How to Make Father's Day Special For The Whole Family

By: Shannon Sweeney

If you’re thinking about ways to celebrate the men in your life — whether it’s your dad, husband, brother, or friend — for Father’s Day, you can always buy a gift or give a card, but it’s the experiences we share that really make Father’s day unforgettable. Maybe your grand excursion options are limited, but that doesn’t mean Father’s Day has to be any less special. In fact it can be just as fun to find ways to celebrate at home. If you’re looking for something to “do”, without really going “out”, there are plenty of activities the whole family can enjoy that don’t revolve around brunch or mini-golf.

Here are eight ideas for how to make Father’s Day as special as possible for the whole family, even if you don’t leave your house.

Make a favorite meal with the whole family. 

You don’t have to take the person you’re celebrating out to eat, you can bring it home! Have the entire family work together to plan a meal that’s special for dads, uncles and all of the great guys joining you. Assign each person a different portion of the meal to make, and turn your home into the best Father’s Day restaurant ever. If you’re looking to be even more creative, or if you have younger kids around who can’t cook, have them name the restaurant, create menus or decorations for the occasion. They can even play roles like host, waiter and DJ.

Have your family write a personal note or record a video.

If the person you’re celebrating can’t be with family on Father’s Day, have each family member write and send a personal note, or record a personal video to send via email. They’ll feel special when their mailboxes or inboxes are flooded with messages of love, especially if you’re apart on Father’s Day.

If you can be with family on Father’s Day, it’s still a great idea to write a handwritten note, make a card, or choose a photo and write about why it’s one of your favorite memories. Set these up for when dad wakes up and walks into the kitchen or his favorite spot in the house as a surprise — it’s guaranteed to put a smile on his face.

Have a family game night.

Break out the board games and get playing! Involve the entire family in a game night with board games, online trivia, and more. If your home is lacking board games, check out games that are available on your phone, tablet, or smart TV. If you’re really ambitious, create your own games like a Dad-themed Family Feud or Jeopardy, with categories like “dad jokes”. The possibilities are endless, and you’re destined to find something that the entire family will enjoy as you’re celebrating Father’s Day. If your loved ones are in different places there are still ways you can come together for a little fun family competition.

Host a virtual family game night. 

If your family can’t be together for Father’s Day, consider hosting a virtual game night. Thanks to many video conferencing platforms, playing games online together has never been easier — and it’ll help your family feel like they’re celebrating together. If you’re looking for game inspiration, consider trivia games (featuring questions about dad and his favorite sports teams or hobbies), Pictionary, Scattergories, Zoom Charades or Cards Against Humanity (for adult families of course) are all great long-distance options. 

If you’re looking for other virtual ideas, you can also install an extension on your web browser that allows your family to watch movies together on Netflix, called Netflix Party on Chrome.

Complete a DIY home project.

Before you say “Spend our day doing a home project?!” hear me out. Getting the family involved in a fun family project like building bird houses, a fire pit, or something the entire family can enjoy afterward is a great way to spend the day together. Additionally, this can be a creative approach to helping dad out and turning one of his “chores” into a bonding activity. If you’re looking for other ideas think about projects he’s not looking forward to, like maybe: 

• Cleaning out the garage

• Re-painting a fence

• Pulling weeds/planting flowers in your garden 

• Helping dad cut the grass (if kids are old enough to operate a mower) 

• Washing the car

No, none of these are particularly "fun” but when everyone is working together, and with a little upbeat music, anything can be a good time. It will also help dad feel appreciated when everyone gains a little perspective on the “un-fun” things he does all the time.

Take the family on a nature walk or hike. 

One of the best ways to get the family out together is by heading to a park or trail. If you live in an area that’s easily accessible to pathways or parks, take the family out for the day! Plan a Father’s Day adventure that’s filled with trails, exploring creeks, and end the day with a picnic if your park allows. For an added twist, make it a scavenger hunt that you can all work on together.

Turn your backyard into a family friendly tailgate. 

If dad is into tailgate games like Cornhole, Wiffle ball, bocce ball or horseshoes, plan a family friendly tailgate in the backyard. Set up a tournament for the family, grill, and spend the entire day pretending you’re tailgating for your dad’s favorite sporting event. 

Take it to the next level and have the family come up with a name for the event like The Wiffle Bowl or The Cornhole Cup. You can create team names, logos, and prizes that can be passed down year over year (like a trophy, a medal, or other meaningful family object). Who knows, this event might turn into an annual family tradition that you played a role in starting

Spend the day relaxing and doing nothing. 

Sometimes, dads really do just want “peace and quiet”, so it’s totally fine to spend a low-key day hanging out at home. In these past few months filled with challenging times and uncertainty, spending quality time with family simply watching a movie, ordering take-out and just relaxing might be exactly what your dad needs.  

Whether your family has young kids or if you’re looking to celebrate Father’s Day with adult children across the country, these activities can make this year’s Father’s Day meaningful and memorable.

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