What a wonderful time to celebrate our mothers, or any very special people who have loved and cared for children in so many ways! Here are some simple suggestions for showing young children how to return that love, and to Comfort, Play with and Teach the important grown-ups in their lives.

Comfort

• Great big hugs and words like “I love you” make both adults and children feel special! Grown ups and children can start this special day together by making time to cuddle, although every day is a good day to share hugs and loving words.
  
  
• What grown up things can your child do? Can she help prepare breakfast, or maybe put things away? Children can be encouraged to do one or two small jobs around the house. They will learn how thoughtful it is to give grown ups a rest from tidying sometimes!
  
  
• Walk around the block, taking time to stop, admire gardens and smell the flowers. You can talk about your favourite scents and colours, or you can simply hold hands, quietly enjoying each other’s company, saying nothing at all. Sometimes love just speaks for itself!

Play

• Make “Queen/King for the Day” crowns. If you have construction paper, you can cut out a crown and decorate it with anything – crayons, pictures from magazines, feathers, cotton balls, sequins…anything! Playing dress-up and being silly together is lots of fun!
  
  
• Play a special word game with your child, taking turns adding ideas. “I love you with an A, because… you ALWAYS read to me. I love you with a B because….You BANDAGE my BOO-BOOS”. How many alphabet words can you each think of that say how much you love each other?

Teach

• Explore what is happening in your community! Is the library having any special activities, like a puppet shows or story time? Discover some new rhymes and books that you can enjoy together at home. How else could you spend the day together?
  
  
• Look at family photos and take turns remembering special events. Paste your favourite pictures into a scrap book and write down some of your stories. Ask your child to add drawings. How much can you each recall? This book will be something you will both look at and read again and again, and treasure forever and ever!