62 Special Mother’s Day Activities That Are Fun for the Whole Family
There are plenty of cheap and even free things to do.
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Mother's Day gifts come in all forms. Of course, material presents are nice. But stuff is just stuff after all — and it can even add to mom's stresses around clutter and budget. What's even better — and sometimes also completely free — is celebrating a beloved mom with an activity she can participate in together with family or in a scarce moment of quality alone time. For inspiration, check out our roundup of thoughtful, clever, sentimental, and just plain fun Mother’s Day activities for an experience your favorite mom, aunt, grandmother, wife, sister, or any other maternal figure will cherish.
Stage a talent show.
Gather family members to perform songs, dances, poems, or skits dedicated to mom. Go as elaborate or homespun as you like: You can create a mini stage, use fun props, and even give her a “Best Mom” award as part of the honors.
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Send mom on a treasure hunt.
Hide small gifts, sweet notes, or homemade coupons around the house, leading mom to a special surprise at the end. Write fun clues or riddles to guide her. It's creative, interactive — and the surprise aspect gets the adrenaline pumping too.
Bead bracelets.
Beading bracelets together is a fun, creative — and totally on-trend — Mother's Day activity. Choose colorful beads, charms, and strings to design unique bracelets, or keep it easy and buy a ready-made kit. Make matching ones as a special keepsake. It’s a great way to spend quality time and create something special (and sentimental) that the whole family can wear and cherish forever.
Go for a walk or hike.
Going for a walk with Mom on Mother’s Day is a simple — and totally free — way to spend quality time together. Enjoy a peaceful stroll through a park, nature trail, or even your own neighborhood while catching up on conversation. If you're feeling adventurous, kick up the plans (and the heart rate) by heading out for a hike instead.
Draw mom a fancy bubble bath.
Create a fancy spa experience for mom right in the comfort of home by drawing her a luxurious bubble bath — with all the accouterments. Fill the tub with plenty of bubbles, add calming essential oils or bath salts in her favorite fragrance, and light candles for a resort-like feel. (Bonus: Toss in some rose petals!) Play soft music, set out a cozy towel, and let her enjoy a peaceful, stress-free soak just for her.
Make pottery.
Working together to make art won't just allow you to leave with a one-of-a-kind piece. You'll be able to bond as you explore a new hobby. Because it's so relaxing, you may find Mom opening up like never before.
Let her create a signature scent.
If your mom has a hefty fragrance collection, sign her up for a make-your-own-perfume class. She'll get to make a one-of-a-kind scent, and every time she wears it, she'll be reminded of the time she spent with you.
Visit an amusement park.
For the mom who's always seeking adventure, a trip to your nearest amusement park will be a welcome surprise. Not only will you be able to treat her to her fill of funnel cakes and caramel corn, but you'll get to see her face light up when you all sit next to each other on her favorite ride. If you ask us, it's a win, win.
Have a backyard BBQ.
Sure, backyard barbecues are often associated with Father's Day, but Mom loves her burgers and dogs, too, so why should Dad get all the fun? If the weather cooperates, fire up the grill!
Invite her to high tea.
Whether you make the brews and treats yourself or head out to an official tea house, Mom will love sipping her beverage out of fancy china and snacking on tea sandwiches.
Make something totally unique.
If you do a DIY craft project (like this recipe box from Club Crafted), write a poem or come up with a silly dance, you know your mom will love it because it is 100% you. No one can one-up a one-of-a-kind experience! You can make them for her and present them to her, or involve her in their creation.
Have a make-your-own pizza party.
DIY pizza: It's a craft (depending on how artfully you place the toppings), an activity and a meal all at once! Start with basic pizza dough, then everyone gets to add their favorite toppings. Mom gets first pick, of course.
Have a Mother's Day book club.
Sometime before the big day, Mom gets to pick a book and everyone reads it. On Mother's Day, everyone gathers together to discuss. If the kids are still little, this could be modified to be a read-aloud of Mom's favorite picture books.
Watch home movies.
Whether this involves digitizing old VHS tapes or getting video files off your phone and onto the TV, dig into the family archives and host a home-movie marathon. She'll get emotional seeing how much everyone has grown.
Host a lawn-game tournament.
Croquet, cornhole, bocce, outdoor Jenga or horseshoes — what's your family's game of choice? Split into teams and drum up some friendly rivalry — while soaking in rays — with a backyard challenge. Make it an annual event, and pass around a trophy to the winner each year.
Break a sweat together.
If Mom's a fitness buff, whether she likes Pilates, Zumba, basketball or any other heart-rate-increasing activity, join her in a workout! She'll feel the endorphin rush for the rest of the day (though only some of that will be from the exercise).
Make a memory book.
On Mother's Day, have her go through everybody's camera rolls and Instagram feeds and choose her favorite photos. Not only will she have a great time re-living the year, she'll give you the inspiration you need to make a memory book, like this one from Artifact Uprising. You can make it a yearly tradition.
Craft the perfect playlist.
Songs about mothers and Mom's favorite songs can come together into the perfect playlist to put on during brunch or dinner. You can either make it for her, or take turns being DJ and alternate picks.
Play a family board game.
If Mom likes to strategize, challenge her to a friendly board game competition. (And, no, you don't have to let her win just because it's Mother's Day.)
Head to the beach.
Depending on where you are, it might not be perfect swimming weather yet. But the sun, the waves and a good book are the perfect ingredients for a relaxing Mother's Day, and she might want to stroll down the beach and look for shells.
Cameron (she/her) is a staff writer for Good Housekeeping, where she covers everything from holidays to food. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she received a B.A. in magazine journalism. In her spare-time she can be found scrolling TikTok for the latest cleaning hacks and restaurant openings, binge-watching seasons of Project Runway or online shopping.
Alesandra is a digital travel and lifestyle journalist based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Prevention, Insider, Glamour, Shondaland, AFAR, Parents, TODAY, and countless other online and print outlets. Alesandra has a masters degree in journalism with an emphasis on cultural reporting and criticism from NYU, and a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. An avid traveler, she trots the globe with her husband and their twins.
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