Sometimes it’s hard to know what to get Dads for Father’s Day, and even though socks and jocks are practical… they probably don’t scream ‘from the heart’.
Here’s a great handmade gift that will mean the world to him, because it’s the gift of time and shared experiences with the people he treasures most… YOU!
‘Building memories with Dad’ is a simple but heartfelt idea we stumbled across from The Seasoned Mom, where you can take an old jar and fill it with building blocks (Lego or Duplo) that all have an activity written on each block. You will need a fine permanent marker to write the activities on the blocks. We’ve given it a little spin from the original idea, but either way you go – Dad will love it!
What kinds of activities? – Well the kind that are the kid’s favourites to do with their Dad of course, or a list of things / projects they’ve wanted to do together. The options could include: watching a movie, going bowling, having a water gun fight, swimming, playing some backyard cricket, fishing, camping, playing Lego, building a cubby house…etc.
The idea is that once a week, Dad and the kids set aside a time to pull a block out of the jar and do the activity together. You could do this blindfolded, that way you never know what block will be next, so the surprise is a fun element to add in. Depending on what items you already have at home, you may want to gift Dad some other items you have included in the jar for Father’s Day – like a movie pass, some water guns, a cricket set or a couple of hand lines to go fishing.
Life gets busy and the things that are the most important often get forgotten. This, is a special way to make sure that Dad and the kids don’t miss out on that precious quality time together, making it and each other a priority. Imagine the lasting effects of doing this over a couple of months will have on the connections and closeness within your family dynamic.
We hope you have fun filling the jar and filling your lives with happy memories together. I guarantee you will make your Dad’s day this Father’s Day.
Did you know that Senora Louise Smart Dodd was responsible for making Father’s Day a reality?
When Senora was 16 years old, her Mother passed away and her Father, William Jackson Smart, raised her and her five younger brothers alone.
In 1909, Senora was listening to a Mother’s Day sermon at church when she realised the need to celebrate Fathers – especially her own. So, she drew up a petition. What resulted was the first ‘Father’s Day’ celebrated in her hometown – Spokane, Washington. Over the next 62 years she would travel around the United States, speaking on and campaigning for Father’s Day to be celebrated nationally. Finally getting official recognition in 1972.
This holiday is now celebrated in many countries around the world, proving once again; one person can truly make a difference and has left a legacy reminding us to show appreciation and love to our Dads on this special day.
Happy Father’s Day!
