Mother's Day Gift + Rhyme

It's such an honor to make an "Artist-in-the-Schools" visit. I arrive in my polka-dots, with all of my surprises ready to share with excited, eager students. In the process I get to observe amazing work and then share it with you here. 

Take a look at Mrs. Jones' kindergarten room where I visited yesterday. They are gearing up big time for Mother's Day on the horizon. 

Mother's Day jingle piggyback tune for circle time fun!

These little beauties were laying just inside their door and were in the process of being assembled for the keepsake of the year. I asked Mrs. Jones for the 4-11 and she called the little glass bits, "blobs" (that's a professional term I'm sure.) She said that they're the kind of blobs that are meant for around a plant. Got it? Ya buy 'em in a mesh bag. These are probably about 2 inches across.

Kindergarten Mother's Day Gifts: Photographs 'framed' in glass with magnet!

Once the children's photos are all ready and she has her collection of glass blobs, the photos get trimmed to 'fit' the specific form of the blob. The two are then attached to each other with a very thin layer of glue. YES. You put the glue on the top of the photo. As you can see the glue dries clear. The very final step is the addition of the magnet on the back. [Editor's note: just saw these 'blobs' at my Dollar Tree in a mesh bag, among the craft materials... then I made a tutorial in time for Father's Day: click here to see it step-by-step.]

What a great addition to any refrigerator!! KEEPSAKE!!!

It was tricky to photograph these gems -- with the light bouncing off of the glass and the flash yada-yada, but you'll have to trust me, they are glorious!! 

Photographs of child applied to clear glass baubles for Mother's Day

Seeing all of the children's photographs and thinking about magnets, it reminds me of this idea I saw earlier in the year. LUV LUV LUV this one folks! Pin it now as a prompt for your launch of next year -- or for use in your summer program. (I have this photo name identification game in this previous article here on Best Practice in Preschool.)

Children's photographs as magnets + children's names on magnets = Name recognition Activity!!

Back to Mother's Day. I'm thinking that all of those cute little hand print flowers I see everywhere would make super-duper cards for the occasion. Here's a variation that includes the student's school picture. ***Notice the fine motor activity on snipping the grass below the blooming flower.... perfect integration of fine motor skill development, mid-project. 

I just LUV that sort of attention to detail. 

Spring bulletin board of floral handprint keepsakes -- with school photo included

Here's what they looked like on the bulletin board! 
I'm wild about the student written title above the paintings!!

You never know when you're going to need a little poem about handprints. Here's the one that was being used in Louisiana for Grandparent's day keepsakes during my winter visit in their midst. I think it could work equally as well for Mother's Day card inserts. 

Handprint poem for special occasions memento

Here's one more project underway in the kindergarten rooms 

of two of my favorite peeps: Mrs Price + Mrs. Jones.

This seems like another way to teach kindness and responsibility to me! 

Mom gets a bouquet of flowers filled with sweet gestures of caring!

Like a coupon book of LUV, only on flowers.

Hope my post today helps with your planning.
I've got an awesome gift to give my mommy.
I just hope that it gets delivered on time!

Go priority mail! 

Fast forward-into-the-future! 

In 2013, I pull allllllll of these ideas into one RoundUP!
(Yes! You can now click the picture!)

Also in the future I have an amazing RoundUP of Quilts! 
(Click this picture to leap over there!) 

Next year, I write an ode to my mom and it includes 

this 'subway-art' printable. 

(Click the image below to read my heart-felt thoughts for moms.) 

I have a new post with some additional Mother's Day ideas. 

There are additional finger-print flowers with a rhyme and a cute little handprint poem.

Click right here!

  

Even further into the future I've decided to write my own little poem for Mother's Day art + cards. 
zoom further into the future by clicking here. 

Mother's Day Gift

Here's one more off into the further future with an A.DOR.ABLE little ceramic keepsake!!! Click here for that one. 

Ceramic fingerprint keepsake

                                           -- Debbie -- 

Note from the future! I am NOW a shop keeper over at TeachersPayTeachers where I am adding my songs in zipped files that include an Mp3 version, plus support materials as Pdfs and PowerPoints. Please follow me so that you'll know when I add new goodies! Here's an example of what's included for my favorite, "Pollywog." 

Fine Motor Work for "Pollywog" Song

Added to Sunday Showcase!