Your guide to budget-friendly Mother’s Day crafts and gifts

You want to show your mom how much you care, but you’re also on a budget. Good news: A Mother’s Day gift that says, “I love you,” doesn’t have to cost a lot. Kids of all ages can give homemade Mother’s Day crafts and unique Mother’s Day gifts that are sure to make any mom smile.

Use this gift guide to discover DIY and low-cost ideas to make your mom’s special day.

Mother’s Day craft ideas for preschoolers

There’s nothing sweeter than a homemade gift from little kids. Moms will treasure these keepsakes for years. Another parent, family member, or older sibling can help a preschool-aged child create an easy mother’s day craft, like one of the following.

Mother’s Day card ideas

Get out the arts-and-craft supplies and let a young child express their love through a homemade card. This is an easy craft that can be done with just some cardstock and crayons, markers, or watercolors. But the sky’s the limit on the materials you can use.

You can even help a young child make a thumbprint heart card or flower card. Cut out cardstock in the shape of a heart or flower, and then have the child stamp their fingerprints and thumbprints on it to decorate it. 

Cards are also great Mother’s Day crafts for a group of kids to work on together.

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Egg carton or paper flowers

You don’t have to splurge on a tulip flower bouquet. Take the DIY route instead.

Egg carton flowers are a colorful and easy craft that you can prep for little kids. Simply cut the cups out of an egg carton and trim them so the edges are shaped like petals. Then, let the little artists paint each cup with the colors of their choice. 

You can glue the egg carton flowers to a large piece of cardstock and draw flower stems beneath them. Add a ribbon or a triangle of tissue paper to “wrap” the bouquet. Or, help the kids fasten green pipe cleaners to the bottom of each flower and arrange them in a DIY vase — cover a coffee can in decorative wrapping paper for another homemade touch.

If you don’t have egg cartons on hand, the kids can put together a bouquet with paper flowers made of cardstock or cupcake liners. Moms will love these fun, forever flowers. 

Handprint or footprint craft projects

Little handprints and footprints make touching keepsakes for moms to marvel over as the kids grow up. With colorful construction paper or washable paint, you can make footprint or handprint kids crafts — like handprint flowers or footprint butterflies. These Mother’s Day crafts make great decorations for cards, flowerpots, or even tote bags so moms can take the appreciation with them everywhere they go.

With salt dough (a simple mix of flour, water, and salt) or air-dry clay, you can help create a fun handprint kids craft like a jewelry bowl or a heart-shaped photo holder. Decorate these keepsakes with acrylic paint for a gift any mom will treasure.

A footprint craft is a perfect gift for a new mom. Put the baby’s footprint on a framed canvas or even a wooden jewelry box from a craft store.

Mother’s Day crafts for kids ages 6 to 10

Handmade gifts aren’t just for tiny tots — kids of all ages can show their moms the love with Mother’s Day crafts. These unique Mother’s Day gifts will make their day without breaking your budget.

Popsicle stick frames

A popsicle stick picture frame is a cute Mother’s Day craft that your mom can display on a bookshelf, at her desk at work, or even on the fridge if you add a magnet to the back. All you need are some popsicle sticks, a glue gun, and decorative items like markers, paint, pom poms, gems, and ribbons. Start by coloring or painting the popsicle sticks, and then glue them together to form a square frame. Add your decorations and a picture or printable quote or poem for your mom to admire.

A new book and an easy DIY bookmark

If your mom loves to read, see what books are trending and get her one she hasn’t read. Then, make her a DIY bookmark to go along with it. To give this unique Mother’s Day gift a personal touch, decorate the bookmark with a quote from her favorite author or scenes from books she loves.

Decorated flower pots and seeds

A painted flower pot and some seeds make a great gift for a mom with a green thumb. Look for seed packets of your mom’s favorite flowers or plant an herb inside, like rosemary or basil. If you have younger siblings, they can decorate the flower pot with thumb or handprints for a group gift. 

Unique Mother’s Day gift ideas for pre-teens (11+) and teens (13+)

As a teen, you might want to complement a DIY gift by saving up for a present or gift card. Handmade Mother’s Day crafts can make a gift card or store-bought present more personal and meaningful. Use Greenlight’s Savings Goals to make sure you set aside enough for your supplies and gifts. 

Memory keepsake jar or box

Instead of buying your mom a card to say happy Mother’s Day, consider making a simple memory keepsake. This personalized gift will help you express why she’s the best mom around. 

On small pieces of paper, write out your favorite things about your mom, special memories, and why you love her. Place them in a mason jar, gift box, or transparent vase, so your mom can take them out and enjoy the memories. You can decorate with ribbons, decals, paint, or even battery-operated string lights for a soft glow. 

At-home spa day

Create a small self-care gift set or even just get one small wellness item that your mom can use for an at-home spa day — like a new essential oil for her diffuser, a bath bomb, an eye mask, a soy candle, a back massager, or an herbal tea sampler.

But don’t forget to also give her the free time to enjoy this thoughtful gift! If you have younger siblings, keep an eye on them for the afternoon so your mom can relax with her at-home spa treatments.

Mother-daughter or mother-son day

School, work, and extracurriculars keep you pretty busy, and you’re not the only one who feels that way. Giving your time might be the best Mother’s Day gift you can offer. 

Plan a day for just the two of you that includes a combination of your mom’s favorite things and your shared interests. You might watch a movie you both love and go out for lunch at her favorite spot. If you and your mom enjoy the outdoors, visit a park or garden or take a scenic hike — with homemade snacks for an added wow factor. 

Celebrate your mom with unique Mother’s Day gifts and crafts

Mother’s Day is a chance to show your mom how much she means to you, and you don’t need to spend a lot to do that. Kids of all ages can DIY thoughtful and creative Mother’s Day crafts that moms will adore. 

From handprint crafts to popsicle stick picture frames, young kids can create cute and memorable gifts with help from adults and older siblings. Older kids can make great craft gifts, as well, like hand-painted flower pots with seeds or young plants. DIY touches also add personal effects to store-bought gifts, like a handmade bookmark for a bestseller or an afternoon of babysitting so mom can enjoy an at-home spa day.

Whether your kids want to buy a gift or shop for Mother's Day craft supplies, parents can help them budget, save, and spend with Greenlight. Set Savings Goals for kids to put aside their own earnings or allowances, or set up Spend Controls so they can buy what they need for their perfect gift. These tools can help your kids develop good spending habits and financial literacy. 

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