How do you show Dad how much you really care? Discover some of his favorite gifts, celebrations, outings and more.
How do you show Dad how much you really care? Discover some of his favorite gifts, celebrations, outings and more.
HOLD AN ICE-CREAM TASTING
If celebrating Father’s Day were a competition, the Parsons family would win the prize for sweetest tradition. Every year, the Landrum, S.C., clan holds a tasting contest in honor of dad Terry, who has a special fondness for ice cream.
Mom Susan buys eight varieties and wraps the pints in paper towels to hide the flavors. After lunch, Mom, Dad and kids – Cheston, 20, Riley, 17, Samuel, 12, and Ellis, 4 – gather in the kitchen. Susan serves small scoops from each pint and hands out homemade ballots, and then the rest of the family gets to work.
“Everyone has to guess the flavor or at least some of the ingredients of each,” Susan says. “It’s a lot of fun. And the winner gets to keep the Daddy’s Big Scoop trophy until the following year.”
TAKE DAD ON A SURPRISE ADVENTURE
Eight-year-old Truth Muller of Rock Hill, N.Y., likes to take his dad on a mystery road trip for Father’s Day.
“We pick a spot, give my husband a few clues, like ‘pack a bathing suit’ or ‘wear your hiking boots,’ then head off,” says mom Maura.
Two of their most successful trips so far have been to the Houdini Museum in Scranton, Pa., and to the Land of Make Believe amusement and water park in Hope, N.J.
“The Houdini Museum was actually an accident,” Maura says. “We hopped in the car for our 2005 Father’s Day trip to the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour in Scranton, but as we neared the exit on the highway, we passed a billboard for the Houdini Museum. My husband got so excited he nearly jumped out of his seat while driving. ‘I’ve always wanted to go to the Houdini Museum!’ he shouted. What could we do? My son and I just looked at each other and shrugged. We went to the Houdini Museum and had a spectacular day.”
BUILD A FATHER’S DAY LIBRARY
The Moraw kids of Holland, Mich., love having their dad, Mike, read to them. So every year for Father’s Day, Matthew, 7, and Sarah, 4, give him a book inscribed with the date and a short message.
“My husband reads the book to them right away – and many, many, many, many more times,” jokes mom Elizabeth. Some of their favorites so far: “My Dad,” by Anthony Browne; “A Perfect Father’s Day,” by Eve Bunting; and “You Are My I Love You,” by Maryann Cusimano.
MAKE A TAKE-ANYWHERE TOKEN
Alex Thornton of Trophy Club, Texas, knows that big sentiments can come in small packages. Each year, the 7-year-old gives his dad an original work of art for his wallet.
“My husband works a lot and travels a bit too, so we wanted him to have something that would remind him that we love him,” says mom Heather. “Alex draws a picture for Father’s Day, then I scan it into the computer, shrink it to business-card size, print it on card stock and laminate it. Presto! My husband has a token of our love that he can carry in his wallet with his credit cards and business cards.”
GIVE DAD A YEAR OF PIZZA
Many families told us they give Dad homemade coupon books (good for yard work, car washes, hugs and kisses, and more) for Father’s Day. One of the more unusual coupon themes comes from the Reynolds family of Kenmore, Wash.
“My husband loves pizza,” says mom Wendy. “So last year, our kids gave him a pizza-of-the-month club.”
To make the coupons, they printed logos off the Internet for 12 restaurants they had never tried. Then they put them in a homemade booklet.
“The rule is, when Dad pulls off his coupon, we have to drop everything and go out for pizza,” says Wendy. As a bonus, the coupons also are helping the recently relocated family get to know their new hometown.
“It’s been fun to try different places,” says Wendy. “And we’ve even found a new favorite!”
PLAN A DAY AROUND DAD
For these families, celebrating Dad’s interests is the key to a happy Father’s Day.
– The Keklak kids of Toms River, N.J., treat their dad to a day filled with his favorite activities.
“Two years ago, my children and I were racking our brains about what to give Daddy as a present,” says mom Beth. “They thought of the things he enjoys – running and baseball – and planned out a whole day.” The morning usually starts with breakfast in bed, followed by a run for Dad, and then a family outing to a minor-league baseball game.
“My husband really enjoys spending a fun day as a family,” Beth says, “and the baseball game is the bonus!”
– Instead of celebrating Father’s Day, the Thomas girls – Stella, 9, and Madeline, 6 – of East New Market, Md., celebrate “Happy Father Goes Fishing Day” with an annual father-daughters fishing trip.
“The girls love being with their dad,” says mom Melissa, “and he gets to spend quality time with them doing something he loves.”
– For the Barretts of Etters, Pa., Father’s Day marks the beginning of an annual three-day camping trip with friends.
“We go with six other families and a total of 20 kids,” says mom Faith. “The dads always tease that they have to work more on Father’s Day. But it’s a great time, and they get to have fun with their kids and their friends.”
TAKE A MEMORABLE PHOTO
Annual portraits of kids taken just before Father’s Day make great gifts – and are sentimental reminders of how quickly children grow.
– Sandi Arthur of Torrance snaps pictures of her two kids in their dad’s clothing. “We have one dress as Weekend Dad and the other as Working Dad,” Sandi says. “My husband loves the photos. They go straight to work with him, and he gets a lot of compliments – and comments about the apples not falling far from the tree.”
– Kymberly Kempiak of Gilbert, Ariz., takes an annual photo of each of her children wearing the shirt their dad had on in the hospital the day they were born.
“The kids just swim in these shirts, and they get really silly taking the photos,” Kymberly says. “But it doesn’t matter. It’s the delight of my husband to see his ‘loves’ grow before his eyes.”
BRING DAD BREAKFAST IN BED
Father’s Day gets off to a sweet start for the Cannons of Bethesda, Md.. Every year, Katie, 7, and Sarah, 5, get up early to bake their dad his favorite breakfast treat, cinnamon buns. While they bake, they put together a tray with coffee, fruit salad and homemade cards.
“The girls absolutely love doing this,” says mom Johleen. “They’ve even started baking the buns for Mother’s Day and their own special holiday, Sister’s Day.”
For great Father’s Day treat ideas, such as the French Breakfast Muffins, go to FamilyFun.com/magazine.
