50 Fun Ideas To Celebrate Father’s Day That Will Show Dad How Much You Care

June 13, 2023
8 mins read
Dad and son playing near a house
Photo by altanaka on Deposit Photos

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

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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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