16 Best Mother’s Day Ideas For The Office in 2023

Here is our list of the best Mother’s Day ideas for work.

Mother’s Day is a holiday celebrating motherhood observed every second Sunday of May. Mother’s Day office ideas are ways you can celebrate the holiday at work with employees, working parents in particular. For example, collecting mom jokes, playing Mother’s Day Bingo, and giving a paid day off. The purpose of these ideas is to praise and recognize the positive contributions of working mothers.

These activities are in-person versions of virtual Mother’s Day ideas and examples of office celebrations. These work parties are similar to office Father’s Day ideas.

This list includes:

• Mother’s Day office event ideas
• Mother’s Day activities for work
• Mother’s Day games for work
• Mother’s Day gifts for work

Here we go!

List of Mother’s Day office ideas

Mother’s Day celebrates the special role mothers play in the family. From playing Mother’s Day bingo to bringing your children to work, here are ways you can celebrate Mother’s Day at work.

1. Sponsor Activities for Mom and Kids

Activities involving kids are some of the most fun Mother’s Day activities for work. You can choose a kids-friendly activity like:

1. Taking a tour of a zoo
2. Taking a trip to a pool
3. Visiting an amusement park
4. Having a tea party
5. Sponsoring a spa day with kids package

To pick an activity, you should have an idea of the age bracket of the children. You may want to book a different activity that is more appropriate for older children. Encourage the moms to come along with their kids and fur babies.

Feel free to schedule the excursion during the workday, or give moms passes for these experiences in their off-time.

For inspiration, check out fun company offsite ideas.

2. Book a Spa Day

One of the best Mother’s Day gifts for work is to make reservations at a spa for hard-working moms.

You can check with a local spa to see if they offer a corporate wellness experience. Then make a reservation for the group of employee moms. It is a great idea to book the spa treatment a few weeks before Mother’s day.

Also, take note of any delicate situation when making reservations. For instance, if you have an employee expecting a baby, then you want to avoid spa experiences that can raise the body temperature to over 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Consider making special reservations for a pregnant woman package instead.

3. Send a Cute Handwritten Note

Writing heartwarming notes to celebrate moms in your office is a great Mother’s day idea. It does not matter if the note is perfect or not. Let the office moms know what you think of them and what you admire about them.

Mothers often go through stressful parenting periods coupled with the stress from work. Even a small compliment can be enough to make that mom in your workplace feel loved and encouraged.

Another cute idea is to also make a card for the employee’s children. You can let the kids know how lucky they are to have a person like their mom.

For ideas, here is a list of employee appreciation messages.

4. Give a Customized Mother’s Day Gift

Giving gifts to office moms is a special way of showing that you care about them. Some Mother’s Day gift ideas include:

1. Personalized pocket watch with a picture
2. Coffee mug with ‘World Best Mom’
3. Photo keychain
4. Bouquet with a sentimental note
5. Personalized Mother’s Day apparel
6. Fancy notebook and pen
7. Custom mouse pad
8. Printed reusable water bottle

While giving a gift on Mother’s Day may be a common idea, customizing the present will make the gesture memorable and signal extra effort. Personalized presents show that you value the mother as an individual.

Here is a list of swag gift ideas.

5. Have a Family Picnic

You can organize a picnic for the mothers in the office to celebrate with their families. Family picnics are a great way to appreciate family diversity in the workplace.

To host a family picnic, find an outdoor area. You can use an open space at the office, rent a picnic shelter, or use a local park. Then provide the picnic materials by crowdsourcing setup or by laying out the whole spread. For instance, moms provide blankets and throw pillows while you take care of the menu. Also, plan for fun activities like a scavenger hunt, three-legged race, charade, and art contest.

For similar events, check out corporate family fun days.

6. Host Bring Your Children to Work Day

One of the most fun Mother’s Day office ideas is to ask moms to bring their children to work. Inviting children to the office can quickly set a festive mood.

To not bore the younger children, make plans for activities the kids can engage in while at the office. For instance, you can set up a mini playground on a safe site at the office. Another interesting idea is to give the kids a tour around the office while compensating them with some snacks at the end. You can also assign attendees simple duties to help the kids learn more about the working world.

