60 Fun Things To Do On Father’s Day That Dad Will Love!

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The ultimate list of fun things to do on Father’s Day to make dad’s day one to remember! These Father’s Day activities are perfect for daddy-daughter and father-son time, or activities the entire family can enjoy together!

Father’s Day is celebrated on different days around the world. Here in Australia, Father’s Day is celebrated in September.

For the USA, UK and parts of Europe, Father’s Day comes around soon after Mother’s Day in June. And for others, it falls in November.

Father’s Day is a great opportunity to spend special time together as a family, doing something new, something you do together often or something completely exciting.

There are plenty of ideas to celebrate Father’s Day that you can do as a whole family to honour that special father or the father figures in your life.

Often time together is what means the most for Dad, but in case you want to give him a gift to show your appreciation too, check out these DIY father’s day gift ideas and of course, for the last-minute shopper, these gifts that Dad will love, that you can shop for too.

Planning What To Do For Father’s Day

Spending quality time with dad is a perfect way to spend Father’s Day and often something as simple as doing fun activities together at home is enough to make dad’s day special.

It doesn’t need to cost a thing, but in case you’re stuck on ideas for father-son and daddy-daughter activities, this list is sure to inspire plenty of fun!

Regardless of where you are located, or even if you are just looking for some fun family activities to do with dad any time of the year, here is a list of fun ways to celebrate Father’s Day.

Father’s Day Activities For Home

There is no reason to even leave home to enjoy a fun day! There are plenty of ways to celebrate dad at home with these activities in your own house or backyard.

• Have a BBQ – Let dad practice his grill master skills at home with a family barbeque, if he is a dad who loves to cook. The rest of the family can put together some delicious side dishes and desserts for a relaxed family day at home.
• Play board games – If dad loves playing board games and testing his skills of strategy, pull out some family favourites and have a game day. Card games are another fun option!
• Create your own music playlist together – Open your preferred music streaming app and create a playlist for the entire family with everyone’s favourite songs. This is a great chance to bond together and you will have the perfect song playlist for your next family road trip!
• Have a family movie night at home – Let dad choose the movie to watch. Get your snacks ready (don’t forget the popcorn) and lots of comfy pillows and blankets and settle in for a cozy movie night. If you have an outdoor projector, you can turn this into a backyard movie night.
• Watch family home videos – Add some nostalgia to your family movie night by instead watching your home movies together. Mum and dad’s wedding, family vacations, kids growing up. This is always a fun and sentimental way to spend a special occasion.
• Cook up a feast of dad’s favourite meal – Work together to make dad his favourite dishes so he can sit back and enjoy the meal. Don’t forget dessert!
• Stargaze in the backyard – Grab a picnic blanket and some pillows or lie down on the trampoline and see what you can spot in the night sky. If you have a telescope, this makes the experience even cooler!
• Research your family history – For dads with an interest in their family history, this is a wonderful activity to do together. Piece together a family tree as far back as you can then jump online to use one of the many ancestry tools available to go even further back. This is a fun activity to do with grandad too who might be able to fill in even more gaps on the family tree!
• Play video games together – Got a gamer dad? Plan a day of video game battles with loads of snacks and plenty of laughs. If you have a retro console, this is a great way for dad to introduce the kids to his childhood favourites too, like PacMan, Mario Kart and Donkey Kong.
• Reminisce memories with old photographs – Browse through the photo albums together while dad shares his favourite memories and stories. What a great way to go down memory lane!
• Help dad with a DIY project – Got a DIY dad? Get involved in his latest project or one you plan specifically for Father’s Day as a great way to do something dad really loves while building something together.
• Have a jam session with musical instruments – If dad is a bit of a muso, dust off the old guitars and drums, or whatever other instruments you have at home, and have a jam. Dad can teach the kids some of his skills while enjoying his creative hobby.
• Paint a canvas together to hang on the wall – Get creative with some paint and mixed media for a special project that can hang in the house afterwards. This is some great messy fun.
• Have a scavenger hunt in the backyard – Who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt? Hide dad’s presents around the yard (or in the house) and set up clues he has to solve to find them. Just like an Easter egg hunt for adults!
• Build a sheet fort in the lounge room together – If you have younger children, a sheet fort is always so much fun, especially if dad joins in! Spend time reading together or telling stories in the fort for a special time with dad and the kids. No mum allowed… okay, maybe you’re allowed in too!
• Set up the tent and sleep in the backyard – Have your own home staycation at home with the family. You can camp for free without going anywhere yet still experience the fun of sleeping outdoors. The best part – not having to load the car with all the camping gear!

