35+ Completely Precious Mother’s Day Crafts for Toddlers
If you have toddler (or several) in your life and need adorable ideas for handmade gifts for Mother’s Day, keep reading! Here are the best ideas that are age appropriate for 2-4 year olds and can easily be made in daycare, preschool, Sunday School, or at home!
The Uniqueness of Toddler Mother’s Day Crafts
If you’ve ever had toddlers in your life, you know what adorable bundles of joy they are.
But let’s be honest.
It can be frustrating because they are learning so many new skills, developing communication – and it can be challenging because they haven’t mastered these milestones yet.
They do not mean to give you a hard time; usually, they are just struggling a little.
Factor in that you’d like to help them create homemade Mother’s Day gifts … and it just may feel like you’re a glutton for punishment.
But honestly, if you go in with the right expectations, you can make this a whole lot easier for everyone.
The Best Way to Approach DIY Mother’s Day Gifts with 2 and 3 Year Olds
While I can provide all the cute Mother’s Day crafts, it’s really the mindset that will make this a success. Here are a few things to keep in mind when working with younger children:
1| The craft will not be a stunning work of art.
It’s best to reduce expectations that the end result will look like a professional masterpiece. It’s going to look like it was created by a toddler. And that’s OK!
Because that’s who mama loves. Unless an adult really jumps in to clean it up and make it look “pretty” (which is fine, too!), it’s probably not going to look that aesthetically pleasing.
2| Choose your own mess factor.
Toddlers are messy little creatures. The degree of the mess you want to get involved in is up to you.
Do you want to include paint (instantly increasing the mess factor)? Do you want to do the cutting ahead of time or let them? How much do you want to prepare ahead of time and just let the toddler be a part of easy assembly?
It’s good to know how much you want them to do independently and where they will need a little help (or more).
There’s no right or wrong choice – just know what you’re up for and how much patience you have.
3| Fingerprint, thumbprint, handprint gifts are often easiest and super-adorable.
As you scroll through here, you’ll see LOTS of options for thumbprint or handprint crafts (also finger and footprint).
These are so popular because they are not only so stinkin’ adorable but because they are super-easy to make with toddlers.
Toddlers can’t write yet and their skills are somewhat questionable at this age, but crafts that involve tracing hands and stamping thumbprints are super-cute, very easy, and not overly messy.
As a mom of twins who had a heck-of-a-time in the toddler stage, I’m always a fan of easy craft ideas.
4| Free printables are your friends.
Many DIY gift ideas for toddlers incorporate free printables, whether it’s a poem, a template, a traceable, or a coloring sheet.
Those can be so very helpful, and often, you can use one of those, place it in a frame, and you have a really sweet gift.
5| Adjust projects for skill level.
The projects you see are geared for toddlers, but many can also be modified so older siblings can join as well. Or, they can be simplified if they seem too advanced for the child’s age.
These crafts are very adaptable, so feel free to adjust for the toddler you’re helping out or for the other younger kids who may be present!
35 Easy Mothers’ Day Crafts
OK, let’s take a look at all kinds of inspirational ways to wish mom a Happy Mother’s Day!
Mother's Day Painted Rock Craft with Fingerprint Art
These sweet rocks are perfect for any grade or skill level! Fingerprints are easy enough for a toddler to handle - and sure to make mom smile!
Easy DIY Clay Thumbprint Heart Keychain
This is a gift I made with my sons when they were toddlers! Tiny thumbprint hearts as a reminder of the sweet babies that mom loves.
Flower Thumbprint Planter
Here's another way to use thumbprints on a Mother's Day homemade gift! Perfect for young kids with little hands!
Mother’s Day Poem Preschool Printable
If a planter feels a little too ambitious for you, you can create the same type of project on a piece of cardstock. Place it in a frame for a precious keepsake! (There's also an option for older kids in this post as well!)
Bouquet of Fingerprint Flowers
Thumprint crafts never get old, as far as I'm concerned! I love this sweet idea, one of the best flower crafts!
Thumbprint Flower Pot
If mom loves to plant flowers or grow herbs, this is another adorable way to make a gift with thumbprints!
Fingerprint Keepsake for Toddlers
This is another sweet idea for a DIY gift for mom using those precious fingerprints!
Handprint Flowers on a Watering Can Gift Idea
Right along with thumbprint crafts are adorable Mother's Day crafts made from a child's handprint! This can be done with virtually anything a mom uses on the regular!
Handprint Mason Jar Vase
If mom isn't a gardener but you love this idea, tiny handprints work just as well on a mason jar!
Hands & Photo Heart Keepsake
Does it get any sweeter than this? I love this salt dough heart handprint frame as a homemade gift for mom! She'll treasure this for years to come!
Toddler Handprint Flower Bouquet
An easy Mother's Day craft that is no-mess and perfect for last minute!
DIY Bookmarks for Kids
Here's another spin on a handprint flower bouquet that doubles as bookmarks! This is a great idea for a mom who loves to read!
Adorable Mother's Day Handprint Flower Craft and Free Template
This is also a fun way to create a handprint flower bouquet with painted hands!
