For all the moms reading this—Happy Mother’s Day from Amara!
You deserve the biggest round of applause and the longest nap ever! Moms make the world go round. Always have, always will.
This Mother’s Day, we have a few low-key ideas of how to celebrate if you have young children.
1. Do something active with your family outside.
It’s mid-May! In most parts of the States, it’s warm—or warmish—which means going for a walk around the block, frolicking in your backyard, strolling around a park, or going for a short hike nearby are all great (and EASY) options. Put your little one into their carrier or stroller, and you’re off! (Don’t forget snacks, like Amara’s Smoothie Melts.)
2. Plan a simple outing to your local gardening store.
Flowers and plants are two of the most common Mother’s Day gifts. Growing up, my mother loved getting flowering, potted plants for her garden on Mother’s Day—but she also enjoyed picking them out. So, my dad would drive my mom, my siblings, and I to the local gardening store. It was a trip that lasted an hour max, and it allowed my mom to get exactly what she wanted. When we got home, we’d all mess around in the garden together!
3. Make a family recipe together.
Have a family recipe that you love? Have your partner prepare the dish while you help out/supervise (unless you love cooking). If you have a toddler, place their highchair where they can see what’s going on in the kitchen. Then tell them about the recipe and the family tradition behind it as the food is being fixed.
(Pro-tip: if the recipe includes lots of veggies, fruits, whole grains, and/or healthy fats—all the better! Point out the different ingredients to your toddler, explaining how important and tasty each one is.)
Unless your little one is also partaking in the dish you’re preparing, show them their food: the solids they’re going to eat and how you’re preparing them. (And here, don’t forget about Amara baby food blends as healthy and easy purees that you just mix with water, formula, or breastmilk!)
4. Read some Mother’s Day-themed books with your little one.
Dig through your bookshelf or visit your local library for mom-themed books that you and your little one can read together for Mother’s Day. Some staff favorites are:
- Wherever you are, My love will find you
- Are You My Mother?
- Llama, Llama, loves his Mama
- Guess How Much I Love You
Alternately, you can share one of your favorite stories from your childhood. Snacks can help wiggly kiddos sit still a little longer. Try our mess-free and sugar-crash-free Amara’s Smoothie Melts. Last, be sure to snuggle up together and get all of your cuddles in!
5. Do some family craft projects.
There are entire Pinterest boards devoted to Mother’s Day crafting.
Here’s one idea for toddlers:
Take an oversized white sheet of art paper. Have your toddler draw a heart on it (big enough that their hands will fit in it). Then, pour red, pink, or purple water-based paint into a pan. Let your toddler immerse their hands in the paint. Then help them place their hands inside the heart, gently pressing down. Don’t forget to add the date and any other details to remember the day by.
Another easy idea: do the ^ above but instead of drawing a heart, have your little one draw the stem of a flower with a green crayon/marker. Their handprint—imprinted above the stem—will be a flower!
6. Plan a get-together with other moms.
A great way to celebrate Mother’s Day is to celebrate the moms in your life—your own mom, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, etc. Plan a simple picnic at a nearby park with them. You can ask your partner (or a friend) to babysit while you and other moms have some nice adult-only time. Or you can include children.
(Tip: consider using your own backyard. Tell people to bring what they/their kids need and that you’ll only be supplying the space + a pitcher of lemonade or coffee/tea. (Moms will get it.) Since people will be outside, you won’t have to clean much inside. Unless hosting is your thing, the whole point of Mother’s Day is to keep it simple and stress-free!
7. Lastly—but SO important—make time for yourself.
The tradition of pampering on Mother’s Day reminds us of how important ‘mothering ourselves’ is every day. Prioritizing our own needs isn’t selfish. It’s practical, healthy, and 1000% deserved.
On this Mother’s Day, instead of hoping your family intuits that you need and want a little space, tell them upfront. Let them know a few days ahead of time what YOU’D like to do on Mother’s Day. That could be many things:
- Sleep in. Take a nap. Take a long bath. Meditate/yoga. Read a book. Go for a walk, run, or bike ride. Go out to eat with your friends. Go shopping. Get your hair cut. Order food and watch a movie by yourself. Go to the movies by yourself or with a friend. Listen to a podcast. Get a massage.
(Cute tip: have your partner and little one(s) make fun coupons for these ^^ activities. Then, throughout Mother’s Day weekend, you can “redeem” them when you need/want them.)
As part of this, ask your partner to explain to your children that “Mom is having a special day to herself” or “Let’s try to be quiet because Mom is taking a nap right now, just like you do.”)
If you’re a single mother, consider a babysitter for a part of the day. If that’s not an option, try asking a friend or another family member to come over for part of the day and help out.
How do you celebrate Mother’s Day with your family? What traditions are you sharing with your little ones? We’d love to hear!
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