The most memorable things we’ve received from our toddlers on Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day with little ones is a special time. Sure, they can’t drive themselves to the shops and purchase a much needed spa voucher (that’s where you come in, Dad) but their gifts really do come from the heart. Over the years my children have given me some pretty memorable gifts on Mother’s Day.

My favourite gift of all time was probably one that my daughter never knew she was giving me. I’m talking about the amazing, the soul-reviving gift of a sleep in! Fellow parents will know exactly what I mean here, but to wake up and see the clock somewhere in the sevens or (gasp!) eights is unheard of.

Last year it was as if my daughter actually read the memo when I said all I really wanted was a good sleep. After weeks of waking at four or five AM, she allowed me to sleep in until 7.30am on that blessed Sunday. I couldn’t believe it! It truly was the best thing she could have given me and I’m seriously hoping she follows up in the same manner this year! (Although if she doesn’t, I’ve already told hubby that he will be the one dishing out breakfasts and fresh nappies because I’m getting that sleep in either way!)

I did a little crowdsourcing among friends and fellow Mamamia mothers for their most memorable Mother’s Day gifts from toddlers - and some of these are just so adorable they’re guaranteed to make you swoon.

“Anything with their little hand print is always a surefire way to pull at mum’s heartstrings” says one mother. “It’s the kind of thing that you can look back on in time and see how small they really were. Time passes so quickly so something as simple as a plaster of Paris mold of their hands is always super special in my books”.

I had to agree with this one because on the first Mother’s Day with each of my children, my husband has arranged to get their tiny fingerprint put on a silver teardrop with their name engraved on the back. All three of those fingerprints sit on a necklace that I hardly ever take off and every now and then I catch myself examining the whirls and swirls of their tiny fingers and being shocked at how fast they have grown.

This fellow mum is a fan of the good old shell/pasta necklace.

“I know people make fun of the pasta necklaces and things that your kids make at daycare but I love them. At that age it takes a lot for them to sit still and try and thread those things on so for my child to want to make me one, ah, I love it. Actually any of the Mother’s Day crafts they do with the kids is special. I try and put it away to show them when they’re older”.

It’s important to remember that it’s not all about the presents, as this momma explains.

“The week before Mother’s Day last year, my son’s daycare organised a Mother’s Day morning tea where all the mums came in. Seeing my son’s face as he proudly carried me a soggy pancake was awesome.

The kids then put on a song and dance about their mums. Many tissues were used. I know it’s not a physical gift but it stayed with me.”

This story got me right in the feels (I’m not crying, you’re crying!)

“My husband had been talking to our kids about Mother’s Day, which was coming up. When the day rolled around my youngest handed me her much-loved, very grubby rabbit which had been with her since she was born. It meant so much because I had to look at the meaning behind it. At her age, she didn’t have much to give me but what she wanted to give was the most important thing in the world to her. Of course I graciously accepted (gave it a bath) and put it straight back in her cot that night!”

And finally, one to make you laugh out loud:

“My daughter drew a picture of me for Mother’s Day, which I loved because she can’t sit still for more than a minute at a time. But I did have to laugh when she kept changing her description of the picture from me, to our dog, and back to me.”

It’s clear that our children show their love in a variety of ways and for us mums, whatever they give or do for us means the world. To all the mums out there celebrating Mother’s Day with your little people, we wish you a wonderful day. Relax and enjoy- you’re doing an incredible job and they love you for it (fingers crossed we all get a sleep in!).

How are you making this Mother's Day special? 

This content was created with thanks to our brand partner Little One's, only at Woolworths.