It is all too easy with our busy lives for working parents to slip in to a tendency of seeing children as ‘work’ rather than people to relax and have fun with. With Father’s Day fast approaching perhaps it is time to encourage dads to have fun with the kids. Hopefully you will find some useful ideas below:
- build a den - blankets, pillows, chairs etc.
- read a story by torchlight
- go for a hike (without mum)
- play a game of cards (see here for card games)
- bake a cake!
- simple woodwork - possibly a balsa wood project, or simple hammer and nails
- set up a town / garage / railway using all the cars, trains, lego, wooden bricks and other bits and pieces you can find
- play marbles
- make a treasure hunt
- set up an obstacle course
- put up a tent in the garden - either a real one or a play one using a clothes line and a large blanket
- play catch, football, baseball - basically any sports
- plan and then put on a puppet show (for Mum?)
- build boats from recycled containers and find somewhere to sail them
- make up a story - children especially enjoy ones which feature themselves as characters, albeit doing extraordinary things!
- play a simple game – Simon Says (or perhaps Dad Says) for example (see here for more ideas).
But don't expect too much. If Dad has had a bad week don't expect him to spend all weekend with the kids. Encourage him to spend a couple of quality hours with them and then maybe send him off for a bit of well earned R&R!
Some women have a difficult time trying to figure out what gift to give their husband for Father’s Day each year. Start thinking about Father’s Day gift ideas for your husband now and you’ll be better prepared when the day arrives.
Does your husband have any hobbies? Perhaps he is a keen gardener or enjoys to work with wood, then a new tool might be ideal. If you are not sure which tool he needs then why not buy a gift card to his local home improvement store or gardening centre then he can choose the item he needs most?
Is your husband a sports fan? Maybe he is a golfer or fisherman? Take him to the closest sporting goods store. He may be searching for the perfect club or tackle. Allow him to pick out what he needs to fill his tackle box. By doing so, you may make his Father’s Day.
Does your husband enjoy reading? Check to see if he’s purchased a particular series of books or books about a certain topic. If there is a series he’s been reading, do some investigating and see if there’s a new book in the series that he doesn’t own. Take this opportunity to get that book so he doesn’t have to go looking for it.
Another possibility, if you have a games console, would be to purchase him the latest game. To make the gift even better, take some time to play the game with him, even if it’s not something you’re interested in. He’ll appreciate you choosing to spend time sharing something he enjoys.
Finally, you could take the initiative to get a babysitter for the children so you and he can go out on the town. Take him to his favourite restaurant and perhaps that new movie he’s wanted to see.
Don't forget that there are lots of ideas for Father's Day crafts, printables and activities for children over on Activity Village:
Father's Day on Activity Village
We love handprint crafts at Activity Village. They are fun to do and give you something to treasure when your child is grown up! And of course they are great for teachers to send home with the kids too, perhaps for Mother's Day or Father's Day. We've just added some printable versions of some of the best handprint poems to the site, to make the process even quicker! Simply print out one of the poems, add a handprint or two to the bottom of the page, then mount on a piece of construction paper or card. Your child may like to add some extra embellishments -perhaps a fingerprint border or some stickers around the edges?
We love handprint crafts because you get to enjoy the activity with your kids and create a keepsake at the same time. For this reason handprint crafts make a great gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, or to give to other favorite family and friends!
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