Mother’s Day Gift: Shoe Flower Planter

By: Maureen, Nursery School Teacher

Create a memorable Mother’s Day keepsake using a child’s outgrown shoe — sweet, personal, and treasured by parents year after year!

🎯 Objectives

• • Help children create something special for their moms
  • Encourage the joy of giving and making meaningful gifts
  • Build fine motor skills through painting and planting

🧰 Materials

• • 1 child’s outgrown shoe (preferably a tie shoe or sneaker)

  • Gold or silver spray paint – or liquid gold paint

  • Paintbrush (if not using spray paint)

  • One 3 oz. Dixie cup per child

  • 1 small flower per child (real or artificial)

  • Potting soil or dirt

🌸 Instructions

1. Paint the Shoe

   • The teacher can spray paint the shoes ahead of time or

   • Let the children paint the shoes using a brush and liquid gold/silver paint

2. Plant the Flower

   • Fill the Dixie cup with dirt

   • Plant one flower in each cup

3. Assemble the Gift

• • Place the flower-filled cup inside the decorated shoe

  • Write the child’s name and the date on the shoe, or let the child write it (if able)

💬 Teacher’s Note

“I’ve been doing this project for 7–8 years now, and parents absolutely love it. Every year, families who’ve had older children in the program ask if we’re doing it again because it’s so meaningful.”

👩‍🏫 About the Contributor

Maureen is the Director and Head Teacher of a half-day nursery school program. She is a CDA trainer, Council Representative, and advisor.