Mother’s Day is right around the corner. I’m a mom and I can tell you that I’m not really big into receiving gifts for Mother’s Day. What I am interested in is doing something special, together. It doesn’t even have to be out-of-the-ordinary, but it does help if there is some thoughtfulness behind the activity. So, here are some fun Mother’s Day ideas for spending time with moms.
Artsy / DIY Mom
Take mom (and her camera) out for a day at the gardens. She’ll love spending the day snapping pics of flowers. But, be prepared – she’s gonna want pics of you, too. Around Atlanta, visit Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Smith-Gilbert Gardens, Gibbs Gardens, or Callaway Gardens.
Break out mom’s art supplies & create, together. It’s ok if you don’t think of yourself as artsy. It’s about mom! Draw, paint, sculpt, and craft your little heart out for her. Some great ideas for outdoor arts and crafts are building & painting birdhouses, painting terracotta pots, or packing up the supplies to sketch & paint at a local park.
Stroll an Arts & Crafts Festival! Find a nearby arts festival, for Mother’s Day Weekend, and make a special day out of admiring the beautiful artwork and handicrafts of local artisans. Around Georgia, go to the Dunwoody Art Festival, Barefoot in the Park (Duluth), Chastain Park Arts Festival (Atlanta), Colors Festival of Arts (Roswell), St Simons Island Arts & Crafts Show.
Visit one of the free art museums on this list of 125 Free Museums around the South.
Gardening Mom
Play in the garden, together. This pinterest board has lots of garden activities kids and moms can enjoy, together.
Instead of cut flowers, pick up a potted plant.. It could be flowers, tomatoes or herbs, that she can transplant to her garden. Then, of course, help her do it!
Weed the garden, read & picnic together in mom’s own garden! There’s really nothing I like more than spending time with my sons. Plan to spend the day in mom’s garden by helping her weed, reading a special card and having a picnic!
Nature Mom
Visit a State or National Park near you. Some Georgia State Parks have special Mother’s Day events. FDR State Park hosts a Mother’s Day Picnic, Hard Labor Creek is guiding a Mother’s Day Paddle, and Chattahoochee Nature Center offers free admission to moms on Mother’s Day.
Take your mom on a free hike. Don’t forget to bring a pair of binoculars to watch birds and wildlife and some mom-friendly snacks or a picnic. If you’re in the Atlanta area, you’d do good to check out this list of 52 Hikes less than 2 miles long. You might find a hidden gem she’s never before hiked.
If the weather turns ugly, have a backup plan to watch a few nature documentaries with your mom. You can search Netflix or check out this Free Documentaries website!
Go on a day trip tour of a special natural wonder near you. Living so close to the North Georgia mountains, I’d pick waterfalls. You could visit Amicalola Falls, Vogel Falls, Dukes Creek Falls or check out this list of falls near Dahlonega. Stop by the visitor center in Helen for driving directions to more spectacular waterfalls.
Go camping. If your mom likes camping, visit the Georgia Outdoor Map to locate a campground near you. Hint: Many of the WMA Campgrounds, on the list, are primitive but free.
Active Play Mom
Break out the board games. Every family has a couple board games or a deck of cards lying around. If you don’t, a deck of cards or a game of checkers can be found at the dollar store.
Spend some time outdoors drawing on the sidewalks with chalk & playing hopscotch. Play some childhood games sure to bring back moms memories.. hide n seek, jump rope, and even Mother May I.
Break out the equipment for playing your mom’s favorite sports…. do you have one of those family kits for badminton, croquet, or horseshoes? Or take your ball & bat, tennis rackets or basketball to the nearest court/field!
Visit JAKES Day (May 9) at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Georgia to get your family outdoors & try your hand at a variety of different outdoor recreational opportunities for FREE!
Adventure Mom
Pull out the bikes and go for a ride. Mountain biking rekindled my love for riding bikes with the family. Check it out. If you’re in Georgia, you can hit the State Parks to join the Muddy Spokes Club, try mountain biking at Blankets Creek, ride the Silver Comet Trail or visit Atlanta Beltline (look in the upper left corner of the site for a link to the map).
Take mom to the Rock Climbing Gym for a fun and challenging experience to remember. In Metro Atlanta, you can choose from Escalade Rock Climbing Gym or Atlanta Rocks.
Rent a kayak or canoe and have a paddling picnic. In Georgia, you can paddle lakes, rivers, salt marshes and swamps.