Mother's Day

Dad and son making homemade bird house, a great DIY mother's day gift
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25 Sweet DIY Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Moms never stop loving handmade presents.

by Ashley Ziegler
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Every year, my mom and mother-in-law tell me they don’t want anything for Mother’s Day. “Just a card,” they say. Over the years I’ve learned not to fight this, but to instead roll up my (or my kids’) sleeves to create some DIY Mother’s Day gifts for them. I figure, if they won’t send me a wish list, then they are subject to whatever Mother’s Day present my crafty brain thinks up.

If you're in a similar situation where you don’t know what to get your mom, or even if you just want to keep your gift budget-friendly, there are all kinds of fun homemade Mother’s Day gifts that you can create. You don’t even have to be a master crafter to make something your mom will love, because there is no shortage of crafts for every skill level. Or, if all else fails, enlist your kids’ help and gift your mom with a cute finger-painting she will surely hang on her fridge with pride.

You’ll want to figure out exactly what you’re going to make before you go wandering around the aisles of Michael’s because otherwise, you’ll end up dropping a lot of money on things you probably don’t need (and you might even come up short of some things you actually do need). To come up with your plan, and shopping list, check out this list of DIY Mother’s Day gift ideas you can probably pull off at any skill level.

1A sparkly tumbler for her favorite drink

How cute is this sparkly tumbler? Amazingly, it’s not store-bought, it’s a DIY craft. To make one for your mom (or yourself, let’s be honest), you’ll need a clear acrylic tumbler, glitter, a foam brush, and Mod Podge. Seriously, that’s it. While the crafter behind Burlap and Blue added her glitter to the inside of the tumbler, it may be a good idea to switch it up and apply your Mod Podge and glitter to the outside instead so that you can be sure it’s safe to drink from.

2A wind chime for breezy days

Help mom add a little music to a windy day with a pretty DIY wind chime from Sugar & Cloth. This craft involves the use of power tools, so it’s best done by a grown-up, but kids can get involved by painting the different pieces of the wind chime to give it a totally custom look. Aside from some creativity and knowledge of power tools, you’ll need a small, round plastic vase, weather-proof string, a wooden ring, and some wood and clay beads. Mom is sure to love it.

3A dish that’s perfect for her favorite trinkets

Head over to your nearby craft store (or anywhere that sells plants) and pick up a few inexpensive terracotta plant saucers, and you have the bulk of what you need to make the perfect DIY Mother’s Day gift: a jewely dish or trinket tray from Paper & Stitch. To decorate the saucers, you’ll need some high-quality colored pencils or chalk and a matte sealant. Decorate the little trays as much or as little as you’d like, cover them with sealant, and you’re all set! A quick, easy, and super cute Mother’s Day DIY gift.

4A 3D coffee mug with adorable add-ons

Instead of getting mom a boring, standard coffee mug for Mother’s Day, make one for her yourself; and make it 3D. Buy a few solid-colored mugs (this blogger used white, but any color will work), some polymer clay, a craft knife, and some ceramic glue. Following a tutorial from Studio DIY, you’ll make your 3D creations with the clay, stick them to the mug, and bake for around 10 min. Let the mugs and clay cool, then remove the clay creations from the mug, add glue, and stick them back on. That’s it. Just make sure mom knows she needs to handwash the mug because it will not be dishwasher safe.

5A DIY body scrub to keep her elbows soft

Give mom the gift of exfoliation with a DIY body scrub from Lovely Indeed. Grab some granulated sugar and coconut oil from the pantry and mix it together. You can leave it at that, or personalize it a bit more by adding a couple of drops of mom’s favorite essential oil to give it a delightful scent. Once you have it all mixed up, scoop it into a glass jar and you’re set. To make it a little prettier, add some ribbon or other decorative accents to the jar — if you have a Cricut, Lovely Indeed has a tutorial for creating, printing, and applying a custom label to your jar.

6A cute way to display photos

Would you believe this cute DIY Mother’s Day gift only takes five minutes to make? Well, that’s what Laura at A Beautiful Mess says, at least. All you need is some craft wire, wooden knobs, a small drill, and some superglue to create these cuties. Kids can definitely help with this project (like by painting the knobs), but don’t let them get their hands on that superglue.

7A cross-stitch design

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If you’ve ever considered learning how to cross-stitch, now is a good time! The Spruce Crafts has a bunch of great patterns for beginners, some of which your older kids might even want to try along with you.

8A dream catcher for unicorn lovers

Have a little kid with a love of unicorns? Help them create an adorable dream catcher like this one from Girl Loves Glam. This is still a great craft even for non-unicorn lovers because you can follow the same tutorial but skip the part where you glue on the horn and ears. If nothing else, your mom will definitely get a smile out of this gift.

9DIY awards for the best mom ever

Give mom the award she deserves with these little ribbons from Handmade by Charlotte. They’re super easy for little kids to make, and all you need is some construction paper, glue, and paint to create them.

10A paper bouquet that’ll last forever

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Paper flowers are a great craft for older kids or for you because they do take a little bit of skill that little ones just might not have quite yet. You can make your mom a little bouquet of paper flowers like these or you can go really big and create a garland for her to hang on the wall (you can get a how-to for this at The Craft Patch Blog). Either way, it’s a fun, colorful spin on the classic Mother’s Day bouquet.

