7 Father’s Day gifts, made with love

Father’s Day falls on 5 September this year, and although a new pair of socks is always practical, there’s still time to make a gift that comes from the heart (not the shops).

Here are 7 creative ideas for presents that dads, stepdads and grandads will treasure.

1. Racetrack massage t-shirt

A sleep-in is a great start to Father’s Day, and this custom tee will keep things relaxed as morning moves into afternoon! The idea is to draw a racetrack on the back of a plain white t-shirt, using fabric markers.

This template will steer you in the right direction, and although the artwork is a grown-up’s job, the real gift is in the kid-made massage!

Once Dad’s lying face-down in his new tee, little fingers run toy cars up, down and all around the racetrack on his back. Bliss.

2. Father’s Day trophy

Every day, dads pour love and effort into parenting, and a homemade trophy is a crafty way to give them the recognition they deserve.

Start by cutting out a trophy shape in thick-ish cardboard and painting it black, so the adornments really shine. Then hand the trophy to your little one for bejewelling. Craft sticks, pom poms, felt pieces and pipe cleaners can all be glued onto the ‘#1 Best Dad’ trophy, with the help of fine motor skills and imagination.

3. DAD cookies

A delicious serve of buttery biscuits will go down a treat, and this recipe for easy sugar cookies (from a father of twins) is a great place to start.

Once you’ve made the cookie dough, cut it into heart and letter shapes to spell out ‘I [HEART] DAD’ or ‘RAD DAD’, depending on your child’s tastes.

Finish your cookies with a dash of simply coloured icing, or experiment with a modern monochrome effect for cool dads (and clever kids).

4. Father’s Day book card

A handmade card is always priceless, and a book card stretches the idea one step further with cute questions, answers and pictures – all about Dad.

To make one, print out two A4 sheets of paper with a piece of text in each quarter. Include, ‘Happy Father’s Day!’, ‘Draw a picture of Dad’ and six questions like, ‘What is Dad’s favourite food?’ and ‘What’s the best thing Dad and I do together?’

Cut the A4 paper into quarters, stick the pieces together accordion-style, then invite your child to answer the questions and add illustrations on each page.

The book card is a keeper, and if your little artist wants to upsize Dad’s portrait, there’s a template for a stand-alone picture here.

5. Pour painted paperweight

A colourful paperweight adds cheer to the working day, and a pour painted one introduces your child to a cool new art technique.

Instead of using a brush or fingers to apply paint to a smooth rock, they simply use gravity. Different paint colours are poured on one-by-one to create a marbled, technicolour marvel, and once the paperweight is dry, clear varnish can be applied to give it a professional sheen.

6. Sidewalk chalk photo

A family photo is a memorable way to mark the day, but if you’re looking for something outside the square, then a chalk background adds colour and fun to your child’s portrait.

Using concrete as your canvas, simply draw a Father’s Day message in chalk and put your mini-model in the picture. They could be holding balloons or blasting into space, and if you prefer black and white, an ‘I [HEART] DADDY’ shadow photo is a chic alternative to the chalk concept.

7. Father’s Day coupons

Last, but not least, a bunch of kid-made coupons will make Dad’s day!

All you need to do is cut some coloured paper into strips, help your child write a special offer on each one, and slip them into a small gift box.

Dad might draw a ‘Free Hug’, ‘Daddy Nap’ or ‘Complimentary Car Wash’ coupon from his box of tricks, and a ‘YES Day’ involves your child saying, “Yes” to everything Dad asks!

Alternatively, a box of kid jokes will give Dad some new material, and this involves writing one joke on each slip of paper, with its answer on the back. For example, ‘Why does everyone love Daddy Mushroom?’ / ‘Because he’s a fun guy/funghi!’

And, on that note, we hope you have a very happy Father’s Day!