Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May each year. Why not spend some time learning about this special holiday with your children this May? This free unit study includes the history of Mother’s Day, video read alouds, poetry, writing activities, science lessons, and crafts. Most of this unit is designed to be used by all ages together. However, there are some aspects, like the read alouds, that will probably only be of interest to younger children. Other parts are designed more for older kids and teens.

The History of Mother’s Day

Read an article or watch a video to learn about the history of Mother’s Day.

History.com – This article describes the history of the holiday in the United  States. It also includes a brief section on Mother’s Day around the world.
The History Channel – If you prefer a video, this one gives a 3-minute overview of the history of Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day Story Time

Watch and listen to a read-aloud of one (or more) of the following storybooks.

Rex and the Mother’s Day Hug by Lois G. Grambling
The Night Before Mother’s Day by Natasha Wing
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
Llama Llama Mother’s Day Present By Anna Dewdney

Mother’s Day Poetry

Read poetry about motherhood to your children or have an older child choose a poem to read aloud. You may even want to get out your china and some snacks and have a poetry tea time together to celebrate Mother’s Day.

A Mother’s Day Poem by James McDonald
Motherhood by Edgar Guest
The Reading Mother by Gillian Strickland
Mother’s Face by Eben Rexford
Only One Mother by George Cooper

Mother’s Day Writing

Have your kids practice their writing skills with a Mother’s Day writing assignment.

Writing Prompts – Journal Buddies provides 53 journal writing prompts for Mother’s Day. These prompts will work well for a wide range of ages.
Acrostic Poem – With this worksheet from K12 Reader, elementary-aged kids can write an acrostic poem using the word “mother.”
Bio Poem: My Mother – Using K12 Reader’s worksheet, children can write a biography poem describing their mother. This worksheet was designed for upper elementary and middle school.
All About My Mom – Our fill-in-the-blank printable is a fun keepsake, especially if you have young kids. They often give funny or unexpected answers.

Mother’s Day Science: Heredity

Mother’s Day is an excellent time for kids to learn how they inherited various traits, like eye color, from their parents.

Exploring Genetics by Creating a Family Pedigree – This article from Kristin Moon Science explains how to create a pedigree that tracks how a particular genetic trait has been passed down through several family generations. This is a great activity for older kids.
Ideas for Introducing Genetics to Younger Kids – This article, also from Kristin Moon Science, gives suggestions for teaching younger kids the basics of DNA and inherited traits.

Mother’s Day Science: The Animal Kingdom

Mother’s Day is also a fun time to learn about animal mothers and how they care for their young. Read an article and watch videos about animal mothers.

5 Remarkable Animal Moms –  The World Wildlife Fund shares how animal moms care for their young in this brief article.  The article is appropriate for all ages.
15 of the Hardest-Working Moms in the Animal Kingdom – This article from Treehugger describes the extremes animal mothers go to in order to ensure the survival of their offspring.

These short YouTube videos show animal mothers interacting with their young. They are appropriate for all ages and do not show predator attacks or other graphic content.

Baby Animals Find Their Footing
Highland Cattle Hide-and-Seek
Walrus Mom and Baby Cuddle
Lion Mother Keeps Cubs Safe From Predator

Mother’s Day Craft

You may like to conclude your Mother’s Day unit study with a fun craft that the kids can give to their mother, grandmother, or other special mom in their life. See this post for several craft ideas.

Note: This post was originally published on April 28, 2021 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.