2 pages.

Students write a sentence on each colored strip of why their mom/special person colors their world with love.

7 pages. 

This is a versatile craftivity, as you can use the various templates for a Mother's Day or Father's Day gift, or something to make with grandparents for Grandparent's Day.  If you'd like to give your students an end-of-the-year gift, this is also relatively easy and inexpensive, and sure to become a keepsake.   This "craftivity" is a special FREEBIE in my TpT shop.  Click on the link to grab your copy today.

1-2-3 Come Make A Mother's Day Craftivity With Me

My Y5's enjoyed putting puzzles together.  Since it was one of our report card standards, I made time for them to work on puzzles for a few minutes at the end of the day.  With this in mind, I thought I'd design some "paper love" using puzzle pieces.

While I was diddling around with the puzzle idea, I wondered if there was some sort of easy & inexpensive gift my kiddos could make to give their mom to go along with their card.  Since the card was all about pieces, Reese's pieces came to mind. 

You certainly don't have to include them with this craft, but it's a simple way to add a little something to their creations, so you don't have to make something else.  Thus, there are several options for putting this activity together.  

Take a photo of each of your students and then have them cut it into puzzle pieces.  You can make them look more like a puzzle by placing my puzzle template over the photo and then cutting on the lines, or you can use carbon paper and trace the template onto the photo for easier cutting.

If you think this is too difficult for your students, they can simply cut their photo into several pieces.  Remind them to cut their photo into only 3-6 pieces, or you can bet that they’ll snip away, with no chance of gluing things back together. 

For preschool kiddos, have a room helper do this for you and then put each photo in a snack Baggie for students to put together.  They'll be surprised to find that it's a photo of them.

Students can glue their photo puzzle together onto a sheet of construction paper, so that all of the pieces fit snuggly together, or you can have them trim a bit from the edges so there is a gap between the pieces.  

I like the effect of this better, but I made sure that I cut my puzzle, so that it did not slice up the facial portion of my photo. If you're going to have your kiddos glue their puzzle this way, make sure you show them a sample, and explain the importance of not cutting through the center of their face.

Have students sign their picture puzzle and then glue it to the “I love you to pieces” paper and trim. 
I’ve included a template for mom, as well as a blank one for students who don’t have a mom, or if you wish to use this card for Grandparent’s or Father’s Day.

It's nice to give children color options, but I chose orange and yellow construction paper, because I wanted to include some Reese’s Pieces as a gift, with a double play on words. 

To keep the cost down, you can buy small packages of the candy and staple the little bag to the bottom of the photo puzzle, or you can buy it in bulk and fill mini snack bags.

Brainstorm with your students why they love their moms, and make a list on the board, so that students can refer to it as they complete their writing prompt.

Run off the large puzzle template and have students write six reasons why they love their mom (special person) to pieces (one reason in each of the six puzzle pieces). 

Have them glue their photo puzzle to the side of their writing prompt.

I mounted the writing prompt to a sheet of construction paper as well.  You could also attach it to the back of the picture puzzle and not trim that down.

I’ve also included an “I love you to pieces” header in two sizes.  Have students color the word with a yellow marker.

You can add the larger one to your Snack Baggie, or use the smaller one and glue it to the corner of the writing prompt for that finishing touch. (This is what I did for my sample.)

I forgot to do it in my photo, but have students outline their puzzle pieces with crayons or markers.  As I was working on my sample, I thought this would also make a sweet end-of-the-year gift for your students.  Have a helper take a photo of you with each of your kiddos. 

You cut up the puzzles and put them into a Snack Baggie that you attach to a box or bag of Reese’s Pieces, then complete a puzzle note for each child. 

Tuck them into their backpacks the last week of school, or they can put them together at the end of the day, while they eat a few pieces of candy.  Make sure none of your kiddos has a peanut allergy.

Click on the link to view/download the "I love you to pieces" packet.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.

"A mother's hug lasts long after she lets go." -Unknown

3 pages.

Make this sweet Mother's Day bouquet as a special keepsake.  This is a special FREEBIE in my TpT shop.  Click on the link to grab yours today!

1-2-3 Come Make A Mother's Day Card With Me

One of my favorite gifts is flowers and I absolutely love to garden.  Most of what I plant is some sort of perennial flower; it's easy for me to spend lots of happy hours digging in the dirt. 

 I have fond memories of sunflowers, so I thought I'd design a few Mother's Day "craftivities" featuring these beauties.  For some awesome photographs of sunflowers, click on the link.

The first "writing-prompt card"  features one large sunflower blossom. Students color, trim and then glue their sunflower to a sheet of construction paper. I like a dark blue background the best.

Run off the circle pattern on brown construction paper and rough cut.  Students trim and then "hinge" to the center of the flower with a tiny piece of tape. 

This will cover the greeting: "You are my sunshine.  Happy Mother's Day!" that is underneath.  Add a school photo to this "flip over flap" for that finishing touch. 

Older students can complete the writing prompt:  My mom brings sunshine to my life..." and glue it to the back of their picture.  I've provided a template for that.   Click on the link to view/download the You Are My Sunshine card.  

If you have the time, this is a sweet song to teach your kiddos.  Encourage them to sing the chorus to their mom after they present her with the card. 

To see the words, and hear the lyrics to You Are My Sunshine click on the link, for an age-appropriate YouTube video.

Another Mother's Day sunflower card, is a bit more complicated as it involves some folding and more cutting.  

I recommend it for 1st grade and up, but with a little help, I think a 5-year-old could also do a nice job.

I call this card "My love for you grows" as students accordion fold the middle section and glue it to the bottom of the flowers and then connect it to the top of the flower pot. 

