Father’s Day Gifts a Mother Can Be Proud Of

Father’s Day is almost here and instead of buying dad another tie that he doesn’t need, much less want, why not try thinking outside the box. My kids and I took a walk around the house to see what items we had that weren’t being used to figure out something to make for Father’s Day this year. We always get lucky when we look in our craft box—which consists of many recycleables, as well as pieces of fabric and foam left behind from other projects.

Make It

The best gifts are often the ones that come straight from the hands of little ones. Personally, I’m a big fan of gifts that remind you of your child’s size when the gift was made. Handprints accompanied by poems are always a big hit with both fathers and grandfathers. There are several poems available online that you can choose from. My favorite poem to accompany a child’s footprint is available on DLTK’s website. Their website also offers a number of handprint poems to choose from.

If you want to make something even more personalized to your child and his dad, why not think of something they love to do together. My husband and son love going to ice hockey games together—it means so much to my son that he wants to start playing ice hockey (at four years old). After doing a simple Google search for “Ice Hockey Crafts” I was able to combine a craft I found on About.com and incorporate it into a picture frame that will certainly mean a lot to my husband for years to come. There are all kinds of crafts available for all different sports and any other activities your kids may like to do with their dad.

Frame It

Framing newspaper articles has always been a great go-to gift for me when thinking about my own dad. Since I can remember, my dad has been involved in politics, which always meant newspaper coverage. I have saved articles about my dad, and had them professionally framed. I recommend asking friends and neighbors if they know anyone who does framing—it’s a great way to find someone local who can do a great job. The bonus to this, is you are helping stimulate your local economy and often times, these small local vendors are buying many of their items locally (it’s not just food that you want to try to by close to home!) Of course, when you’re looking for something to frame, it doesn’t have to be an article about your dad—think outside the box. Maybe there’s an article about your children, or maybe even an advertisement or article your dad would like. Plus, framing goes beyond pictures and articles. Sports jerseys are also great for framing for Father’s Day—you could frame a favorite player’s jersey, or maybe one of dads old jerseys that’s just been sitting in a drawer collecting dust!

“Experience” It

Sometimes it’s better to give the gift of doing something, rather than having something. It certainly cuts down on waste products. Plus, it’s a great way for dads to bond with their children. Some ideas include buying dad’s tickets to a sporting event—anything from an amateur or minor league game to tickets to a major sporting event. Think about things the dad in your life likes to do—maybe it’s fishing, biking, or whatever. You could rent a boat and go out on a lake for the day (it doesn’t have to be Father’s Day, it could be another day that you actually use the rented boat). If dad is an outdoorsman and loves a bike ride or a good hike, why not find a place he’s never been and surprise him with a family bike ride or hike for the day. If there’s something out of the ordinary that the dad in your life likes, you could always do an online search for it and add the word “experience” on to it. There is an experience for just about anything you can imagine, and most dads will appreciate a cool experience much more than a boring old tie.

Remember, when it comes to giving a great gift this Father’s Day, the only obstacle you have is your own imagination. Make sure you involve the kids in coming up with an idea. They will feel so proud of themselves for thinking of a great gift, and their dad will certainly appreciate the sentiment.