8 Ways to Celebrate Moms in the Classroom For Mother’s Day
By Jessica Thiefels
The second Sunday in May is dedicated to celebrating moms, which means this year it is next Sunday, May 14. So take some time in the week leading up to this important holiday to talk about mothers and all that they do for your students and our world. Use these eight creative ideas to celebrate in the classroom that moms will appreciate and students will love.
1. Host a Mother’s Day Classroom Tea
Elyse from Proudtobeprimary.com shares a fun activity that involves students planning and preparing a special morning for their moms. Students can make special placemats for their moms and put together the snacks they’ll be eating—think something simple, like cheese and crackers or cream cheese on bagels. Mom’s will appreciate being taken care of and students will be empowered to make their moms feel happy and special.
2. Put on a “History of Mother’s Day” Play
Learning and presenting the history of this event is a great way to help the children develop a deeper understanding of the holiday and dive into history in the process. Education World explains that celebrating moms goes back as far as 17th century England. Julie Ward Howe, who wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic, introduced the idea of celebrating Mother’s Day to the United States. It was declared a national holiday by Woodrow Wilson in 1914, and we’ve celebrated ever since.
3. Create a Math Center for Mother’s Day Statistics.
Education World also shares a project called Motherhood Math: Mothers in the Workforce. Provide data for the students that show how the number of working mothers increased over a certain period of time and the types of jobs they do. Don’t forget to discuss women’s suffrage, Labor Day and other important historical events for female workers.
Remember to discuss the importance and value of stay at home moms, as well. They work 92 hours a week, according to Mother’s Day Around the World and help make this world go ‘round just as much as mothers with an office job.
4. Create a Cookbook
Have your class share their favorite dishes, along with a picture of the child in a printed booklet that can be given as a Mother’s Day gift to students’ moms. A recipe book is a unique keepsake that they’ll always treasure. Depending on the age of the child your recipes may be very simple, like “a bowl of cereal with milk,” making it even more adorable.
5. Host a Theme Party
Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed suggests finding a fun theme to tailor your Mother’s Day celebration around: “Even though Mother’s Day is the event, I find it easier to choose some sort of theme for the party itself. This helps me to decide what the children will make along the way for the event, and it helps me to tie in our daily activities into the preparation for the event. This year, our theme was based on the book, ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle.”
Poll the class to decide on a theme as a group or choose it based on a recent unit of study or celebration.
6. Create or Learn a Song
There are few moms that don’t love to see their children sing—especially when they’re singing about how they love their mom. The Thoughtco.com shares a list of Top Songs for Mom that students can learn and share at your celebration.
7. Create a Booklet of Fun Facts
Learning and sharing unusual facts about Mother’s Day can help students develop their research skills. After researching, have everyone blog about their top three favorite facts. Their blog post should include why they like the fact and what it means, where they found it (learning about sourcing), and an image to represent it.
8. Celebrate Unique Mother’s Day Traditions
Mother’s Day is observed on different days depending on the country. Your classroom can research and learn about other cultures by figuring out which days various countries celebrate this holiday. Then find out why and how—what are their traditions and cultures? Assign individuals or small groups to research and present their findings, culminating in a celebration for their mothers.
For more, see:
- You Can Thank Mom for More than the Meal Itself
- What It’s Like to Be a Maker Mom
- A Choosy Mom on Choosing Schools
Jessica Thiefels is the Director of Social Outreach and Editor for Whooo’s Reading. Follow her on Twitter: @Jlsander07
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