My top four classroom gift ideas for Mom

Mother's Day is upon us, fellow teachers of little ones. We have to start working on crafts and gifts that mom will treasure for a lifetime. No pressure, right? Well, here are my top four ideas to take that pressure off and create wonderful memories.

1. Purchase some earth clay for your classroom. Help students mold hand-made flower vases. Let vases dry overnight. The next day, have children paint the vases. It's best to do this the first half of the week so that they are finished in time to send home Friday. (You can also make simple jewelry boxes this way).

2. Make flower-shaped picture frames for mom. Kiddos can cut colored card stock into circles. You might need to cut holes within the circles to make the frame itself as this part can be tricky for very young children. Next, have children cut teardrop or circular flower petals. Guide them in pasting petals onto the circle frames. Take photos of your children, print them out and tape or glue dot a photo to the back of each frame. Last, attach a stick-on magnet to the back of each frame. Mom can display her child's photo and frame on her refrigerator and look at it each day.

3. Handmade jewelry. Get twine or cord, etc. Collect fruit loops and other circle-shaped cereal and/or beads. Then, let the kiddos put the cereal and/or beads onto the twine or cord to make decorative necklaces for mom.

4. Handprints. Paint the hands of your little ones and help them place their painted handprints onto either side of the colorful construction paper. Find a Mother's Day poem appropriate for preschoolers and help them cut and paste it onto one side of the construction paper. Fold paper in half. You now have beautiful, hand made cards for all of your mommies.

Don't forget to put children's names on each item and write, paint, or mark "Happy Mother's Day 2014!"

Good luck and happy creating. And to all fellow mommies, have a Happy Mother's Day!