Here’s to the dads on Father’s Day who can do it all. They deserve some love too! Father’s Day is fast approaching—it’s time to get some heartfelt, quality ideas ready for the resident “tough guys” in your lives. Whether they live near or far, these ideas are sure to go a long way.
Barbeque or Dinner of His Choice
When I was a kid, you could almost always find my dad at the grill every weekend. It was his thing to do that made it feel like a Saturday night could last forever. So for this Father’s Day, tell him to prop up his feet in the AC while you grill up his dinner of choice. And it doesn’t even have to include meat if that’s not his style. Don’t forget the sides! Mashed/baked potatoes, pasta salad, grilled veggies, etc.
Water Play
Dads love a good water fight! You can find all kinds of water balloon kits, squirt guns, slip n’ slides, and inflatable pools at all major retailers and Amazon. Lather up on the sunscreen, keep the snacks close by, and hunker down in your corners of the yard for some good old fashioned water wars. Or let the sprinklers go wild and watch his face light up seeing the kids enjoy the day while the lawn is getting watered. It’s a win-win.
Movie Night
Father’s Day movie night is a crowd-pleaser. Giant tub of popcorn, candies, root beer floats. Can’t go wrong with a makeshift drive-in spread in the living room. Bring out the pillows and blankets, too. There are a ton of Dad-themed flicks to surf through on all the streaming platforms, but don’t forget it’s Dad’s day – let him choose one of his favorites on TV or on the shelf (and keep the eye-rolls to a minimum).
Activity
Play a sport or build something together. Find a local Father’s Day event and see what he might like. Make that memory and see where it takes you. I remember one year, my dad entered us into a Father-Daughter Golf Tournament for Father’s Day. Was golf my thing? No. Was it his? Also no. But it was something he wanted to do, so I went along with it and we both laughed all day because we were terrible at it. Many years later, we had figured out going to baseball games was more our bonding pastime of choice than golfing. So get out there and have a blast because you won’t know until you try something together.
Storytime
Get him to share his memories with you. Believe it or not, then men of few words probably have the most valuable things to teach. Ask him about his childhood. Or how his favorite hobby came to be. Make a snack with your dad and let the stories paint you a better picture of the man with the endless supply of dad jokes. He had to get them from somewhere… 😉
Cruise
Go for a Father’s Day cruise down the boulevard. Wash and wax his wheels and go for a ride. If you live in the town he grew up in, ask him to drive you around to all his favorite spots. He’ll tell you how they’ve changed or where he got into trouble, or what it’ll be like when it’s the kids’ turn to frequent those spots. If your kids are of driving age, let them drive Dad around for the afternoon. Enjoy the sunshine, fresh air, and horsepower.
To all the dads out there: Have a very Happy Father’s Day. Eat, laugh, hug those kiddos tight. They are lucky to have you as their dad. Even if the kids don’t say it, your advice, your dad jokes, and your strength will be with them forever.
