This Father’s Day, we want to celebrate the wonderful ways that dads support and encourage us, including the life lessons we learn from them. So, our gift guide this year is all about activities and excursions that dads and kids can do together; adventures that will create new memories and opportunities to learn new lessons from each other.
Father's Day Gift Guide
Enjoy An Upcycling Project Together
Go through Dad’s shed and get started on an upcycling project together. Give him this lovely book by Max McMurdo for some great ideas to get you started.
Mountain Bike Skills Course
An exhilarating day of mountain biking will make a great dad and kids adventure. There are courses across the UK for all levels, from complete beginners to sessions aimed at improving techniques on more challenging tracks. Here are a few suggestions for bike skills courses to explore.
Build a Go-Kart
If your Dad likes to create then this Go Kart kit might just be his dream Father’s Day gift. It’s perfect for beginner ’’go karters’’ and will make a fantastic team-building activity for the whole family.
A Photographic Project
Snap happy! Gift Dad a snazzy new camera and set out on a photographic excursion to improve your picture-taking skills together. From entry-level DSLR cameras to pocket digital models, there’sa piece of kit available for every budget. Take a look at this article from Digital Camera World for some helpful buying hints. This beginner’s guide will also help with some useful tips and tricks or check out Michael Freeman’s online photography course to really set you off on the right track.
A Cultural Membership
Your Saturday morning activity with the children is sorted when you take out a family membership that let’s you visit a plethora of gardens, historic houses and protected green spaces. Gift dad an annual National Trust membership, valid for entry to beautiful sites across the country. Or, if you’re nearer to London, the Kew Membership gives you unlimited access to the botanic gardens as well as seasonal events. The Royal Horticultural Society, Birmingham Botanic Gardens and Royal Botantic Garden Edinburgh also offer annual memberships.
Build a Bird House Together
Dad can encourage the family’s interest in birdwatching with this DIY bird house by the National Trust. In a simple and stylish design, this kit includes everything needed to put the house together. Add these lovely bird topic books–one for him and the other for the little ones. They’ll all become ornithologists in no time! And finally, maximise your bird-spotting opportunities with this metal and birchwood bird call instrument that, with a simple twist, produces sounds to attract a variety of species–genius!
An Online Cookery Course
Ideal for dad chefs! The legendary Leith’s Cookery School has an array of courses for all levels that he could do alone, or with the kids as his kitchen assistants! There are also fabulous online courses from the Jamie Oliver Cookery School and The Devilled Egg.
Learn to Blacksmith
A truly unique father-and-son gift! There are various venues aroundthe country that offer wonderful day-long experiences and theopportunity for fathers and their kids to learn the skill of blacksmithing. Dad and his little guy can hammer out a range of tools that they’ll take home and cherish forever.
Volunteering
Embark on a programme of volunteering with the kids that will help others, give back to the world and build family bonds. Consider arranging a volunteering activity to do with Dad–there are a few opportunities to explore, including with the RNLI or check out this BBC guide to charities that have volunteering opportunities for the whole family.