3 Heartfelt Mother’s Day Ideas to Support Moms

As with many traditions, repetition makes it difficult to come up with fresh, meaningful Mother’s Day ideas each year. Read on to find three heartfelt ideas for Mother’s Day this year.  

Moms are juggling a lot. Day-to-day mom life varies widely, but one thing uniting many mothers’ experiences is burnout. Books, studies, and articles could be (and are) written about the layered causes for this epidemic of “too many things,” but let’s not stew there and get stuck. We know the overwhelm is there. What are some practical things we can do at church to support moms living in it?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but we happen to be plugged into the source of truth and life—Jesus. Below are jumpstarting ideas for partnering with Jesus to hit the pressure release valve. Ways to regularly acknowledge moms’ efforts to raise decent human beings—coming from you and kids. And an idea for a refreshing Mom’s Night.

3 Heartfelt Mother’s Day Ideas to Support Moms

Dear Mom, Let Me Tell You Something Great About Your Kid(s).

Beginning this Mother’s Day, invite your ministry volunteer staff to join you in watching for ways kids are living out their faith. Showing others God’s love and grace, leading others in learning about Jesus, showing self-control, and so on. You could create simple cards printed on cardstock with prompts, like the couple below, for your team to fill out and give to moms (and other parents or caregivers, too). Or you could print the prompts on a handout and distribute it to your volunteers along with index or blank folded cards for writing notes. The design doesn’t have to be out of this world because it’s the words that will mean the world.

Personal Praise

Begin with writing out Proverbs 22:6. Then create a prompt such as: “[Name] was spotted showing [fruit of the Spirit] today! Thanks for all you’ve done and all you’re doing to direct this wonderful young person’s path. Here’s what happened…”

A mom will be blessed to receive positive affirmation of the person her child is when she’s not around. Yours and your ministry team’s points of view will bring joy as you watch for ways Jesus is coming through in a child’s actions and responses.

Kids Say the Funniest Things…at Church!

Bring moms laughter and joy their hearts will hold onto! Create another prompt to guide your team in capturing the hilarious and often adorable things kids say.

You could start the prompt with something such as, “Kid Comedy: [Name] brought the house down today when…” and then capture the context and awesome kid quote.

Revisiting the funny things kids say can be a bright spot for moms on tough days and can go into quote collections that are fun to share as kids grow up.

Dear Mom, I See You.

Similar to the message prompts detailed above, provide simple prompts and supplies for kids to fill out (with help if needed). Again, you can begin this on Mother’s Day, but carry it throughout the entire year to open kids up to sharing these tender sentiments regularly.

Simple Thank-You’s

Begin with 2 Timothy 1:5. Then prompt kids to think of ways their mom shows them how to live for Jesus with something like, “Mom, thanks for showing me how to share Jesus’ love when you…” or “Mom, you help me grow closer to God when you…”

Here are some other Mother’s Day crafts where kids could add these personalized notes of thanks.

Noticing the Everyday Things

Meeting the basic needs of children requires enormous amounts of cyclical work. It can give moms a huge boost to know that their kids notice.

Create another prompt that helps kids think through things their mom does for them regularly. Then thank her for her effort in all that’s keeping her very busy. “Mom, thank you for doing so many things to take care of me. I notice when you…”

Dear Mom, You Deserve to Take Care of Yourself, Too.

In this era of “hustle culture,” many moms struggle with self-care. With so many responsibilities vying for attention, moms tend give themselves the leftovers…when they’re worth so much more.

How can our church communities become a hub of support that encourages and helps moms to take time for themselves? To get the brainstorming juices flowing, here are some building block ideas for a Mom’s Night you could host at your church. A fun twist—it’s rooted in the proven station rotation success of VBS!

To start, pick a Saturday where you can devote two to three hours to hosting a low-cost or free after-dinner event for moms. Provide programming and care for their kids. (Check out these resources for fantastic ideas for games, sciency-fun object lessons, and crafts for kids!)

Create 30-minute to one-hour long stations for moms to choose from and rotate through while kids are having a blast. At least a couple of months in advance, advertise in your church communications the need for volunteers to lead the various stations. Are there fitness instructors, counselors, massage therapists, artists, and more in your church community who would like to donate their time, talents, and expertise? Once you know who can run your stations and what they’ll be, request supply donations. Just like VBS, this planning and communication will help keep the costs low and ensure you have people in place to facilitate the different stations.

Station Ideas

• Sweat. 30-minute beginner-friendly exercise class such as Zumba or Pilates.
• Paint. 30-minute canvas painting class themed around Psalm 23.
• Coffee & Convos. Serve coffee, tea, and some light snacks and use this one-hour Love Ya Mom session of Lifetree Café. Moms will get to know each other and dive into Jesus-centered conversation about life as a mom.
• Massage. 30-minute sessions of neck and shoulder massages.
• Manicures. 30-minute sessions where moms can have their fingernails pampered and painted.
• Pray. 30-minute sessions in a comfortable room with contemplative music playing. Create a space where moms can quietly pray on their own or be prayed for by a ministry leader.
• Mend. 30-minute sessions in a private room with a licensed counselor. While a half hour goes fast, this could be a lifeline for a lot of moms and a steppingstone to getting further support, if needed.

You can size and sculpt such an event to fit your church, your budget, and your volunteer resources. However your Mom’s Night takes shape, it’ll be an event with an impact as you offer an opportunity for moms to take care of their minds, bodies, and souls!

Want more great ideas for celebrating and supporting moms in your church community? Check out all our Mother’s Day posts. You could also gift moms with this The Jesus Interruption, arelatable and doable book of devotions made to fit modern #momlife.