Fun and Free Ways to Celebrate Dad

He is the most complicated person to shop for, and the day we celebrate him is just around the corner. Every year, we search the internet for the perfect Father’s Day gift ideas, we want something he doesn’t have. We may fail to realize that dads love homemade gifts and creating memories with their families. Chances are, he doesn’t want you to spend money on him, anyway. The best gifts always come from the heart, so here are 15 fun and free ways to celebrate dad (or the father figure) in your life.

15 Ways To Celebrate Dad’s Day

1. Scavenger Hunt

Lead him on a scavenger hunt from the bedroom to a homemade breakfast of his favorite foods. Don’t forget the coffee, hot chocolate, or orange juice!

2. FREE Printable Father’s Day Card

This could be a keepsake he’ll cherish for years to come!

2 Father’s Day Cards for Dad and Grandpa

3. Coupons For Dad

Make a few coupons for Dad to redeem throughout the year. These could be good for anything from a child-free day fishing to spending the day with the adult (or young) children he loves so much! It could also include practical and helpful things like cleaning the BBQ grill or mowing the backyard lawn.

4. Father’s Day Questionaire

Ask the younger kids questions about Dad or Grandpa, and see how silly or spot-on their answers turn out! Check out this questionnaire from “Crafting Chicks” Father’s Day Questionaire and FREE printable Share the responses with the whole family so they can all cherish those memories.

5. Make His Favorite Meal

A way to Dad’s heart is through his stomach. Make him a delicious meal on his special day with a recipe from Food Storage Moms Recipes A great way to help them remember Father’s Day activities is to prepare dad’s favorite foods.

To make it an extra special fun activity, picnic at a local park. If he likes a barbeque, plan to cook up his favorite meat entree and some tasty desserts and snacks he loves.

6. Have Kids Read To Dad/Grandpa

Have the kids read a book to him, just because. It’s summer, and summer reading programs are up and running for many children, offering incentives for kids to read. How about picking a book to read to him and taking no “commission!” (Maybe even practice it beforehand if it’s a new book.)

Reading together certainly qualifies as a fun way to have shared quality time together.

7. Clean His Room

Have the kids clean their bedrooms. While you’re at it, have them clean his room!

8. Wash His Car

If you have the materials, and he isn’t too particular about how it’s done, you could wash his car.

9. Surprise Dad

While we are doing chores, how about trimming some bushes? Or pulling weeds? (Make sure the kids know which are weeds and which are flowers!!) You could even have the kids pick up after the dog. It’s a stinky job, and Dad would appreciate not having to do it.

10. Play Time-Epic Battle

Leave one Nerf gun and a handful of darts by the front door. Please include a note luring him into an epic battle. When he walks in the door, game on!

11. Water Balloon Party

Paint, color, or tape a target on everyone’s t-shirt and have a family water balloon fight.

12. Electronic Support

Offer free tech support. He may even have a running list of questions and tasks he needs your help with on his phone, TV, or computer. Clear his browsing history for him. Upload his photos to Google Photos so he has room for more pictures on his phone or camera. Save his most-visited websites into easy-to-access bookmarks. Create a list of internet usernames and passwords in case he forgets them.

13. Meaningful Quote

Copy a meaningful quote onto a sheet of paper and make some doodles and artwork to surround it. Please write a short note on the back telling him how much he means to you.

14. Interview Him

Use your phone/tablet/computer to take notes as you talk with him. Take some time and interview him so you can learn and document some things you didn’t know or had forgotten. Ask him about his fondest childhood memory. Who was his best friend? Who was his first date? What’s on his bucket list? Record or write down the answers. You will be grateful you did.

15. Make A Homemade Gift

Raid his scrap wood and materials; if the kids can use his tools, have them make him something unique! (If they can’t use his tools, use tape instead.)

Other Gift Ideas

• Have a marathon movie night and enjoy his favorite movies together. If you can do it outside, throw a blanket out on the lawn and enjoy a beautiful night under the stars.
• If there’s a new movie he’d like to see, show your appreciation for him by taking him to the movie theater. Buy some popcorn and drinks to make it more memorable. Yep, there is some expense, but not extravagant.
• Many communities hold outdoor concerts during the summer months. Find out which one(s) he’d like to attend and get there early for the best “seats”.
• If he has a unique location he’d like to visit listed on his bucket list, consider a short weekend road trip. If it isn’t too far away, you may even be able to grab your bikes and make that road trip an extended bike ride.
• If healthy enough, plan a nature hike to get him outdoors for the day. Take a bunch of pictures to share with other family members.

Final Word

Try one, two, or even three of these fun and free ways to celebrate Dad, and be sure to share how he loved it! What are your plans for Father’s Day this Sunday or the following week? Please keep prepping because we need to. May God bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images: Fathers Day Gift Depositphotos_44444105_S By Elena Schweitzer, Happy Father Day Gift Depositphotos_272563568_S By Nupix