11A cool way to re-use t-shirts

All you need for this DIY gift is an old t-shirt and some scissors. Leslie over at Pink Stripey Socks, used an old tie-dye shirt from one of her kids to create this planter and it lends a fun rainbow-y touch to the project. This is a homemade Mother’s Day gift that your little ones can definitely help you out with, too.

12Tin can pencil holders kids can decorate

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I know, I know, the idea of a tin can pencil holder isn’t exactly flashy, but it’s something your little kids can do and will feel really proud of when they’re done, which makes it the perfect DIY Mother’s Day gift. They can use paint, construction paper, buttons, felt ribbons — really anything their heart desires.

13Homemade Yahtzee for game night

For moms who love a good family game night, you and/or the kids can create your own DIY Yahtzee game with this tutorial from Lovely Indeed. All you have to do is make some pretty painted dice, craft a little shaker, and print out the scorecards at home. So easy.

14A beautiful succulent garden to decorate her desk

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If mom doesn’t have much of a green thumb, then skip the traditional Mother’s Day plant and opt for a little succulent garden instead. All you need is a large planter and a few different types of succulents to create an impressive, low-maintenance garden. If you need a little help, check out the how-to guide for making a desert-inspired garden from Succulent Studio.

15Handprint art that’s fun to make and save forever

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Does handprint art ever get old? Have your kids create a masterpiece with their handprints and some paint. There are all kinds of fun projects you can do with handprints, like these flowers in a vase from A Little Pinch Of Perfect. If you’re looking for a craft that you can do with your kids, handprint art is always a winner.

16A Mother’s Day card you can print out

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You can give your “all I want is a card” mom exactly what she wants this year but in a more personalized way. You can either make your own card from scratch (a little scrapbook paper will go a long way here) or you can opt to find a printable card. Amber Kemp-Gersiel at Damask Love has a cute one that reminds mom just how much of a superhero she is.

17A selection of cute and colorful door hangers

You can make mom her very own customizable door hanger this Mother’s Day, and she will probably love it more than you know. DIY Candy has a tutorial for one that has a little chalkboard section so mom can write little messages like “I’m taking a nap” or “Shhh... watching The Handmaid’s Tale” on it when she needs a little privacy. All you need to make them are some unfinished wood planks, paint, string, beads, scrapbook paper, and some classic Mod Podge.

18A springtime wreath that’s easy to make

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Wreaths can look really intimidating, but they’re a lot easier to make than they seem (this was my gateway craft if that tells you how easy they are). You can easily make your mom a pretty spring or summertime wreath like the one in this photo by going to the craft store and getting a bare twig wreath, a couple of fake flowers (make sure they have leaves), and some crafting wire. Once you get home, pull the flowers apart so that they’re not too long (wire cutters help here, but you don’t need them), twist some wire around them and then use it to attach them to the wreath. Quick, easy, and gorgeous.

19Super simple wall art that she’s going to love

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Have your kiddo create a little masterpiece by fingerpainting a piece of paper. Once you feel like they’ve thoroughly covered the space, let it dry and then take a white piece of paper with a heart cutout in the center and lay it over the top of the page to create a cute little piece of wall art for a DIY Mother’s Day gift. For a mess-free method of doing this, check out this how-to from The Best Ideas For Kids.

20The most adorable, easy flower pots

How cute are these little planters from This Grandma Is Fun? All you need to make these are some small clay pots and some paint. If you want to go the extra mile, add some succulents so that she doesn’t have to do any of the planting herself and can just enjoy her sweet little present.

21Super fun hair clips to brighten her day

These hair clips are great for a mom who loves to have some fun with her accessories now and then, and according to Laura over at A Beautiful Mess, they’re super simple to make. All you need to create lookalikes are some large clips, ribbon, a hot glue gun, superglue, some loose pearls, and a novelty patch. You can get a little creative, though, and come up with a style or color scheme that you think your mom would love.

22Bead jewelry she’ll love to wear

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Beaded jewelry is a classic craft for kids and adults, and any mom would love a bracelet that was handmade by her kids (or grandkids). There are a lot of different ways to make them, but the best ones are either elastic or with a clasp so that the risk of them breaking is low. For a how-to guide, check out Beading Jewelry 101.

23A hat to bring some color to her days

Pick up an inexpensive sun hat and some paint and you have everything you need to create your own version of this hat from The House That Lars Built. They opted to paint rings all around the inside of the hat’s brim, but you can get as creative as you want with different patterns, more or less colors, or just let your little kid go to town with their own design. Mom can wear it to the pool, when she’s gardening, or any other time she needs a little shade.

24DIY bath bombs for a luxurious soak

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Did you know you can make your own bath bombs at home, and your kids can even help? Jen from Honestly Modern created a step-by-step guide for making your own bath bombs with kid-friendly ingredients (most of which you probably already have in your home). You might make a bit of a mess, but it’s a gift mom will genuinely love, so it’s totally worth it.

25A bookmark for flower lovers

If your mom is an avid reader, then consider making her a beautiful bookmark with pressed flowers. This is a project that has a gorgeous finished product, but a super easy creation process. You can learn how to make your own from this how-to guide at Lovely Indeed.

Giving your mom a DIY Mother’s Day gift is always thoughtful, no matter what your age is. So, think about what she would genuinely like to get and then tap into your creative side to make her a one-of-a-kind present.

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