Author Chrissy Fichtl / Published: May-05-2020

Mother's Day is almost here! As a mom of two, I must say it's something I look forward to every year. Every May I dream about waking up on that perfect Sunday with my husband bringing me breakfast in bed and my two little girls giving me adorably messy handmade cards. While my gorgeous, pinterest inspired fantasy day rarely comes true, my family always delivers something thoughtful.

Over the years I've come to realize that Mother's Day is so much more than just an excuse for me to skip the dishes after dinner- it's a great opportunity to teach my little girls gratitude and gift giving. After all, aren't homemade presents always the most thoughtful? Well, I wouldn't complain about getting a new Kitchen Aid Mixer or an Apple Watch, but of course I'll adore something crafty and cute from Penny. This year I thought I'd share the best projects and crafts you can do with your kids leading up to Mother's Day.

Such an easy project, but still endlessly fun for the kids! Grab some sheets of construction paper, a bag of markers, their favorite set of stickers and just let them go nuts. Tell them to make 20 cards and pick the very best one for mommy. Trust me, it'll keep them busy for hours. If they don't know what to write, here are some great prompts:

What's your favorite story about mommy?

Write down 10 things you love most about mom.

What would you give mommy if you had infinite money?

What's the best thing your mom has ever done for you?

What promises can you make to mom?

The stories your kids come up with will be so touching, and they'll be learning a wonderful lesson in how to express gratitude to some one they love.

Also, remember to give them gel pens and puffy-paint instead of glitter, because no one wants to spend Mother's Day cleaning up the worlds most annoying substance.

Ok bare with me on this one- it may sound a little silly and it's not much of a craft project, but it is SO much fun. Tell your kids to make a list of mom-themed spots around the house. Examples include:

1. Mommy's favorite place to do silly dances
2. Where Mommy goes to be cozy
3. Where Mommy goes to relax

Then tell them to hide a little piece of chocolate in each spot. On Mother's Day, they give you the list and you get the joy of wandering through your own home hearing the hilarious explanations your kids give for why they picked each spot. Last year, these were Penny's amazing responses:

1. Mommy's favorite place to do silly dances (the basement, where I do my workouts, but she didn't include a piece of chocolate because "it's bad for your thighs", so she gave me a strawberry)

2. Where Mommy goes to be cozy (My bed- not all of them are going to be creative)

3. Where Mommy goes to relax (I kid you not, after 15 minutes of me wandering around the living room totally lost, she led me to the kitchen and pointed at the WINE RACK! I almost died laughing)

Every kid should be exposed to the joy of cooking. This is such a simple but wonderful way for them to make something special for you while also picking up a useful life skill. Take this weekend as an opportunity to teach your little one how to make chocolate chips cookies, or brownies, or proscuitto wrapped melon if you have a chef in the family like us. They'll love the process, and they'll go crazy when they see how much you're enjoying their hard work. If you want to step it up a little, have them make a whole dinner!