7. Start Your Meeting with Mom-Themed Icebreakers

Mom-themed icebreaker questions are one of the most fun Mother’s Day activities for work. These questions help to ease tension and allow team members to settle while celebrating moms.

For example:

1. At what age did you start embarrassing your kids?
2. What is that one thing you are afraid of but pretend to be confident about in front of the kids?
3. What is your best mommy experience?
4. What is your worst mommy experience?
5. Do you sometimes fantasize about sleeping?
6. What was your kid’s first word?
7. What food do you find gross but make your kids eat?
8. Have you ever used your kids as an excuse not to do anything?
9. What do you do to calm yourself when you experience a mommy meltdown?
10. How many kids did you intend to have, and how many kids do you have now?

Also, you can prepare the icebreakers questions to ask at the start of your family picnic, corporate spa, or any other events you have planned for Mother’s Day. You can watch the mommies and other employees laugh at funny experiences, identify relatable experiences, and get more comfortable with each other.

Check out more icebreaker questions.

8. Organize a Mother’s Day Cook-Off

A cook-off contest between moms is one of the competitive Mother’s Day office event ideas. A cook-off is a cooking competition where contestants prepare dishes for a set of other workers to judge. An added advantage of this activity is having a buffet of tasty meals and snacks to share after the contest.

To organize a Mother’s Day cook-off, pick a convenient date. Next, find a proper venue. A great idea is to use your workplace for convenience, or you can rent a community kitchen. Then call for the participation of interested moms at the office.

Also, ensure you provide all the materials to make the event a success. You can ask the participants to write out the dishes they would love to cook, including the ingredients. Then provide all the ingredients and cutleries on the cook-off day. Next, decide how to pick the winner. You can judge by the first to finish within a given time if the participants prepare the same dishes and follow the same recipe. You can decide the winner by making other employees vote for the tastiest dish or make the cook-off an ‘everyone wins’ event.

9. Play Mother’s Day Bingo

Bingo is great for almost any celebration and a fun add-up to your Mother’s Day games for work. To play this game, prepare Mother’s Day Bingo cards. You can use a free online bingo generation to create your card.

Some Mother’s Day bingo prompt ideas are:

1. Used the television as a babysitter
2. Once hid in the toilet
3. Has a daughter
4. Had breakfast in bed today
5. Had yoga pants on all-day
6. Did not get disturbed when napping
7. Had cereal for breakfast
8. Has only one child
9. Received a Happy Mother’s Day card
10. Had a Grandchild
11. Dozed-off in the toilet
12. Has a son
13. Did not read bedtime story last night
14. Ate pizza for dinner
15. Yelled in the past 24 hours
16. Has drawing on a wall
17. Ate the last candy
18. Received a painting of mom from kids
19. Has more than two kids
20. Told the kids a story about monsters
21. Has twins
22. Has photos of her kids in the office
23. Paid for something the kids broke
24. Cannot function without coffee
25. Looks out for everyone
26. Self-conscious of singing lullabies
27. Had first child later in life
28. Fostered or adopted children
29. Has traveled internationally with kids
30. Coached or led kid’s extracurriculars

Players should chat with the women in the office to find coworkers who fit the card’s description. Participants who get five boxes in a row, the requested pattern, or complete all spaces, can turn in cards for a prize.

Playing Mother’s Day-themed Bingo is excellent as the game brings employees together and boosts team morale. You can reward the winner with a present of your choice.

10. Play Never Have I Ever Mother’s Edition

Bring the popular Never Have I Ever game to the office to celebrate mothers’ hilarious moments and mom life. The game is quite easy to play. Ask the participants to raise both hands. Then a designated caller will say, ‘Never have I ever…’ done an action. For instance:

1. Never have I ever lost my kid’s toy on purpose
2. Never have I ever eaten my child’s treat
3. Never have I ever cried while dropping my kids off at college
4. Never have I ever lied to my kids about the time
5. Never have I ever slept on the floor of my kid’s room
6. Never have I ever used my shirt as a tissue
7. Never have I ever dozed off in the toilet
8. Never have I ever memorized songs from my kid’s favorite cartoon show
9. Never have I ever randomly sung a kid’s song
10. Never have I ever found lost toys under the sofa

If a participant has done or experienced the action, then that participant must bring down a finger.

Here are more work-safe Never Have I Ever statements.

