Father’s Day is fast approaching, and so the quest to think of a way to spend June 16 begins in earnest. But how do you come up with an activity that unites the family, pleases your dad, and ensures everyone has a fun time, all at once? Dads differ in their interests and temperament, too, so finding a catch-all solution to your Father’s Day outing might seem out of reach.
Fortunately, we have the perfect solution to this problem. Whether your dad is a Davy Crockett-style outdoorsman or a Sheldon Cooper-esque introvert, we have a suggestion that will suit both him and the rest of your family. These ideas will make it easy for everyone to participate, and even the most notoriously hard-to-impress dad is bound to be quietly awed by your Father’s Day itinerary.
Learn more about how you can make your father, uncle, stepfather, grandad, or bonus dad’s day special below. Perhaps you’re on the cusp of discovering a new family tradition!
The Outdoorsy Dad
If your husband or father is an amateur woodsman, or if he simply likes to spend time surrounded by nature, then these ideas should make for a lively, adventurous Father’s Day.
Go Camping
This idea should be easy to pitch if your dad or husband is a modern-day Daniel Boone. You can visit a campsite, make an excursion into the wilderness, or even set up camp in your backyard. Then the microwave popcorn and store-bought s’mores will only be a couple of feet away!
Ride Bikes
For the active dad, camping might be a little sedentary (and a little rote, too, if you’ve ended up putting your tent in the garden). How about going for an extended bike ride instead, then, and seeing more of the country on your travels? You can aim for a particular destination, or simply see where the road takes you.
Try Geocaching
Geocaching may sound a little technical and highfalutin at first, but basically, it’s a scavenger hunt – smartphone users hide crates of loot in an area, and you then use GPS to locate their secret stash. You can even hide your own – perhaps each family member could contribute something to the capsule – and if that still sounds too complicated, there’s always the option of a good old-fashioned treasure hunt with a hand-drawn map.
Have a Picnic
Okay, calmly unfurling a picnic blanket doesn’t really make you a daring frontiersman, but you’re still connecting with nature, and with your family. Pack a basket containing all of your dad or husband’s favorite snacks and food, and enjoy a pleasant Sunday meal in the most scenic surroundings you can manage.
Take a Hike
If camping seems like it would require a lot of equipment and organization, then why not try an easy hike with the whole family? Think of it as a nature walk, and choose a modest incline rather than a steep, challenging hill – Father’s Day should be relaxing rather than strenuous. Make sure to pack a lunch, sunscreen, and bug spray, and if you’re still unsure about the best activity to choose, check out our article, “Backpacking vs. Camping: Which Is Right for You?” for more inspiration.
The Laid-Back Dad
Perhaps your dad’s role model isn’t Daniel Boone, and is actually the grinning face of Alfred E. Neuman: “What, Me Worry?” Dads love their armchairs, beer, and books as much as their backpacks and road trips, so if you want to make sure that Father’s Day is a leisurely experience for your laid-back dad, consider some of the following ideas.
Plan a Game Night
Board games and card games aren’t overly challenging, but they are a lot of fun: that makes them an excellent activity for easy-going dads. Father’s Day game nights can lead to tense situations, as you huddle around a table, eagerly awaiting each player’s next draw or move. This is one of the simplest ideas to execute, but it can be extremely rewarding all the same (especially if you’re playing for cash)!
Host a BBQ
This is one activity where even the most happy-go-lucky father will be hungry to participate, and you can gather your neighbors, friends, and siblings around to share in the spoils. We suggest getting a customizable apron and naming your dad the Father’s Day Grillmaster.
Build a Man Cave
Does your dad have a man cave or den to call his own? A private room where he can escape with a drink and a TV show? Well, if not, then your Father’s Day activity could be to help him carve out such a space – and decorate it with posters, games, and cool furniture. He’ll be genuinely thrilled with the gesture, and with the work his whole family put into it. You don’t even need to tell him that you got the idea from our article on “Game Room Ideas – How to Create Your Own Game Room at Home.”
Play Mini Golf
Dads tend to love golf, whether it’s playing the game, discussing their form, or watching it on TV. You might not be the expert he is, but on Father’s Day, you can learn something about his favorite hobby with an amateur round of mini golf. The sedate pace of mini golf – along with the inventive obstacle courses and multi-layered greens – makes it an easy way to become acquainted with the game (and for your dad to dispense some of his knowledge).
Tackle Some Fishing
What could be more relaxed than a fishing trip? Head to a nearby stream, lake, or river, and you can catch up with your dad while you attempt to land a lunker. With only the gentle sounds of bubbling water and aquatic wildlife to listen to, there’ll be plenty of opportunities for you to bond.
