10 Animal-Inspired Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is May 8th, 2022. Here are our 10 favorite gift ideas for every type of 'mom' in your life!

1. Name a Pollinator in honor of mom! Support your zoo and choose from a bumblebee, hummingbird or butterfly. Gifts of any amount make a big difference in our work to preserve pollinator habitats, restore threatened butterfly populations and educate millions of visitors about the importance of biodiversity in sustaining all life. zoo.org/nameapollinator

2. Butterflies and tea. Plan the ultimate date with mom, gift her a visit to the zoo to see Molbak's Butterfly Garden (Any time after May 27th, when it opens for the season), then treat her to a mom-worthy tea or latte at a nearby coffee shop, we recommend Fresh Flours on Phinney. 

3. Enjoy a new experience together! Check out Critter Connections, a new immersive and interactive zone where you can introduce mom to her new favorite ambassador animals. Get up close with Skyaana the porcupine, Harry the Skunk, Buddy the owl, Freckles the bearded dragon, and so many more. All experiences are 20-25 minutes in length and feature one reptile, one bird and one mammal for you and other visitors to meet and mingle with. (Begins May 28). zoo.org/critterconnections

4. Call your mom. Visit zoo.org/animals/digital to download a complimentary animal-inspired background before you jump on Zoom or Skype this Sunday. She'll love seeing your face and our animal backgrounds will make her smile.

5. Treat her! If your mom has a sweet tooth, remember to support companies that use sustainable palm oil in their products when picking out treats. Check out our wildlife-friendly candy guide here: zoo.org/palmoil

6. The gift that keeps giving. A Woodland Park Zoo membership helps save wildlife and grants unlimited admission for one year. A membership gift is a wonderful way to say, let's spend time together and share our love for animals. zoo.org/membership

7. Please your momma and Mother Earth! Send an e-gift card and be eco-friendly. They can be used for a zoo membership, daily admission, at the ZooStore and select food locations. Plus, gift cards never expire. zoo.org/giftcard

8. Mama bird. Is your mom a birder? Adopt a nest in her honor. A nest is a symbol of family and love, warmth and safety, so as a tribute to the mom in your life, consider adopting a hornbill nest. Your adoption will help fight wildlife trafficking and protect endangered hornbills. zoo.org/nestadoptions

9. Mother Nature. Gift your mom with a whole year of NW-inspired prompts, adventures and tips for making the most out of their love for nature and the outdoors. Cost, $0. Wander over to zoo.org/nw and choose your own adventure as you find ways to Discover, Recover and Coexist in the Northwest. zoo.org/nw

P.S. Get crafty! Use our guide to create a nature-inspired Mother's Day jar. Use slips of paper to write down prompts for conservation activities, hikes, ways to connect with nature and more... then, pull out one each month for a gift that lasts all year and will keep you and mom connected to wildlife and wild places.

10. A cuddly gift with conservation benefits! Give the gift of a ZooParent adoption plush to help fund the care of all the amazing animals at Woodland Park Zoo and make a difference for wildlife! zoo.org/zooparent