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While it's important for your child to show mum how much they love and appreciate her on Mother's Day, that reminder doesn't have to break the bank.

And it doesn’t mean it can’t be special.

Here are a few suggestions from us to help you and your family have a great Mother's Day this year. These presents and activities also great for your child’s development too.

You may not have time for them all, but even one or two can be a great bonding opportunity for families as well as a way of making Mum’s day.

And of course, these fun activities don't just have to be for Mum on Mother’s Day. You could easily make any of these things for Grandma, Auntie, or any special person in your child’s life.

1. Make a Mother’s Day card

Let’s get in early with the essentials – you’re going to want the card ready and waiting for Sunday.

Time to get the paper, pencils and crayons out with your little one.

Encourage your child to draw something special for Mum and talk to them about what they’re drawing.

Let them take the lead and name the things they’re drawing. If they’re able to say the names themselves, try and extend their sentences: ‘Yes that’s a rabbit, a bouncy rabbit – Mummy likes rabbits’.

If you have different craft materials like felt, cotton wool balls or shiny paper, encourage your child to feel the different textures and use words for how they look and feel, like ‘sparkly’, ‘soft’ or ‘fluffy’.

2. Plan a Mother’s Day treasure hunt

Help your child to think of some things you could hide around the house for Mum on Sunday and where the best hiding places might be.

Some ideas of what you could hide include:

• Notes for Mum – these could be things your child would like to thank Mum for – you could think these up together and talk about all the things Mum does
• Pictures your child has drawn
• Mum’s favourite treats

Use simple location words like ‘in’, ‘on’ and ‘under’ to talk about the hiding places, then your child could give Mum clues on the day – ‘look under a book’, ‘look in your shoes’.

3. Make a crafty present

You don’t have to spend money to impress Mum, chances are she’ll love something your little one has made for her.

You could try making a scrapbook with family pictures, giving you plenty of chance to chat about all the days out you’ve had in the past.

Or you could have a go at some finger painting.

You could even try making a Mummy out of scrap materials!

With older kids, you could try and channel your inner Wordsworth and write a poem together for Mum. They could help you think of rhyming words to include. Don’t worry if they use nonsense words in their poems, playing with words and sounds will still help their word learning and make Mum smile.

4. Get thinking about breakfast for the big day

Nothing says pamper day more than breakfast in bed – and to help with this, Children’s Dietitian Angharad Banner has come up with a few ideas for breakfast foods you can make together with your little one.

You’ll want to make sure you’ve got all the ingredients, so now might be the time to get shopping.

Talk about their favourite foods, and Mum’s favourite foods, to help choose what to make, then talk about the bits you’re going to need. If you have some of these ingredients in already, maybe they could feel and taste them? Talk to them about the different flavours.

Once you’ve brought everything home, talk through all the things in your shopping bag, naming them and deciding where to put them.

5. Make a nature collection for Mum

Spring is just about upon us, so there’s plenty of new life for your child to experience outside, whether it’s in the local woodland, the park or even in your own garden or neighbourhood. Why not make a collection of things to show Mum?

• Take a small bag or envelope with you to collect things that you see - it might be a leaf, a flower from your garden, a colourful stone or anything you find as you are going along.
• Name the items as you find them - encourage your child to put them into the bag.
• Help your child feel the textures of the items and describe them , for example ‘wow, that’s a smooth stone’ or ‘that daisy is really pretty!’.

6. Bake with love

Our friends over at ���˿��� Food have some great suggestions for some child-friendly baking projects if you have time.

After all, special days call for a treat or two!

Whilst you’re baking, talk about all the actions you’re doing together: pouring, stirring, sprinkling…

Why not sing a song together while you’re at it?

7. Enjoy the day!

Disconnect from social media and go easy on the telly. Enjoy that breakfast and let your little one talk to Mum about all the presents they’ve made for her. Set Mum going on that treasure hunt when she’s up and ready.

In the afternoon, there might be time for a walk together or a video call with grandma over a cup of tea and whatever you may have baked.

You may all be at home together, but hopefully with a few ideas there’s every chance to make memories of Mother’s Day this year, just like any other.

We understand that for some children Mother’s Day can be a tough time of year, particularly those that have lost their mum. and have ideas and advice that may help support bereaved children on Mother’s Day.

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