The Nerdy Dad
This type of dad loves reliving his childhood with the kids, whether he’s building a medieval fort in the living room or reminiscing about his favorite comic book heroes. His interests are likely to be varied, so we’ve prepared an equally diverse range of geeky Father’s Day activities for you to consider. We’ve even got the gifts to match, in our “Cool Gifts for Every Kind of Geek” article.
Visit a Museum
The nerdy dad is probably a history buff or art aficionado, so how about indulging his expertise this Father’s Day with a trip to a museum or art gallery? For best results, try picking somewhere that the whole family would like to go, and sign up for a guided tour, if one is available, to get the most out of the experience.
Hold a Trivia Quiz
Now that your father has brushed up on his military history and knowledge of twentieth-century American art, perhaps it’s time to put his skills to the test. Split the family into teams, and either recruit someone else to write up the questions or use an app or board game to generate each round. He’ll appreciate the challenge and the chance to show off – well, hopefully.
Compete at Retro Games
Most dads will remember the days of Space Invaders (1978) in the arcades or Street Fighter II on the SNES (1992). You can download a lot of retro games to run on current-gen consoles, but if you want to play them as nature – or Nintendo – intended, then you could hook up an old-school console to a CRT. You can even get the whole family involved by holding a seeded tournament with everyone’s favorite fighter!
Construct Models
If your father invested more time in analog entertainment than digital media as a child, then it’s probable that he has a collection of model airplanes or LEGO bricks in the attic somewhere, accumulating dust as the years go by. This Father’s Day, then, you should think about unearthing those childhood toys, or finding a new project to build as a family. Toys like LEGO have been around so long that they transcend generations, and thus they’re a wonderful way to bring multiple family members together.
Enter an Escape Room
This next challenge might sound a little daring to the dad that’s previously been reading books and gluing together Hornby models, but it’s worth a try, at least once. Once you’re locked inside an escape room, you must solve puzzles and collect clues in a bid to unlock the door before the time limit runs out. Escape rooms are basically team-building activities, so they’re a fun way for everyone to connect over a shared goal.
The Sporty Dad
Finally, we have the father figures that are prone to greeting a room with the phrase, “Hello, sports fans!” Whether he prefers watching it at home or being in the thick of it on the field, you can um, compete for his affections with these Father’s Day activities.
Hit the Bowling Alley
Bowling is the perfect family activity as it’s physical and competitive without being overly demanding. Indeed, the rules are simple, it’s easy to keep track of your score, and you can even pit the parents against the kids, or the girls against the boys. Bowling alleys also typically offer other games to play, such as billiards, air hockey, or arcade machines, so there’s something for everyone to master before the night is through.
Get Involved in Pickleball
Pickleball is the sports sensation that’s sweeping the nation. Moreover, pickleball is a low-intensity game, so people of all ages can join in – this is a Father’s Day activity for Grandpa as well, in other words, and doesn’t even require any expensive equipment. However, if your husband does happen to find himself a lifelong hobby this June 16th, might we draw your attention to our “17 Best Gifts for Pickleball Players“?
Paddle Your Own Canoe
Kayaking and canoeing can be sporty, adventurous activities, but they can be relaxing ways to explore scenic lakes and hidden beaches, too. You don’t have to watch the entire family tumble perilously down waterfalls, essentially, and can instead hire a guide or instructor to help you learn the basics and show you all the best spots!
See a Game
The most obvious thing to do with a sports-mad dad on Father’s Day is to, well, watch some sports. However, instead of streaming it at home this year, why not attend an actual game? You might need to reserve tickets early, depending on whether it’s a small or large sporting event and how many seats you need, but it’s a fun way to spend a summer’s day (especially if you splash out on some merchandise, snacks, and some of our “Great Gifts for Sports-Loving Dads”).
Set Up Lawn Games
Playing lawn games isn’t quite as grand or epic a sport as watching Major League Baseball, but if you want an outdoor activity that Dad and the rest of your family can take part in, you can design a themed cornhole set for Father’s Day. You could even combine cornhole with other games, like Topple Tower and Fast Four, ensuring that everyone will sneak in some practice before that upcoming tailgate party.
Shop Officially Licensed Father’s Day Products!
Phew! We’re beat – and we bet your dad will be, too, when your action-packed Father’s Day comes to an end. Before you start penciling in each activity, however, take a look at these other Father’s Day articles to tick a couple of other items off your to-do list: “What to Write in a Father’s Day Card” and “60 Amazing Gift Ideas for Dad on Father’s Day.” Finally, we’d love to hear what plans you have in store for your dad this year – let us know in the comments below!
Eoin is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork. He’s recently bought a house with his fiancée, and thus most of his time these days is spent trying to keep the walls from caving in and the wolves from the door. Still, he’s always open to book, game, and movie recommendations, so if you have some, let him know: he’ll add them to a very, very long list.
