Ta da! We are Getting Ready for Mother's Day

Today our Mother's Day plates from Makit arrived! OK... so do you know these plates? As in you may have made one when you were in kindergarten! They are old skool and that is one of the reasons I love them.

In all my kindergarten years... which I think is 7....I have done these every year except for one. And man was I sad that year. There are so many things where I like to change it up because I want the newest and best lesson or idea..... but these are just special to me for some reason.

You order the starter kit from Makit, the kids draw on the special papers. They tell you the approved marker list (which is pretty much everything Crayola) and off you go....

Then you wait patiently AND they arrive....

My only rule is that their name is on the plate somewhere and so is the year so that their mommies can remember when they made it. I put up a word bank with other things like "Happy Mother's Day." I could honestly post all 29 beautiful plates... but I won't. But there's one more you gotta see.....

That is a glass of his mom's favorite drink! You see... we all brainstorm what would make a good picture. And I say over and over again... think of what your mommy likes! Well, there you have it..... he 100% followed directions.

I know... the cost is what you are wondering about. I ask the parents for a $9 donation. The plates cost $6.99 each, but I factor in the cost of the starter kit, shipping and other supplies. I explain that ALL children will make the "special gift" (since shhh! we don't tell them what it is!) regardless of whether or not they pay, but that I would greatly appreciate it. And yes, that is a risk... and yes, most years I end up paying a tiny bit myself. I am lucky to be at a school where I am able to gather most of the cost.

The other issue is tricky family situations and I handle those on a case by case basis. I have had some kids make 2 plates and I have had a few make the plate for their dad. In that case they choose whether to give it to him early or wait until Father's Day.

I also invite the mom's in for a Mother's Day Tea Party! The kids make a corsage (I can't find any pics of these from previous years) but it's just a coffee filter. The kids decorate it with marker- coloring most, if not all of the coffee filter. They then spray it with a water spray bottle and watch the colors bleed together. When they dry you gather it on one end and add masking tape. I also add a safety pin so their mom can wear it. (I write names on the center of the filter in Sharpie and then transfer it to the masking tape once assembled.)

We also make cards for their moms. These I do change up year to year. These pics are a few years old. I went with a simple flower cover and a note on the inside.

When the moms come in the room those typed up paragraphs (on the purple above) are posted on the wall and they all read in a similar pattern "My mom looks the prettiest ________" etc.... The moms have to guess which one is from their child. We unveil the results and then after the game they take it down themselves and glue it in the card as shown.

The kids also sing Mother's Day songs and once in a while I have thrown in a square dance. And there is always a treat. Last year it was Alligator Pie! As for actual tea... well, sometimes there is tea, but I don't think it will be featured on the 2013 menu.

As it gets closer to Mother's Day this year I will post more pictures!