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Written by Jennifer Brandt Heilbron
Every year, as the second Sunday in May approaches, I wonder how (i.e. hope) my family will spoil me rotten. While I appreciate the cards, flowers and “we can do whatever you want,” (which usually results in nothing I’d actually want to do), I would love to ditch the sameness and predictability just once.
I love a brunch, but it turns out that eating at 10:30 am is a terrible time for small children and results in hours upon hours left in the day with nothing to do but count down until you get to crawl back into bed. Am I thinking out loud?
This year, I’m creating a list of fun, unique and NOT omelette-bar-and-mimosa-driven Mother’s Day activities for the family. Well, okay, mimosas are still totally welcome!
Moonlight with Mama
For the mom that hung the moon, take her stargazing or to watch the sunset somewhere special. Have your kids “name a star” after her and create a Dream Jar for her. Simply take an old Mason jar, fill it with “sweet dreams,” that she can pull out each night and wish upon a star for…safari with the family, sailing through crystal waters, a beautiful rainforest—anything that would make her happy and fulfill her dreams!
Ma-mahjong!
Why not teach yourselves or finally let HER teach you how to play mahj! Order in lunch from your favorite Chinese restaurant, make a big pot of her favorite tea and invite a couple of other moms and daughter duos to play with you. Don’t have a Mahjong set or any interest in it? Make it a day of cards!
Cooking class
Your mom may be the family’s go-to cook for certain holidays, but why not take a fun class together where you learn how to make that pasta you had in Italy and have always wanted to recreate? Or a cake-making class, or even a sushi-making class since you never got to take that trip to Japan together!
Game night
Gather the whole gang and have them over for grilled cheese and games! From charades to Jenga to "the floor is lava," there are so many fun games you can play as a family and make Mom the MVP by having her rotate with different partners so she feels special. Consider handing out fun and custom trophies to everyone for “playing” at the end of the night. Pro tip: Play a “What Would Mom Say” game with some of her favorite “isms” to have everyone laughing.
Movie marathon with Mom
Remember the days of cuddling on the couch with Mom and watching her favorite old black-and-white movies? Recreate that day for her with her favorite movie (maybe she’s crossed into current culture and would indulge you in The Notebook or Love Actually). Buy her a new amazing blanket or comfy robe and make it a sweats and slippers-only event. Serve all things movie food: pretzels, individual pizzas, candy and, of course, popcorn! Maybe even make a popcorn bar or station with different flavors—caramel, cheese and spicy!
Family hike
Whether you live in a city with incredible hills and trails, or next to a lake or ocean with fantastic paths, gathering the family together for a nature hike is an amazing way to get your bodies moving together. Perhaps let Mom take you to the place she used to take you when you were a kid, or drive somewhere she’s always wanted to see. You can get her a fanny pack as a present and load it with snacks and sunscreen as a special treat!
Family art session
Two years ago, my family and I went to a local art studio and had a private session where we were given a giant (and I mean GIANT!) canvas and 4 different colors of our choosing, along with various tools, brushes and other items to create our own family masterpiece. It is now hanging in our living room and one of my most prized possessions. If you don’t have a local studio that offers this, head to your local craft store and pick up all the supplies. Lay a tarp down in your backyard and have a collaborative art session with your mama! It will go down in the books!
Photoshoot with the family
Does your mom constantly ask for photos of you and/or the kids? How about arranging for a session with a professional photographer to grab photos of your mom and the whole family! From portraits to candid shots, this will be a memory-making kind of Mother’s Day that’s both special and practical.
Go cherry picking
May is a great season for fruit picking, and cherries are in season! Arrange a day to drive out to your local farm where the harvest is bountiful and spend the afternoon picking fruit as a family. Perhaps head home together later to make a special pie, or give your mom a darling apron with a picture of the kids and a beautiful new pie dish.
Park playdate
For several years, our family decided to set up a giant tent and table, bring chairs and have a picnic for Mother’s Day. We were all able to sit together, watch the children play and also play with them—tag, football, water balloons, etc. We loved the no-pressure vibe of this Mother’s Day get-together and most importantly, the near-to-nothing cost of a party at the park!
Take her shopping
If shopping 'til you drop with the girls is your idea of heaven, then this one's for you. Have your mom pick 2 stores she has been wanting to check out—they can be anything from home furnishings to her favorite mega store—and give her the gift of a real-life add-to-cart day. Follow the shopping with lunch, and you guessed it, mimosas!
Okay, now that you have an abundance of amazing Mother’s Day ideas to treat your own mama to, don’t forget to check out Evite’s full assortment of Mother’s Day invitations to get your mom-day plans underway!
Jennifer is a writer, mom of 3 and shopaholic. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, 3 sons and endless amounts of Amazon deliveries.
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What makes Evite SignUp Sheets different from SignUpGenius?
Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than SignUpGenius:
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What is a signup sheet?
Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.
Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer!
Long story short, signup sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.
How do I create a signup sheet?
Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:
- Go to Evite SignUp Sheets and choose the template that best fits your needs. Evite offers multiple signup sheet templates perfect for every occasion, including:some text
- Signup sheets for standalone events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a class party, potluck or end-of-season party.
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- Next, create slots for your signup sheet. If you aren’t logged into your account, you will need to do so at this point, but luckily, you can use your existing Evite account (no need to create yet another login!). What you’ll include here will depend on what your event needs, but you can include a list of what’s needed (along with optional descriptions), how many volunteers are needed, and dates and times.
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What information should be included on a signup sheet?
When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:
- A title for your signup sheet. Tip: Aim to keep your signup sheet title concise but clear. You want volunteers to read it and have a general understanding of what your event is about, and also make it easy for them to look for later if they need to reference your sheet again. You have the option to include a more descriptive note in a different field about your event, so save the more in-depth details for that!
- When and where the event is taking place.
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When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!
Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!
What are the benefits of using a signup sheet template?
Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:
- A 100% free experience (no subscriptions required!).
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- No need to create another login—you can use your existing Evite account.
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With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.
