No Mother’s Day card from the kids? We’re here to help with an almost free, very quick, creative and fun card-making activity. It will take less than five minutes but you’ll be in the good books for much longer…
To some, Mother’s Day is no more than a capitalist excuse for companies to make money on cards and flowers. To others (namely: most mothers), it’s a time to be grateful for your mum.
But if you’re fed up with spending a huge amount of money on Mother’s Day cards, why not have a go at making your own with the kids? You can use materials from around the house – we’ll show you how…
You will need:
– Card (or paper – A4 printer paper will do)
– Scissors
– Glue (Pritt Stick is fine, or PVA, or super glue… just joking – not super glue)
– Pens, crayons, glitter, tissue paper (or just biros and newspaper; literally anything to draw with and anything to cut out – or crumple up – and stick on)
– A Young(ish) Child
Method
1. Lay out some card, allow child to arrange craft materials however they choose. NB. It may be advisable to use some kind of painting apron. We don’t actually own one but while writing this up, I popped over (virtually) to Ebay and ordered one because it’s clearly a good idea.
2. Show them how to use a Pritt Stick, if they don’t know already, and how to sprinkle glitter and any shapes you might have onto the sticky area. Stickers are good too. Then leave them to it – your involvement should be minimal unless they need help cutting shapes.
Learn from my DIY mistakes
3. Don’t decant the glitter into a ceramic bowl thinking you’re being clever.
4. Because this will happen…
5. They will quickly get bored of doing crafts and start playing with the tins you store the materials in.
6. This is when you need to take over, cut out some letters from a newspaper and glue them on to card.
7. You could also cut out a mug shape, stick a ‘handle’ on the side and encourage the child to display stars and squares in a nice pattern. Or let them go wild with the glitter glue and scrunched up tissue paper.
8. Most importantly: get them to sign it. Whether you make it or they do, the signature MUST be theirs.
On Mother’s Day, it’s the thought that counts
9. And if you want to be really cute, you could stick a little teabag inside the mug-shaped card. Twinings Spicy Chai might not be her first choice, but it’s the thought that counts. Always.
