Instead of getting Dad another tie for Father’s Day, enlist the help of your children to make something special! Dad will be more excited to have a hand-crafted gift rather than a store-bought present. Here are five DIY gift ideas* for Dad. 

1. Pencil holder 

Gather a clean can or jar and some construction paper. Assist your child in cutting the construction paper to fit around the can and then help them glue the paper to the can. After the glue has dried, ask your child to draw pictures or place stickers on the can. This is a great gift for Dad’s desk at work or at home. 

2. DIY photo frame 

For this activity, you will need wooden craft sticks and a lively photo of your little one with Dad. Glue the sticks in the shape of a square (this step should be assisted by an adult), leaving a large enough space for the photo in the center. Once the glue has dried, encourage your child to decorate the frame with stickers or a sweet message. Then tape the photo face-down to the back side of the frame and it is complete! 

3. Create a book about Dad 

On blank sheets of paper, write a statement about Dad on each page and ask your child to fill in the blanks. Depending on their age, you can help your child with the writing portion of this step. Encourage your child to draw a picture that goes with the sentence on each page.  

Statements can include: 

• “This is what my dad looks like”  
• “The greatest thing about my dad is ________.”  
• “My dad is best at _______.”  
• “My dad’s favorite food is ______.”  
• “My favorite thing to do with my dad is _______.” 

Bind the pages with staples or use a hole punch and bind the pages together by lacing ribbon through the holes. 

4. Colorful canvas

Grab a small blank canvas from your local craft store and some fingerpaint-safe paint in Dad’s favorite colors. Let your little one unleash their inner Picasso and color the canvas as much as they like. Once it’s dry, dip your little one’s hand into white or blank paint and help them press it onto the canvas as their “signature.” You could also create words or shapes using painter’s tape on the canvas, paint over it all and then peel away the tape to reveal images or a message to Dad.

5. Build your own memories

Build memories with Dad! This idea comes from The Seasoned Mom. Take some small building blocks like Legos and write activities on each one. Depending on your children’s age, they can help you brainstorm ideas for what they’d like to do with Dad, including: watch a movie, go on a hike, play soccer, ice cream date, camping, biking, fishing, picnic, water balloon fight, etc. Once all of the activities are written, add them to jar. Now Dad will get to cherish lots of special time with his favorite people — the best gift of all!

*An adult should oversee all activities. Activities may not be appropriate for all ages.