7 easy Mother’s Day paper flowers kids can make using egg cartons & recycled scraps

Mother’s Day is the ultimate Sunday for surprises, and nothing beats the charm of a handmade gift. Have your children create their own gifts for mom, aunts and grandmas at home; they will be entertained, put a lot of heart into it, and, we all know that moms will be touched by the efforts put into these. And while real blooms fade, these 7 craft paper flowers are lasting keepsakes that kids of all ages can create.

Whether you have a toddler working on their scissor skills or a "pro" little artist, these ideas use simple household staples like egg cartons, cardstock, and toilet paper rolls. Let’s turn those recycled materials into a colorful bouquet that Mom will cherish more than anything from a store.

© AdobeStock

1. A Personal Touch Flower Card

Of all the ideas we bring today, this is the simplest and best for the youngest in the house. It involves making a card with a "hand-tally" bouquet. Your hand acts as the stems, and then you add the flowers. 

What you need: White cardstock, colored cardstock, green paint, scissors, and glue.

Step by step:

1. Fold the white cardstock in half to create the card.
2. Place your hand on the front, trace the silhouette, and paint it green to act as the stems.
3. Cut out circles (preferably yellow or white) for the flower centers, and then cut out flower shapes from the other cardstock colors.
4. Glue the flowers to the tips of the fingers and place the center circles on top.

© AdobeStock

2. A Paper Card Bouquet

Another card you can make, though a bit more elaborate, is this one. The base is patterned cardstock, or you can also use a pretty craft paper, like the ones sold for origami. The flowers, just like in the previous case, will also be made with cardstock, but this time, we will cut out the stems from green paper. Additionally, we will add a bow 

What you need: Colored/patterned cardstock, green paper or cardstock, glue, and scissors.

Step by step:

1. Use one cardstock sheet as the base, and cut out flower silhouettes and centers in contrasting colors.
2. For the stems, cut straight strips of green paper at different heights. Cut out leaves if you have extra paper.
3. Glue everything down to create a bouquet.
4. For the bow: cut two long triangles and two rectangles. Glue the triangles first, then fold the rectangles at the ends and glue them so the center "pops up" to look like a 3D bow.

© AdobeStock

3. A Small Garden Fence

An original way to give Mom a card, also with flowers, is to do it this way: a garden fence that she can display at home. As you can see, it is made with easy-to-find materials, and yes, once again, cardstock. 

What you need: Popsicle sticks, colored cardstock, markers, scissors, and craft glue (liquid glue is recommended over glue sticks here).

Step by step:

1. Place two sticks horizontally.
2. Apply glue and place sticks vertically across the two horizontal ones until the fence is covered. Let it dry for two hours.
3. Cut out flowers, pots, stems, and leaves from different textured papers for volume.
4. Glue the pots to the fence, followed by the stems, leaves, and petals. Add details with markers.

© AdobeStock

4. 3D Flowers

With very few materials, we can achieve beautiful 3D flowers. Now, you will need a bit of skill. Especially for rolling the flower petals, which are perhaps the most difficult part of this idea we are proposing.

What you need: Colored cardstock, scissors, glue, and tissue paper.

Step by step:

1. Cut out small circles (the size of a coin) to serve as the base.
2. Cut several identical rectangles.
3. Roll each rectangle into a cone shape and fold the tip. Glue them very closely together around the circular base until the flower is full.
4. Make small balls out of tissue paper and glue them in the center to create the pistil.

© AdobeStock

5. Recycled and Sustainable Flowers

Since we care deeply about the environment and love the idea of giving real flowers, we are going to show you how to make some using recycled materials that you surely have at home. 

What you need: Egg carton, popsicle sticks, tempera paint, glue, and a brush.

Step by step:

1. Cut the egg carton into sections of four.
2. Trim the edges to give them a petal-like shape.
3. Paint each section with different colors and let them dry.
4. Paint the popsicle sticks green and let them dry.
5. Glue the sticks to the back of the carton sections.
6. Paint a circle in the center of the carton to finish the flower.

© AdobeStock

6. Cardstock Tulips

These are the most complex and involve basic origami/paper folding. They require a bit of skill, but if you like origami, you can give it a try, and after a few tries, you will be a complete expert 

What you need: Colored cardstock, glue, scissors, and long wooden skewers for stems.

Step by step:

1. For each tulip, cut out a 6x6-inch square.
2. Fold each of them along both diagonals, making sure to create clear creases.
3. Next, flip your cardstock over and fold it horizontally and vertically. Press the paper in the center, aiming to create a triangular base as you do so, and crease the folds well. You now have your base triangle.
4. Next, bring each of the two halves of the triangle upward (toward the top point), making the bottom corner meet the top corner. Crease the folds well.
5. Flip it over and do the same on the other side. You should now have a square shape.
6. Place your flower back on the table and, on each side, fold the right part over the left. Again, fold each of the sides toward the center of your small square, tucking one of them inside the other.
7. Blow hard through the center so that all the folds open up. You now have your tulip! You will only need to glue the stick to serve as the stem.

© AdobeStock

7. Toilet Paper Roll Flowers

Our last proposal it is also made with recycled materials. Repurposing cardboard rolls for a 3D effect. You can leave the flowers or place them in a jar; we will show you how. 

What you need: Toilet paper rolls, paper, paint, wooden skewers, a jar or glass, sand, scissors, and glue.

Step by step:

1. Paint the rolls different colors and let them dry.
2. Cut the rolls into rings and pinch the ends to create an oval petal shape.
3. Crumple a piece of paper into a small ball and glue the cardboard petals around it.
4. Glue the wooden skewer to the flower and "plant" it in a jar filled with sand.