Not sure what to do for Father’s Day 2023? From throwing your dad a pizza party at home, making a Father’s Day craft, or writing a sweet Father’s Day quote in a Father’s Day DIY card, there are plenty of creative things to do for Father’s Day that you can pull off. Just check out our list of the 50 best Father’s Day ideas.
Trust us, these unique Father’s Day ideas will help make celebrating your dad on Father’s Day a blast without having to make plans to take Dad to a random country or some other lavish plan.
50 Father’s Day Ideas
1. Have an indoor picnic
Rearrange the furniture in your living room to create an outdoor picnic, indoors! Include Dad’s favorite lunchtime goodies and snacks. Plus side? You won’t have any bugs to worry about!
2. Fly a kite
You don’t need to go very far to have a great time with Dad! Buy a kite or make your own. Pick a time when the wind is high then go into your backyard or a local park to make everlasting memories that will last for a lifetime!
3. Have fondue for dinner
Fondue? More like FonFUN! Find fondue recipes online or create your own and have a dinner experience Dad will never forget!
4. Create an at-home wine tasting
Does Dad consider himself a wino? Pour glasses of wine with the bottles you have in your home and have dad come up with stories about how the grapes made it into his mouth.
5. Go bird watching
Lay out a blanket in your backyard or local park and grab your binoculars for a peaceful, nature-filled day. Make a list of how many different kinds of birds you see and guess if you can identify them.
Related: 55 Best Father’s Day Quotes
6. Spoil him with breakfast in bed
Breakfast in bed isn’t just for Mother’s Day! Dad’s can enjoy it too! Whip up some of his favorite brunch treats and start Father’s Day off right.
7. Tackle a task together
Is Dad a hands-on guy? Why not spend the day constructing a tree house or painting a birdhouse right from home!
8. Go on a bike ride
Dust off the bikes and ride around the park or your neighborhood to make Dad feel special.
9. Fire up the backyard grill
There’s no greater way to get to a Dad’s heart than the word “barbeque”. Grab extravagant meats like a rack of ribs or wagyu beef burgers and have Dad go to town.
10. Go on a virtual tour
Many famous museums like the Guggenheim in New York City and the British Museum in London are offering virtual tours. Fire up the computer and let Dad get lost in the art.
11. Have an outdoor family movie night
If one of Dad’s favorite past times is binging the Star Wars saga over and over again, how about setting up a family movie night from your own backyard? Hang a white bed sheet and project a movie onto the screen via a projector.
12. Cook something adventurous
If some of Dad’s role models include Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsay, consider thinking outside the box and create a meal with something you wouldn’t usually go for like bison burgers or grilled octopus tentacles. Tackling a complex recipe may seem challenging but the memories and the meal will be worth it!
Related: History of Father’s Day
13. Complete a puzzle
A great way to spend time with Dad on Father’s Day is to complete a puzzle together. Either spend time on a puzzle you have at home or create a custom one with a cute message reminding Dad how much you love him!
14. Pamper Dad with a spa day
Contrary to popular belief, Dads can also enjoy the relaxing benefits of a spa day. Or you can grab some sheet masks from your nearest drug store or pamper Dad with a DIY in-home massage.
15. Have a wine and paint night
Have all the fun of a classic wine and paint night without having to leave your house! Trace fun images onto a canvas for easy painting or let your creativity shine and come up with your own painting.
16. Do an in-person or a free online fitness class
Sign up for a fitness class together at your local gym. Or consider signing up for virtual fitness classes through platforms like Peloton or P90X.
Related: 30 Father’s Day Memes
17. Conduct an indoor scavenger hunt
Watch Dad try to figure out clues around the house, leading up to his present. Get the little ones on it and have them draw pictures or come up with riddles explaining where the next clue is or what his present may be.
18. Watch a concert
Make plants to catch a concert together. Or if Dad’s favorite artists aren’t touring, or if he can’t make it to one of their upcoming shows, fire up YouTube and search for past performances to watch together.
19. Construct something out of Legos
Why not deep dive into a long-term Lego project? Help Dad build models of favorite movie props like the Death Star or the Hogwarts castle.
20. Camp indoors
Bring the beauty of the outdoors, inside! Much like the picnic idea, create a space in your living room to pitch a tent and layout sleeping bags. Pop popcorn or make s’mores in the microwave for an extra touch.
21. Plant a family garden
Have some space in your backyard? See what it takes to plant as many vegetables and other products you can. Or consider a container garden.
Related: What to Write in a Father’s Day Card
22. Make ice cream
Did you know you can make ice cream in a Ziploc bag? With just a couple of ingredients, Dad and the rest of the gang are guaranteed to have a sweet time.
23. Have a pizza party
Everyone loves pizza. Make or buy some premade pizza dough and put different toppings in bowls and have Dad and the kids decorate it!
24. Make a time capsule
Dig a hole in your backyard and have Dad help the kids gather items around the house (like a current newspaper or flyers) and put them in a waterproof bag.
25. Make paper airplanes
Have Dad teach the little ones how to make paper airplanes. Once they get the hang of it, have a competition in your backyard to see whose airplane can fly the furthest!
