With less than two months until Father’s Day, the pressure is on to make it a spectacular one. Not to worry: Dad would probably tell you that nothing beats a little quality time together (although gifts are great, too!).
From watching a movie as a family, to planning a picnic or attending a live program, there are plenty of affordable ways to celebrate the dads in your life this year.
No matter where you are located, here are a few things to do with dad this Father’s Day.
Plan a movie night
Whether you take a trip to your local movie theater or plan a movie night at home, this is a great way to spend some time together and bond. Begin by finding out what your dad’s movie interests consist of so that can inform your selection.
If you’re watching a movie at home, it might be a great idea to choose one of his all-time favorites. Complete the night with his favorite movie snacks, many of which you can find at your local grocery store.
Cook with him
Treat your dad to his favorite meal at home. Using search engines, search functions on social media and YouTube, find a suitable recipe (and make sure it’s easy to follow) and purchase all of the necessary ingredients ahead of time.
Once you’ve done all of the prep work, invite your dad to join you in the kitchen and split the cooking responsibilities.
The best part is that, at the end of this activity, you’ll have a meal that you can sit down and enjoy together.
Have a picnic
Weather permitting, planning a picnic is a great way to explore nature with a parent. Pack a blanket, some games, a portable speaker and your favorite foods before heading to your favorite park for a couple of hours in the sun.
If you have an insulated lunchbox, the possibilities for food really are endless. From sandwiches to salads, fruits, chips and other snacks, you can absolutely have a hearty meal in the grass.
Again, find out what your dad’s favorite meal items are before figuring out what to purchase, or make them at home ahead of time (search engines, social media’s search functions and YouTube are, once again, great guides for brainstorming food options).
Plan a spa day
An at-home spa day can be a great way of showing your dad that he deserves a little relaxation, too. You can tailor this to his interests, but options could include utilizing face masks from your local convenience store, a foot soak and/or scrub and more.
If you want to extend the quality time together, consider making the face masks, scrubs and other skincare essentials from scratch with your dad’s help.
Host a game night
Uno. Dominos. Spades. Monopoly. Mancala. These are just a few of the games you could play with your dad (and the rest of your family, if you’d like to invite them). A game night is easy to pull off, but is a ton of fun and can include hours of bonding time.
We’ve already drilled down on the importance of having great snacks and, of course, that applies to game nights, too. This time, pizza, hot wings and other bite-sized foods are great in addition to traditional snack items.
Go to a live show
Whether it’s a major production or a show at a local theater, attending a live show with your dad is a great way to get out of the house and spend some time together.
There are a number of ways to find out what productions will be going on in your city around Father’s Day. Local media outlets tend to include helpful "go guides" that could inform your decision, and it’s also worth checking out the websites of local venues.
Go to an amusement park
If your family enjoys being active, and the weather is nice, a family trip to an amusement park might be a great idea. Talk to another adult in your life about the parks in your area, or research them on your own. Things to know include hours and ticket prices.
Plan a solo night out for him
Ultimately, sometimes parents just want to have a little alone time. If that’s the case for your dad this Father’s Day, it’s easy to convert many of the ideas above into a solo night out for him. Purchase a singular ticket to a live show or a movie night and send your dad out on the town, if he’s in need of some time to recharge.
Plan a date night
Similarly, sometimes parents need a little adult time. If your parents haven’t had a lot of date time recently, sans kids, coordinate time for them to go see a movie, have a picnic or attend a live show together.
Remember, parents need to recharge and pour into themselves in order to care for their loved ones!