As mom  opens and unfolds the card, it  "grows and grows and grows."  Older students can write on the back why their love for their mother continues to grow. 

Have students write Mom (or anyone that they are fond of) in one of the centers, and glue their photo in another.

Click on the link to view/download the My love grows Mother's Day activity.

Finally, students can also choose to make an entire bouquet for their mom. 

Children pick a partner and take turns tracing each other's hand, with a little wrist showing, and then cut it out.  Have a room helper do this for preschool kids. 

Run off the flower pattern on white construction paper. 

Students trace the stems with a green marker or crayon and then glue their handprint so that it looks like they are holding the flowers. 

Using different colored stamp pads, have students make fingerprint "petals" around the circles to create "flowers."  Have them do the same thing to make some "leaves" on the stems.  A thumbprint makes a nice big floral center. 

The template includes my little poem: "These flowers are my fingerprints that I know is true.  It's a Mother's Day bouquet especially for you."

Older students can complete the writing prompt:  If I could have any mom I'd still pick you because... or I made this special bouquet for you because... on the back of their picture.   Click on the link to view/download the Fingerprint Bouquet Mother's Day Craftivity.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.  Sharing makes our lives a bit easier, and we are all better for it. 

"What is a mom but the sunshine of our days and the north star of our nights." -Robert Brault

8 pages.

This adorable Mother's Day sunflower card doubles as a writing prompt for older students. 

1-2-3 Come Do Some Activities For Mother's Day With Me

The "Something to Tweet About" Mother's Day "craftivity" Friday, was such a hit that I decided to dream up a few more writing prompts that double as a great gift-card for moms.

Since students are learning about time, I thought it would be fun to design something around a clock. 

Children draw a self-portrait on the poem-circle page and then "hinge" the clock to the front of their card. 

Have them add their school photo to the center for that finishing touch.

Here's the poem:   "Mom I love you for all the times you picked me up when I was down.  For all the times you traded your sweet smile for my frown. 

For all the times you brushed my hair and tucked me into bed...or needed something for yourself and put me first instead.

For all the times that we have shared, the tears and laughter too.  I love you Mom with all my heart.  There's no one quite like you!"

Older students can write about some of their favorite times that they've shared with their mom on the back of their card.  I've included a template for them to write on .

Click on the link to view/download the Special Times With Mom Mother's Day activity.

Another Mother's Day writing prompt craftivity has a bee theme.  "My mom is 'bee-utiful' because..."  is the writing prompt. 

Students can either choose to make an adorable bumble bee and write why their mom is beautiful on the yellow stripes of the bug,  or they can choose the beehive and write on each section of the hive. 

For that extra bit of pizzazz, I used wax paper for the bee's wings and then attached some pipe cleaner antennae.

Make the beehive even more of a keepsake by having students dip their finger in yellow paint to make the bees.  When the paint dries they can add details with a black marker. 

Click on the link to view/download the My Mom Is "Bee-utiful" Mother's Day writing prompt craftivity.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away. 

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." -Abraham Lincoln

9 pages.

There are two crafts to choose from in this packet.  Each one makes a sweet card for Mom, and doubles as a May writing prompt that's perfect for your Daily 5 activities.

7 pages.

This Mother's Day card is sure to become a cherished keepsake.  Students draw a self-portrait on the poem circle and "hinge" the clock to the front of their picture.  Older students can complete the writing prompt and glue it to the back.

1-2-3 Come Make Some Bunny Shapes With Me

As with many of my other activities, the Shapely Bunny packet took many more hours than I thought it would.  It's two days later, and I'm finally done! Woo hoo.

Since the other Shapely Animal packets have been such popular downloads, I decided to add another one for spring.  If you missed the Shapely Slick Chick packet I published earlier this month, click on the link to grab it. 

The Honey Bunny packet follows a similar format. I've included large shapes that students can add details and ears to, to make their shapely bunny, as well as a set with bunny features drawn in.  Make a set, laminate and then use as a sweet spring bulletin board. 

Have children pick out their favorite shape and make one of their own. 

If you want to turn their work into a bulletin board as well, toss the shape cards into a container and have them choose one.  Whatever shape they pick is the Shapely Bunny that they'll create.

I've included a big bunny poster that you can personalize with your name and the caption: "Mr(s) ____________'s class is really shaping up... or "Somebunny" knows their shapes.  Hang this in the center of your bulletin board. 

Use the other poster to make a "What's the secret shape?" game.  Draw a question mark on an index card and tape it to the laminated poster so that it's a "hinged" "flap" door. 

Using a dry erase marker, draw a shape underneath.  Call on children to guess what shape is hiding?

There's also an easy reader booklet that covers quite a few standards.  Students read the simple sentences, underline the capital letters and add end punctuation. 

Children trace and write the shape words, as well as trace and draw the shapes and then draw details on the first shape to make it look like a bunny. 

The last page asks them which Honey Bunny was their favorite.  A graph is provided to record this data.

I've included bunny shape cards in color, along with their matching shape word cards. 

These are perfect for Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" games. 

Add the bunny Kaboom cards to your game to make things even more fun.  

There's also a set in black and white, which includes a cover, so that students can make an Itty Bitty Shape Booklet. 

Students can also play a funny bunny spinner game.  Children pick a partner and take turns spinning. 

Whatever shape they land on, they color the matching shape on their funny bunny.  The child who completes their worksheet first is the winner.  

Finally, I've also included a worksheet with spatial directions, one for listing a shape's attributes, plus a match the shape to the shape word. 

When everyone has completed whatever projects you want them to do, pass out the certificate of praise.

Click on the link to view/download the Shapely Bunnies Packet.  Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN away.

"I've never been a social bunny.  I thrive on work." -Michelle Ryan