Related: Unique Last-Minute Father’s Day Gifts for Your One-of-a-Kind Dad
26. Conduct a bingo tournament
Have the kids create bingo cards and conduct a bingo tournament for a relaxed and fun Father’s Day activity.
27. Make a baking soda volcano
This Father’s Day activity is great to get the little ones involved! Use paper mache and paint to create your own volcano. Then, add baking soda into the mouth of the volcano and add red food coloring. Finally, pour vinegar and watch it erupt!
28. Fly Dad to Mars
Give Dad an experience that is out of this world! Head on over to the Nasa website to take a virtual walk on Mars.
29. Take a virtual field trip to National Parks
With gorgeous national parks like Yellowstone and Wupatki National Monument far away from many of us around the U.S., a Father’s Day road trip may be out of the question. Instead, head to Google Earth to experience them in all its glory—virtually, that is!
Related: 18 Virtual Tours of National Parks
30. Virtually visit Alaska
A virtual tour of the Kenai Fjords will show Dad all the frozen wonders of Alaskan glaciers and icy crevasses. He can even kayak through majestic icebergs!
31. Do a blindfolded beer taste test
Go to your nearest grocery store and grab 6 different kinds of beer, varying in style and flavors. Then, blindfold Dad and see if he can guess which one is which!
32. Bring the beach inside
Imagination is key in this Father’s Day idea! Grab some low sand chairs, place them in the living room, and switch on the TV to display Australian or Hawaiian beaches to bring the vacation to you. For a full experience, fill a plastic kiddie pool with warm water so Dad can stick his feet in it to mimic the ocean!
Related: 12 Last-Minute Father’s Day Gifts Dads Will Actually Want
33. Throw some axes in the backyard
Grab a hatchet and stand back at least 6 feet away from a wooden target or tree trunk. Hold the ax’s handle with two hands, wind it up behind your head, and throw it straight to release. Pro tip: Watch YouTube videos to perfect your throwing technique before you start!
34. Take him online shopping
If Dad is way overdue for a closet makeover, why not get some shopping done? Check out websites like ASOS or Topman for the latest trends!
35. Listen to old records
Dust off your record player and get ready to be transported back into time. This is a great bonding tool for Dad and the kids to show them the type of music he was into growing up.
36. Invent new cereals
Go grocery shopping in your pantry and see what ingredients you can use to revamp classic breakfast cereals. Maybe you can add puffy marshmallows in a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch? Have Dad test all your creations and decide who the winner is!
37. Learn which sodas can explode
We all know if you drop peppermint Mentos into Coke, a chemical reaction will happen to cause the soda to erupt. But what about different kinds of soda like Sprite or Root Beer? Tell Dad to grab his goggles and head out into the backyard to find out.
38. Play old video games
Grab the old video games like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, or the Mario Brothers and have Dad teach the kids how to tackle challenging levels. It is sure to be a Father’s Day to remember!
39. Go playground shopping
Take a walk around the neighborhood to see which parks have the best swing sets and slides, and decide which ones you want to return to throughout the summer. Not only is this fun for kids, but it also gets both you and Dad out of the house for the day!
40. Stargaze
Wait until the sun sets and lay out a blanket in the backyard. Grab a telescope or use the Star Walk app on your phone to point out constellations. Dad is sure to feel like a star!
41. Prepare for the zombie apocalypse
If Dad likes to play things a little kooky and fun, go through your house and prepare an emergency plan for when zombies attack! For a little extra fun, grab some Nerf guns and play it out so you can practice for when the real thing happens.
42. Play Cops and Robbers
Take it back to the good old days, with this classic game! Have Dad either play the role of the cop or the robber (his choice) and have the kids try to chase down and catch him!
43. Go bowling
Hit up your local bowling alley for some old-fashioned fun.
44. Put on a show
Have your kids put on a play or perform a song about how much they love their dad. Dad is sure to melt at the cuteness!
45. Visit Disneyland virtually
Let Dad (and the whole fam!) experience the Most Magical Place on Earth from the comfort of your own couch. Gear up YouTube and take some virtual rides on classics like Space Mountain, Peter Pan’s Flight and other Disney rides.
46. Play mini-golf
If Dad is a regular Tiger Woods, hit up the local mini-golf course together. Or you can consider turning your backyard into a mini-golf course. Use bricks, cinderblocks, and 2x4s to create obstacles!
47. Take a scenic route
If you are lucky enough to live in an area with mountains, rivers, and canyons, consider taking a long drive instead of hiking. Dad will still get to see the beauty of nature and have some great car ride conversations!
48. Make your own BBQ spice rub
Elevate Dad’s cooking by helping him create his very own signature BBQ spice rub. Find recipes on the Internet or be adventurous and make your own!
49. Create your own brew
Transform Dad into a beer connoisseur and help him create his own beer. Look up brewing kits on Amazon or see what materials you need and watch the bubbles pour!
50. Gather loved ones on FaceTime
Summers are busy, and not everyone can get together on the same day. Privately message Dad’s family, friends, and loved ones, and surprise him with a Zoom meeting or FaceTime call to make him feel extra-loved.
Start his Father’s Day out on the right note by sending him one of these 50 funny and inspiring quotes about dads.
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