A mother’s love is unconditional and everlasting—she’s our first friend and our biggest cheerleader. While gifts and brunch for Mother’s Day celebrations are lovely, it is also a perfect time to create special memories with the beloved matriarch. Check out our list of the best Mother’s Day ideas, and pick one (or two!) that are sure to warm mom’s heart and save the rest for another day because moms are worth celebrating any day!
1. Take a Family Photo. Remember the beloved school pictures we look forward to? Some of the best Mother's Day ideas involve photos, of course! Picture Day with Mom is even better and serves as a beautiful reflection of how much the family has grown. Enlist a professional photographer or make fun backgrounds at home. Bonus: Include grandparents if possible–they love this stuff!
2. Make art together. Nothing beats a good handmade card. The effort is where the love is and here’s a list of ideas to spark your creativity. Kick it up a bit by painting together at at a local Paint Nite or Craft Night at home or a special event.
3. Try a Mystery Family Picnic. Picnics are a great way to spend time together. Spoil Mom by spending an adventurous day out on a mystery picnic where you solve fun clues and riddles together to find delicious picnic items from boutique food stores.
4. All Aboard! Treat Mom to an Afternoon Tea. Enjoy a scenic train ride filled with all the delights of a traditional tea service but with a wine country twist. Savor fine sips, delicious bites and glorious vineyard views on this elegant experience via the Napa Valley Wine Train.
5. Have a "Stay at Home" vacation. Imagine going to Paris or Hawaii for a day. Make delicious crepes together, or turn your backyard into a luau complete with beach-themed drinks and flower leis.
6. Spa Day. Make it an at-home spa day. Paint mom's nails, give her a massage, slice some cucumbers for her eyes and presto! She'll feel pampered and relaxed.
7. Family Movie Night. Gather the blankets and snacks for a fun family movie night! Some of the best Mother's Day ideas can happen at home. Pop some popcorn and queue up one of these favorite family flicks that are based in the Bay Area.
8. Outdoor Fun. Want some quality time with mom and the whole family, how about a bike ride together? Here's our list of kid-friendly bike trails (just make sure helmets are secure and you are maintaining proper distance from others).
9. Does mom love gardening and flowers? If so, you can plant some of her favorite flowers or help her in the garden. You could even make it a yearly tradition to plant a tree honoring mother earth and your mother every year.
10. Backyard Bliss. Put her favorite cheese, crackers and beverage in the cooler and spread out the blanket for a backyard picnic . Even better, order up one of these Brie Grazing Boards and serve her a fancy charcuterie platter. Some of the best Mother's Day ideas can happen in your backyard!
11. Mom Campout. If mom's favorite spot is by the campfire, fear not, set up a tent at home! You can cozy up with her in the tent and read some favorite books together. Added Bonus: you can go sleep in your own beds if the sleeping bags just won't cut it.
12. Imaginative Adventures. Pretend that you are a tourist in your own house. Give mom a grand tour of the house. For added fun, you can make a treasure hunt for mom with clues like, "under the bed where you kiss me the best goodnight," or "mudpie time" for clues hidden in the mud-kitchen in the backyard.
—TaLeiza Calloway-Appleton and Sandra Lee
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