9 Ways to Spend Mother’s Day With Your Kids

Mother’s Day means spending the morning with breakfast in bed, having your S.O. wait on you, and getting the royal treatment all day long. Whether or not you’re being showered with gifts, the most important part of this day is the reason why you’re celebrating it in the first place — your kiddo! Along with all the other Mother’s Day hoopla, check out these nine awesome activities that you can do together.

1. Getting Artsy: Your crafty kid is all about using her imagination, so why not make an afternoon trip to the local art museum? Go on a gallery scavenger hunt, and look for animals, colors, shapes, or anything else you can think of in the art. Talk about the pictures, pretend to be sculptures, and grab some lunch at the museum’s café. After heading home, make your own art together. Splatter paint Jackson Pollock-esque abstract work, or make your own Mother’s Day masterpiece out of crayons, markers, paper, glue, and glitter.

2. Park Picnic: There’s no need for a fancy restaurant meal on Mother’s Day (although you do enjoy not having to cook or clean). A picnic in the park is much more fun than trying to control your tantrum-prone toddler in the middle of an expensive eatery. Pack both of your fave foods, take along a blanket, and set up your feast under a shady tree.

3. Kitchen Time: Have some fun in the kitchen! Ask your little chef to help you prep a meal the two of you can enjoy. Even though she can’t do the actual cooking, she can measure, mix, and help you put the meal together. Get creative with the table setup and have your child make a crafty centerpiece or draw placemats. You can save these as cute keepsakes from your special day.

4. Nature Walk: A Mother’s Day date doesn’t need to include all kinds of complicated plans, mega meals, or anything that’s too formal. Put on your shoes and go! Find the nearest wooded area and go for a stroll in nature. Bring along a camera or take a sketchbook and crayons. As you view the flora and fauna, your child can snap pics (or draw them) to remember what she sees.

5. Movie Night In: Sure, you could go to the local theater and see the latest cartoon flick, but that’s not exactly your idea of a super-special Mother’s Day. Sit down with your child and pick a favorite movie you can watch together. Set up your own red carpet (your S.O. can play the role of the paparazzi), pop some popcorn, and have your own little film fest.

6. Animal Adventures: Visit the zoo, aquarium, or animal park for a day of fun. Check out the cuddly creatures and feathered friends, and look for families of animals. If your kiddo is ready for some up-close animal action, go for a horse ride (or a pony ride, depending on your child’s age) or head to a petting zoo.

7. Library Day: Take a low-key approach to Mother’s Day and visit the local library. Research a few mother-child themed books before you go, find them, and flip through the pages with your little reader. Keep the book-filled fun going and make a themed lunch that starts with a favorite read.

8. Ice Cream Sunday: Mother’s Day is always on a Sunday. Celebrate this special day with your fave ice cream treat: a sundae! Go to a nearby ice cream shop for a sweet snack, or get creative and make your own. Set up an at-home sundae bar with toppings galore. Make the mother of all sundaes together, using different flavors of ice cream and mountains of add-ons (think sprinkles, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, gummies, and fruit).

9. Getting Sporty: Take your little slugger to a baseball game, or play your own special sport at home. Turn the backyard into an obstacle course, set up a soccer field, or race around the playroom together.

What’s your fave parent-child activity? Share your pick and tweet us @BritandCo!

(Photos via Getty)