Handprint Shrinky Dink Keychains
Crafty Morning always has some of the best ideas! I love that mom can carry this Shrinky Dink handprint keychain with her wherever she goes!
Handy Hand Print Towel
A perfect gift idea if you want to create a useful gift for mom as well as one that will remind of her sweet child! A perfect Mother's Day gift!
Handprint Suncatcher
Such a sweet idea for those adorable handprints! This never, ever gets old for me!
Adorable Handprint and Footprint Butterfly Craft for Kids -
Why stop at thumbprints and handprints? This DIY gift throws in a footprint as well and will touch that heart of that special mom. Butterfly handprint cards are the best!
Favorite Hand to Hold Free Printable Craft for Mommy
This is a simple and sweet craft project that you make with a free printable template and the child's handprint! This can be given in a lovely frame or just on a piece of cardstock!
Handprint Craft for Grandma
Here's the Grandma version of the same craft! What Grandma wouldn't love a sweet gift like that, letting her know how special she is? Great for last-minute gifts - more name options available in the post!
Sharpie Mugs
You can place stickers of letters or shapes on a mug and let the child color or create dots around them to make a fun design!! This craft can also be as easy as letting a toddler loose with a paint pen or making it a little 'classier' by creating thumbprint butterfly mugs as well!
Home Is Where the Heart Is Magnet Popsicle Stick Craft for Kids
Popsicle sticks are a staple for toddler crafts, and I love how adorable this magnet is!
Popsicle Stick Picture Frame
Here's another popsicle stick craft- but this one is a picture frame! You certainly could make this one into a magnet as well!
Free Mother's Day Flower Pot Craft
All the ways a sweet toddler loves his or her mommy! The child can dictate to another grown-up or family member-up all the special things about mom!
Cute Easy Cupcake Case Flower Picture
Cupcake liners are a fantastic material for adorable Mother's Day crafts like this one! Pom poms look just as cute as a flower center if buttons and toddlers make you nervous!
DIY Sticky Heart Card
I love this idea because it's so easy for a toddler to create, with just a little outside help from a grown-up! So sweet!
Butterfly Card Craft For Kids
This is a super-cute butterfly craft for mom, with a special place for a note or drawing from a child underneath the wing!
Photo Flower Magnet Toddler Mother’s Day Gift
This gift truly is from a toddler's heart - a craft on their own skill level that shows the sweetness of that amazing stage of babyhood! Perfect if the baby is an adorable messy little monster!
Egg Carton Flowers
Is there a mom in the world who wouldn't love flowers from her toddler on Mother's Day? These adorable egg carton flowers is straight from the heart of her little artist!
Celery Stamp Hearts
Here's another sweet version of a 'bouquet' of flowers for mom using celery to create and red paint hearts! Give me ALL of the heart arts n crafts! Genius!
Mother's Day Dandelion Card Craft
This simple craft is made with Q-tips and paint, perfect for small hands!
Fork Painted Flowers
Forks are another perfect paintbrush for toddlers! This Mother's Day flower bouquet is an easy peasy craft that is super sweet!
Toilet Roll Stamp Flowers
This is another great gift idea if mom loves painted flowers, using another ultra-creative paint 'brush' - a toilet paper roll!
Heart Balloon Craft
This cute craft is another gift idea that uses a toilet paper roll and red paint! Brilliant!
Painting Pasta Necklaces
The technique for this makes it an easy and fun craft for toddlers, while giving them some practice developing fine motor skills!
Sloth Craft for Mother’s Day
Such an adorable DIY gift! A precious simple craft that is full of sunshine!
Mother’s Day Fingerprint Art
Fingerpaint is a favorite activity of toddlers - this fingerprint art is a great way to create an adorable gift
Puzzle Piece Frame and Watercolor Art
Oh my, doesn't this just capture your heart? This one will have a special place in mom's heart for years to come!
Craft Supplies
This post contains affiliate links. See Disclosures for details.
Most of these simple projects use your basic craft supplies, but here are few things you may want to have on hand:
Air Dry Clay
Construction Paper
Child Friendly Scissors
Washable Color Paint
Paint Pens for Kids
Paint Sticks
Pipe Cleaners, Pom Poms and Googly Eyes
Assorted Buttons for Kids
Glue Sticks
Picture Frames for Kid Crafts
Popsicle Sticks
Canvas
More DIY Mother’s Day Crafts & Gifts
If you need a few more ideas for Mother’s Day, take a look at these posts that have simple projects, easy Mother’s Day cards and gifts using free printables, and other Mother’s Day gift ideas!
Pretty {& Free!} Printable Mother’s Day Bookmarks
Adorable Handprint Craft for Grandma Free Printable Template
30 Mother’s Day Crafts for Grandma
25 Easy Free Printable Mother’s Day Crafts (Cards & Gifts She’ll Love!)
Unique & Thoughtful Gift Ideas for Moms: What They REALLY Want
I also have some printables in my Etsy shop – click on the image below to be redirected!
Mother’s Day Gift Tags and Cards
If you create any of these projects, I’d love to see them! Please share a picture and tag me on Instagram or Pinterest! I’d love to hear what your favorite Mother’s Day crafts are!
Other thoughts? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below!