: White paper, glitter, coloured paper, glue, pens.

Before You Go

5 Easy Paper Craft Projects To Make With The Kids

Marbled paper(01 of05)

In the age of Instagram, you’d better believe that gluing a pom-pom or two onto a piece of paper and calling it a lion isn’t quite going to cut it. Marbling paper is just as easy – but the result is mind-blowingly gorgeous. Also, there are lots of different techniques for how to do it - you can use milk, shaving foam, nail varnish and plenty more to create colourful paper (that doubles as beautiful thank-you and birthday cards).

This straightforward tutorial from Artful Parent shows you how to marble paper with kitchen cupboard ingredients: vegetable oil, food colouring and water. All you need is some watercolour paper or card stock and your masterpiece is minutes away. (credit:Artful Parent)

Paper bobble head black cat(02 of05)

Crafts activities and festive occasions go together like peas and carrots – and will be met with (way more) enthusiasm by the kids, whether you’re making baubles and wreaths for Christmas or getting into the spirit of Halloween or Easter with some unique decorations.

Worried your artistic skills simply aren’t up to par? No problem – cheat. The internet is full of thousands of free printable stencils for any and every occasion to ensure your bat or ghost or pumpkin is picture-perfect (without you doing any of the hard work). Just make sure your printer is stocked with ink and paper and you’re ready to go. This black cat from Fireflies & Mud Pies is easy to make, fun for toddlers and primary school kids and looks great on a bookshelf or mantelpiece. Also works for spooking the other kids on Halloween, of course! (credit:Fireflies & Mud Pies)

Paper starfish(03 of05)

It's never too early to start getting into the summer spirit (especially as winter gets ever closer), and what we love most about this starfish craft idea from Buggy and Buddy is the ability to go totally wild creatively. Just draw a starfish (or print the site's free starfish template to get yours looking Insta-perfect) and then use paint, oil pastels, watercolours, glitter, jewels, sequins, felt tips, coloured pencils, pasta and anything else your heart desires to create one-of-a-kind designs that are sure to brighten up any rainy day… (credit:Buggy and Buddy)

Dragon mask(04 of05)

Sure, nothing beats QT with the kids and the enjoyment you get from crafting something together, but making an item you can actually use instead of just displaying? Even better. Masks are a fun option you can decorate any way you like: check out these dragon masks from Create in the Chaos to inspire endless knight and princess roleplay… (credit:Create in the Chaos)

Paper houses(05 of05)

Calling all budding architects! You don’t need blocks to do your building – paper and pencils work just as well when trying to create your vision of a dream house or paper neighbourhood. Babble Dabble Do (a veritable gold mine for paper craft ideas) has a fab tutorial and a template with three different style houses that you can print out and colour in to start building your own paper village. Bonus: the modern house is inspired by Le Corbusier – so the kids will be getting their craft on and a history/design lesson at the kitchen table simultaneously. PIC: (credit:Babble Dabble Do)