5 ways to celebrate Mother’s Day at home

Mother’s Day looks a little different when you’re a grown child celebrating your mom, grandmother, godmother, aunt, big sister, and other maternal figures in your life. There may be less card-making and arts and crafts projects, but the sentiment is largely the same.

While your love goes beyond just one day, of course, Mother’s Day is a great day to especially thank them for all their support.

With many Americans ringing in the day at home again this year, shopping or spa dates will be at a minimum. But, there are plenty of fun and meaningful at-home activities you can do instead and still spend quality time together.

Here are five of our favorites.

1. Cook her favorite meal

This Mother’s Day, whip up your mom’s favorite dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. No matter if you’re going solo and cooking the meal for her or bonding as you cook together, this will be a much-appreciated gift either way.

Not sure where to start? We’ve tested and reviewed tons of meal kit delivery services and have picked out our seven favorite recipes from our favorite meal kits for you to try out or recreate. From Southern comfort fried chicken to a rich and cheesy tomato tortellini bake, there’s sure to be a recipe that’ll inspire you.

Cooking or baking is a great way to involve the kids. Stock up on some kid-friendly kitchen gadgets, ahead of time. We like these Mini Pop Molds that’ll make for some pretty delicious popsicles.

2. Host an outdoor picnic with good snacks

As the weather warms up, spend some time outdoors with an afternoon picnic—or, a fancy tea party.

Grab a picnic blanket—or other outdoor-friendly throw—bring out your snacks with your prettiest dinnerware and utensils, and get set up on your patio, front deck, or in the backyard—whatever you have at home. The good news is if you forget anything in the process, you can always hop back indoors to grab it.

Don’t forget to add some ambiance to your picnic date—bring out your portable speaker to play some of mom’s favorite tunes, some flowers in a basket to spruce up the set-up, or even set up some outdoor string lights when sunset rolls around.

While time may easily pass with some good old chit-chatting, you can add some extra entertainment with a deck of playing cards or a board game. Bonus points if it’s a nostalgic game you used to play together!

3. Have a paint and sip afternoon

If staying at home is in the cards, try recreating this fun painting and wine-sipping activity all at home—but make it even more special for Mom.

First, gather all the painting supplies you’ll need beforehand. To make things easier, you can buy two beginner’s painting sets with everything you’ll need, including a variety of brushes, paints, canvases, a palette, and an easel.

Next, pick up your mom’s favorite wine or beverage, then begin to build a decadent charcuterie board filled with the very best cheese and meats to snack on while you paint. If you’re not entirely sure how to pair up your wine and cheese, we’ve got you covered with this helpful guide.

Finally, get ready for your painting tutorial—you can sign up for a virtual painting class or pull up a completely free tutorial on YouTube and go from there. If you have a Hulu subscription, we recommend following along a tutorial from the series Bob Ross—The Joy of Painting —they’re fun to watch and ultra-soothing thanks to Ross’s famous demeanor.

4. Spruce up the garden together

If you’re both novices when it comes to gardening, this can be a great time to start your journey and begin growing plants that can be looked after together. Pick out some annual flowers or some easy-to-grow vegetables and follow our tips for gardening as a beginner.

If you’re no stranger to gardening, you may want to spend the day together pulling weeds, tending to current plants by watering or pruning, or planting new flowers, fruits, or vegetables.

Want to try building something new for the garden together? Try installing some raised garden beds, as they’re sure to take the garden to the next level. They’ll cut down on weeds, make room for more plants in the area, and look beautifully organized.

5. Treat her to an at-home spa day

When going into the spa isn’t in the cards, bring the spa home to Mom! Allow her to truly sit back and relax with some of her favorite calming activities and products.

Get the bubble bath started for Mom and add some ultra-soothing Epsom salts—we recommend the Dr. Teal’s Soaking Solution, filled with natural essential oils that’ll ease any soreness or aches.

Light a few candles around the bath, pour her a glass of her favorite wine or a brew a cup of her favorite tea, and bring her a good book she’s been meaning to read.

If a bubble bath isn’t possible, a foot spa is just as relaxing. These miniature baths seen in nail salons and spas alike do a great job in massaging the feet for a comfortable experience. Our favorite foot spa, the Ivation Foot Spa Massager, features adjustable heating, massage rollers, and water jets for a completely calming experience.

You can also treat Mom to a spa essentials gift set, fit with everything she’ll need for more pampered spa days in the future. This adorable Island Time Spa Gift Set features face masks, cleansing wipes, a gorgeous pink candle, a sweet snack, and more.