11. Host a Mother’s Day Award Party

One of the most fun Mother’s Day events for work is to plan an award party for moms in the workplace. This event can be a fancy dinner party or a simple outdoor BBQ. Be sure to prepare various activities and games to make the party fun. Also, pick a suitable venue. You can use your office or rent a venue close to your workplace.

After sorting out the venue, come up with funny titles and ask the employees to vote participants for the title that best suits each mom. You can use fun award titles like:

1. The office mom who gives the best advice to coworkers
2. Mom with the most organized desk
3. Inspiring mother of the year
4. Mom, who hardly runs out of candy in her purse
5. Grandma of the year

To add more fun to the award party, invite the honorees’ families to the party to cheer them up as they receive their deserving titles.

Here is a guide to doing employee award shows online.

12. Have a Mother’s Day Reflection Session

Having a Mother’s Day reflection session is a great way to give emotional support to mothers in the office. However, while the support groups will still operate after Mother’s Day, a Mother’s Day reflection session will only last for a set time. For an effective reflection session:

1. You need a space that is quiet and free from distracting activities around. A conference room is a great place to use.
2. Start the session with a series of icebreakers to make the participants feel free among themselves.
3. Also, you can invite expert counselors to address the group members. Finding emotional support can help your mom-employees destress and improve their mood, which can also impact their productivity.

The major focus of the discussion would center around being a mom. However, you do not have to invite only moms to the session. You can also invite other employees who may not want to be mothers, giving them a chance to reflect and appreciate their decisions altogether. Give some light snacks or tea to attendees during the short gathering.

For more permanent support sessions, consider starting an employee resource group.

13. Give a Paid Day-Off

One of the best Mother’s Day office ideas is giving the office moms a full day or half-day off. You can give the working day before Mother’s Day off or any other day that the office finds appropriate.

Rather than merely announcing the day off, you can make the announcement more intriguing. You can place props relating to the hobbies of the moms on their respective desks. For instance, if a mom in your office loves to visit the beach, then you can place a pair of sunglasses, a beach pail, and a shovel on the desk.

A book on the desk is an excellent prop for moms who love to read. Also, add a cute ‘Happy Mother’s Day and an ‘enjoy the day off’ card. Your employees will not only get a paid day off, but they will also get Mother’s Day gifts in the form of props.

14. Give Gifts to Employee’s Kids and Fur Babies

A heartwarming way to celebrate Mother’s Day is to direct your gifts to employees’ children. By giving coworkers gifts for their kids and fur babies on Mother’s Day, you will show your coworker just how much you care about them. The gift you choose will depend on the age of the child. So you should be aware of the age range of the kids you want to surprise with gifts. Ideas include company-themed coloring books, stuffed animal mascots, and board games. For pets, you can offer swag like collars, water bowls, and treats.

For more inspiration, here are swag bag ideas.

15. Collect Mom Jokes

Moms usually experience different moments raising their children, including hilarious times. You can ask the moms in your office to write out a list of funny things their kids once did or said.

If any of the mothers are pretty good at telling funny stories, then they can also include mom-related jokes in the list. After compiling the list, you can put the jokes to use at your next gathering. The funny lines will serve as a great ice breaker at the start of your meeting. You can also read out the jokes during other Mother’s Day events like a dinner or a casual outing.

You can also choose to have the mothers come up to say the jokes instead of reading them out. That way, you and your coworkers will glimpse the funny expressions that make the joke even funnier.

For an extra fun twist, you can host a mom-open-mic where the office mothers compete to be the best standup comedian.

16. Gift A Portrait

A portrait is also one of the unique Mother’s Day gift ideas for work moms. Before gifting the picture, you can have the moms share lovely photos of them and their children on a social media group page. You can ask the participants to include a cute message with the pictures.

Then surprise the moms with portraits of the pictures in the form of custom magnets, mousepads, wall hangings, commissioned drawings, or fun photo-edited backgrounds. You could also gift a digital frame or magnet frame to display the photo.

Conclusion

Mother’s Day allows us to appreciate mothers and express love and respect for them. The day commemorates the positive contributions mothers make to their families and society. Celebrating Mother’s Day at work is a great way to show your employees how much you care about them.

For more occasions to celebrate in May, check out Jewish Heritage Month and Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

We also have a list of ideas and activities for take your child to work day.