Download our templates for the ultimate Mother’s day card
There is no better card for Mother’s day than a homemade card made with love. We have 3 Mother’s day card ideas to jazz up your cards, with free downloadable templates.
Just print, create, and give. What makes these Mother’s day card ideas so fun? They are hands-on projects that will teach a little science and create quality dad time (because let’s face it, Mom shouldn’t be making her own card with the kids). You choose the level of difficulty, some of these cards can be done in under ten minutes, others take a bit more care and a few more supplies, but the finished project will really make her jaw drop.
Scroll down to find downloads, supply lists, and instructions to make an LED light-up flower card, a pop-up photo frame card, or a thumbprint card for Mother’s day this year! Need more Mother’s day card ideas? You can check out our pop-up heart cards we made for Valentine’s day that she is sure to love as well!
Three Mother’s day card ideas
LED Flower Card
Not all Mother’s day card ideas are created equal. This Mother’s day card idea requires a bit of elbow grease and a few supplies, but it is by far one of my favorite light-up LED cards since it combines circuit basics, arts and crafts, and family. We have a lot of videos about learning circuits that you can watch to get insightful help, but the template is laid out in a step by step manner to make this project accessible.
Project Ingredients:
1. Print our Mother’s day light up card template
You will need to print this double-sided, open to the right. This ensures that your circuit template, which is placed on the inside of the card, lines up with the nice flower art that will light up for Mom on the outside of the card. You can use regular letter paper, but I strongly suggest using a thicker cardstock type of paper for this project. This will help your card feel more like a card – after all, those Mother’s day cards in the stores aren’t exactly just a folded sheet of paper – and it will also help your circuit hold up better.
2. Lay down copper tape along the yellow lines in the template
You should be able to do this whole step with two long pieces of copper tape. One piece will end up under the long LED leg, the other piece will end up under the short LED leg. Try to bend your copper tape around the corners, and don’t forget to wrap it around to the other side of the card. The Mother’s day card template has the yellow copper tape lines turn in to arrows at the edge of the card to remind you of this very important step!
3. Poke the legs of your LED through the paper
Carefully poke tiny holes in your card where the flower lights up (the white LED circle). Make sure the two legs have individual holes and are not touching each other.
4. Secure LED legs with scotch tape
Bend your LED legs so one leg lays on top of one copper tape line. Make sure your metal LED legs don’t touch both copper tape lines, otherwise you will short circuit your project! Secure the legs in place using a piece of scotch tape.
5. Test your circuit with the battery in
The LED should immediately light up. If it doesn’t flip the battery over and try again. This is the number one cause of LED paper circuits not lighting up. If it still doesn’t light up check out our paper circuits troubleshooting guide.
6. Make a switch (if you want)
You can certainly use a binder clip to have your light up LED Mother’s day card always on. If you want it to only be on when someone is pressing down on the battery (aka a switch), you will need to do a couple extra steps.
First, add two small strips of scotch tape on the batter to secure it to the paper. Make sure to leave a line of exposed battery where the copper tape on the tab will be touching the battery. Then lightly secure the tab in place with another loose piece of tape.
Thumbprint Mother’s Day Card
This is the perfect last minute card for mom. We have a template that makes a cute little pop-up out of your thumbprint flower, but really all you need to make this a win is paper and an ink pad.
Project Ingredients:
- Cardstock
- Inkpad (We love rainbow inkpads that give you plenty of color choices and artistic freedom)
- Template (if you want it to pop-up)
1. Get your paper out and get messy.
The sky is the limit here, and kids will love making fingerprint art. Just hand them a folded sheet of cardstock and let them go wild on the front. Then help then hand write a message on the inside. Seriously, such an easy (and fun) Mother’s day card idea! Not sure how to start? Check out this blog to get lots of thumbprint art ideas for your Mother’s day card!
Pop-up Photo Frame Card
This Mother’s day card idea is a fun way to showcase your favorite faimly photos. Letting your kids choose a favorite photo of mom is a great way to open up a conversation about gratitude and the presence of mom in their lives. While mom enjoys breakfast in bed your children can tell her why they choose that photo. It is a great opener to telling stories!
Project Ingredients:
- Cardstock
- Photo (printed on cardstock or photo paper)
- Template
1. Download and print the Mother’s day pop up photo frame template.
It’s a pretty simple step. I do suggest using cardstock or other thick paper for this. You can also pre-decorate the paper or choose a paper with a nice print on it.
2. Cut along the solid red lines.
Carefully cut along the solid red lines of the template. I used a utility knife to cut the photo frame box and the two vertical lines out. This helps to make a cleaner cut and provides a great opportunity to show kids proper knife safety and use.
3. Fold along the orange dotted line.
This is the centerline that will sit in the centerline fold of a colored back piece of paper in the final card. Crisp careful folds will pay dividends in your final Mother’s day card.
4. Fold along photo frame lines (green and blue dotted lines).
This will help you to easily make the photo frame pop up in the end.
I hope you enjoyed our three Mother’s day card ideas! For more Mother’s day crafts that bring science to life check out our Mother’s day page!
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