Father’s Day is one of two days in the year that actively celebrates parents and their influence over our lives. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day go hand in hand in showing kids that their parents deserve a “thank you” and a day off every now and then.
The older the kids get, the more extravagant these days tend to become, but what can a family with young children do on a day like this, aside from picking up a present from Yellow Octopus? To answer that question, we’ve put together a list of 6 tips for planning the perfect Father’s Day with your kids, to help you plan this fun and exciting day.
Something They Like
A lot of kids like to make their dad breakfast in bed on Father’s Day, and if your kids are insistent on it, you may as well let them spoil you. You might end up being woken up at 7:30am with two pieces of burnt toast and a glass of orange juice, but they love feeling like they’ve helped out by getting breakfast ready, and it contributes to the spirit of the day. For kids that are too young to be trusted in a kitchen unsupervised, maybe try eating your breakfast somewhere different to shake things up a bit.
Something You Like
This is your day after all, and you should celebrate!
Find something that you like to do that is age-appropriate for the kids, and do that thing for a while. Maybe riding bikes, maybe just going for a walk, or it could even be something simple like working with your hands on a project in the garage. You have some “me” time and if the kids want to help out there are always ways to get them involved.
Something Active!
It’s time to get moving, because the day is ticking away and there’s still heaps you can do.
If you haven’t already taken up some form of activity today, now is the moment you’ve been waiting for. Take the kids out to a park, bring a frisbee or a ball, and have some outside fun. Letting the kids run around and burn off some energy is a good way to enjoy yourself and ensure a quiet night later on.
Something relaxed
After the intense energy and fun of a session of activity, kicking back and calming down can be the best thing in the world, and that’s exactly what you should do. Relax, head back home or find a shady spot in the park, read a book and just chill out for a while. The kids can explore the park a little, within reason, and you can build up a bit more energy for the evening.
Something to Eat
It’s the end of the day, and it’s time for dinner.
Any other day this could mean more work for you, as it’s time for you to get up and cook some dinner, but because today is a special occasion you could consider going out for dinner. If you’re more economically minded, however, leftovers will do fine in a pinch, and it means less work for everyone.
Something Just for the Parents
Finally, the kids are in bed asleep. It’s time to just relax, maybe put on a movie and have a glass of wine, or a cold beer. Really allow yourself to soak in the silence and breathe easy, you’ve had a good day off with the family, and you’re about to have a whole night to just enjoy being a Dad on Father’s Day.