“There is no velvet so soft as a mother’s lap, no rose as lovely as her smile, no path so flowery as that imprinted with her footsteps.”
– Archibald Thompson
The book I selected for this month with the theme of ‘Mom’ is “My Mom Is There” by Martin Thomas. This is a sweet story about how mom is always there, even when she’s away at work. The book descriptor reads:
“It’s not easy being small. Nothing is simple. Not speaking, sleeping or walking. Not counting, reading or swimming. Not even hopping, skipping, or jumping! But with mum close by there’s no need to be scared, and anything is possible.”
If you’d like to preview the book before buying, check out the YouTube reading of the story.
Skill Focus
- Book knowledge (i.e., title, author, page turning, image walking)
- Use of low vision tools while reading the book
- Developing hand and eye coordination
- Soliciting assistance appropriately
- Fine motor
- Communication
- Animals and their habitats
- Choice making
- Creative thinking
Activity 1: Making Mother’s Day cards
Making cards has become an activity that my students have really begun to enjoy. This is an interest I use to build social skills and community service. I can also tie in a wide variety of goals/skills in the creation of cards.
- Folding paper/cardstock in half
- Coloring images
- Writing personal messages
- Using stickers (optional)
- Social skills (giving a gift/card)
- Putting a card in an envelope
- Mailing (optional)
The website Homeschool of 1 had printable Mother’s Day cards to color. I printed the cards on white cardstock. The students chose the card they wanted from a selection of 8 with an additional choice for grandma.
For this craft, I needed:
- Printable Mother’s Day Cards
- Crayons
- Stickers to add to the cards (optional)
- Envelopes to put the cards in
- Stamps to mail the cards (optional)
Tips
Consult with your OT, if the student has one, about the best crayons to use. Several of my students use adapted crayons:
- Triangular Crayons
- Peanut Crayons
- Egg Crayons
- Easy Grip Crayons
- Twistable Colored Pencils (for my older students)
Activity 2: Wooden Tulip
My students wanted to do a painting craft, and it had to be flowers. I found unfinished wooden tulips on Amazon. The kit has markers to color the tulips, but I used paint instead.
For this craft, I needed:
- Unfinished Wooden Tulips Cutouts
- Acrylic Craft Paint
- 1” Foam Paint Brushes
- Mini Storage Containers with Lids
- Parchment Paper Sheets
- Painter’s Tape
Tips
- Work with the OT on grips for the paint brushes or alternatives to the foam paint brushes.
- Check with the art teacher for other paint brush ideas.
- I use parchment paper for the students to paint on. It makes it easier for me to transport their work when we’re finished. It also keeps the paint from sticking to whatever we are painting on.
- I use painter’s tape for multiple purposes. One, to help hold the item in place. Two, to cover what is not to be painted. And, three, to help with transporting the work so it doesn’t slide off or go missing as well to put the name on it.
Extension Activities
- After reading the book, several of my students and I ‘exchanged’ places for a lesson. We had way too much fun! It was interesting how their personalities changed a little by being the “teacher.”
- Simple Everyday Mom has a blog for a Mother’s Day Cactus Craft that has free templates.
- Blooming Brilliant Homeschoolers has a sweet Heartfelt Printable Bouquet. A GREAT way to work on writing skills and can be adapted for students needing larger print or braille. Who says the page needs to be regular size?
- Crafting Jeannie has a post on Mother’s Day Playdough Mats
- 24 Hour Family has 7 Winnie the Pooh and Friends Mother’s Day Coloring Pages.
