Make Your Mother's Day: Top Tips For Home-Based Fun And Pampering This Mothering Sunday

Now more than ever it’s so important to show our loved ones how much they mean to us. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, there are loads of home-based things you can still treat your mum to even if your afternoon tea plans or theatre events have been called off. Have a read of our top tips for what to do on Mother's Day from home that will make for a serious Sunday Funday the whole family can enjoy, treating those Supermums who definitely deserve some relaxation right now! From morning prep to make-shift evening events, follow these steps to create the perfect Mother's Day treat...

Things you'll need…

Cupcake cases in two colours (we chose pink and yellow)

Coloured card - white, pink and green (or a green pen!)

Glue

Hundreds-and-thousands or a button (optional)

There’s no better way to show Mum how much she means to you than with a classic homemade card. Not only does it give a much more personal touch, it will also save you a trip to the shops and is a great excuse for kids to get crafting during lockdown! One of our favourite simple and affordable creations is this cupcake case-flower pot card…

1. Draw a simple vase or plant pot outline onto the piece of coloured card you’d like the flower pot to be (or print out a template - there are loads online!). You’ll need to cut two out the same, and a good trick for this is holding a second piece of card behind your template one as you cut along the lines to cut two in one go!

2. Stick one of the pot cut-outs down onto the sheet you’d like for the background - probably white.

3. Glue along the left side of the vase shape, and stick the second cut-out on top so that they’re both in line. The idea is that you can then open this flower pot like a card!

4. Cut two strips of green card to create the flower ‘stems', then glue them to the white card so they look like they’re coming out of the top of the pot.

5. Glue one cupcake case at the top of each ‘stem’ and then a second one inside this in a different colour to create your ‘flowers’.

6. Glue a few hundreds-and-thousands or a button in the middle of each ‘flower’, or simply draw a circle for the flower’s centre in the middle of the cupcake cases.

7. Lift the flap of your flower pot card to write your ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ message inside!

Things you'll need…

Cereal box (or any cardboard box)

Tape and/or glue

Picture

Scissors

Materials for decorating the frame (felt tips, paint, stickers, etc.)

If you can’t get to the shops right now then don’t worry Kidadlers, you can easily make an adorable Mother’s Day present from these at-home staples! Keep hold of your empty cereal boxes to create your own super simple photo frame, then just dig out your favourite photo of you and Mum to put inside! There’s nothing better than a touching family photograph, and this way you can personalise the frame as imaginatively as you like whilst recycling materials and avoiding waste - double win!

1. Take the photo you’d like to use and trace around this onto the front of an empty cereal box.

2. Using scissors or a scalpel if you have one, cut out this square at least half a centimetre from the inside - make sure the shape you cut out is smaller than your photo! Be very careful using sharp tools here and get an adult to help you. Tip - poke a hole where you want to start cutting using the tip of the scissors or a pencil to make entrance easier.

3. Decorate the outside of the cereal box as creatively as you’d like! Why not paint it in Mum’s favourite colours, use stickers or glitter glue, and write ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ or ‘I love you Mum!’ along the top!

4. Lay the photo you’re using face-down on the table and cover the corners with tape.

5. When the box is dry, place the photo inside through the top opening and stick it down in line with your cut-out hole at the front - make sure it’s the right way up!

6. Glue down or remove the flaps at the top of the box, and you have your very own stand-alone photo frame that Mum will love!

Although shopping is tricky at the moment, you can still treat your mum to a delightful breakfast in bed on Sunday morning. Waking up to a surprise tray of your favourite breakfast things from the comfort of your own bed is the ultimate way to feel spoilt and definitely the most luxurious way to start a day all about Mum!

Granola bowls are one of the easiest ways to prepare something special whilst still being super kid-chef-friendly! Take Mum’s favourite bowl, dollop a generous amount of yoghurt inside, a large handful (or two little handfuls!) of crunchy granola and whatever fruit toppings you have on offer in the fridge. Why not try a classic strawberry, banana and chocolate combo with a treat drizzle of chocolate syrup, a tropical bowl complete with fruits like pineapple, mango or melon or - our personal favourite - a peanut butter jelly bowl topped with sweet red jam and a hearty spoonful of peanut butter! Other delicious options for the spread are shop-bought croissants, crumpets or some classic toast and butter with Mum’s favourite preserves on the side. Just add a glass of juice and your homemade card to the tray and wake your mum up in the most wonderful way!

Nothing screams spoilt quite like a face mask, but in lieu of any spa treatments, did you know you can easily make your own at home?! Treat your mum to one of our two favourite kid-friendly face masks, consisting of just three at-home ingredients and even a chance to lick the bowl after...

1. Tropical Banana face mask: one mashed banana, one tablespoon of honey and one tablespoon of orange juice

2. AvoChocolate face mask: half a mashed avocado, one tablespoon of cocoa powder and one tablespoon of honey

For each version simply mix the three ingredients together and apply the lumpy mixture to your face for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water and moisturise! Other great ingredients for your skin are oats, lemon juice and turmeric which you could mix things up with here too. Both DIY face masks are cheap, accessible, and fully kid-friendly to handle, not to mention being dangerously delicious too! Get the whole family pampering together - if you don’t eat it all up first! - and you’ll never turn to a shop-bought face mask again.

You don’t need to leave the house to roll out a good old-fashioned British picnic! If we’re lucky enough to have the sun shining this Mothering Sunday, then why not surprise Mum with a make-shift picnic in the garden! Lay out your picnic mat (things like table cloths, old sheets or towels are great alternatives if you don’t have one) in the most perfect spot in your garden and adorn it with any balloons or flowers you have in the house. Get an adult to help you prepare some simple sandwiches cut into triangles, bring out a bowl of fresh fruit, grab some carrot sticks and a pot of hummus and arrange a packet of Mum’s favourite biscuits on her prettiest plate. Fill a jug with squash, lay out some napkins and lead Mum out the house in a blindfold to reveal your charming garden set-up!

If you were originally set on an afternoon tea for Mother's Day, then you could replicate this by making a pot of tea and serving some delicious cupcakes alongside your finger sandwiches! If you don’t have any outdoor space or it’s threatening to rain, then a Mother’s Day picnic can easily be done inside too - just clear enough space on the floor and maybe get some extra napkins at the ready!

If you can’t take your mothers to the cinema, then why not bring the cinema home to you! The perfect option for if it turns out to be a rainy Sunday, a movie afternoon can easily be turned into something special with a little bit of extra thought put in. Set up your comfiest blankets and fluffiest pillows in the living room to make it as cosy as possible - you could even move the furniture aside and spread out on the floor! Fill a few big bowlfuls of popcorn, draw the curtains, dim the lights and snuggle down for some quality time as a family in front of Mum’s favourite film. Go the extra mile by creating pretend cinema ‘tickets’, telling Mum what she’ll be watching and including a start time to make it all very official, and making the evening extra cosy with any fairy lights you have around the house.

For more things to do from home, ways to treat the family and future afternoon tea events, head to Kidadl.com.