Fun Things To Do With Dad Outdoors

Many dads love the great outdoors and there are plenty of activities to do on Father’s Day that are definitely geared towards them. Plus you all get to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine together. At least, we hope the sun is shining!

• Have a family game of football or cricket – Most dads love a chance to enjoy their favourite sport with the family so grab the sporting gear out of the garage and head out to the local park for some fresh air, exercise and loads of laughs.
• Go hiking or bushwalking – For outdoors-loving dads, a chance to do a new hike or revisit a favourite track is always a nice way to spend their day. Finish with a picnic lunch in a scenic spot.
• Spend a day at the beach – If you have great weather on Father’s Day, why not head to the nearest beach for a day of sun, sand and surf? Even in the cooler months, a day near the ocean is the ultimate way to recharge and relax.
• Go camping – Plan a weekend camping trip away with the family. This is a great activity for all ages and dads always love a chance to get away from it all and into nature.
• Visit a national park – There are so many beautiful national parks around the world that make for perfect day trips for hiking, exploring and checking out the landmarks. You might even spot some wildlife along the way.
• Plant a vegetable garden – Get the veggie patch ready for new produce or get dad a raised garden bed for his Father’s Day gift so you can spend the day planting his favourite vegetables & herbs.
• Take a boat ride – If you own a boat or can hire one, this is a perfect day to spend out on the water as a family. Small boat hire can be an affordable activity for the whole family.
• Go fishing – Or just grab the fishing reels and some bait and head out on a fishing trip. This one is a great father-son activity but can be just as fun for the rest of the family too.
• Enjoy fish and chips by the water – Not so great at catching fish? Head down to the nearest takeaway shop instead and enjoy a classic lunch of fish and chips by the water’s edge. This is such a fun way to spend quality time together as a family and create some great memories.
• Go bike riding – If dad loves to go biking, go for a nice long ride together as a family. Explore new trails or just enjoy being in the great outdoors and active together. A bike ride is a great way to get some exercise while spending time with the ones you love.
• Have a picnic – Picnics are always a fun way to enojy time with the family. Head to your favourite spot in the park or pack a picnic lunch and head out on a hike. Either way, you’ll enjoy some quality time together while getting some fresh air and yummy food.
• Kayaking or paddleboarding – If you have access to a kayak or paddleboard, this is a great way to spend time together as a family. Get out on the water and enjoy the peacefulness of being one with nature. There are loads of places that hire them too if you don’t have your own.
• Surfing – Is dad a keen surfer or always wanted to learn? Spend the day at the beach catching some waves. If you’re not sure how to surf, there are plenty of lessons available that the whole family can enjoy or send dad solo and watch from the beach as he conquers his first waves.

Free Things To Do On Father’s Day

There are plenty of free things to do on Father’s day weekend (including many of the activities shared above to do at home). If you are looking for a day out on a budget, here are some great ideas:

• Visit a museum – Check out the local museum as it’s probably been a while since you’ve been there. Most museums have free entry days or are free to visit all the time so check which local museums near you that you can visit for free.
• Volunteer together – Why not spend Father’s Day giving back to the community by volunteering together? There are loads of organisations that would love some extra help on their busy days. It’s a great way to teach kids about helping others and spending time as a family.
• Visit a local community event or festival – There’s always something going on in the community so check out what’s happening near you. There might be a local fair, festival or market that you can enjoy together.
• Practise your photography skills – Grab your cameras and phones and head outdoors to be photographers for the day. Between you all, you will capture some cool family memories and other interesting shots that you can sit down and browse through later in the day.
• Go geocaching – If you’ve never tried geocaching before, it’s a great activity to do with the family. It’s basically a real-life treasure hunt where you use GPS coordinates to find hidden caches all around the world. It’s a fun way to explore new areas and see what you can find.
• Visit a historical site related to one of dad’s interests – If dad is a history buff, take him to visit a local historical site that he’s interested in. It might be an old battlefield, ruins or a historic building. Check out what’s nearby and make it a day trip.

Fun Things To Do On Father’s Day For The Whole Family

Take dad on an adventure with these fun ideas to celebrate Father’s Day, from adventure-packed outings to more laid-back activities.

• Watch a movie at the cinemas – Pick an action-packed movie for dad and enjoy a session of popcorn, choc tops and excitement.
• Visit an amusement park – If there’s an amusement park nearby, this is always a fun day. out. Enjoy some of the rides, treat dad to a day of fun and make some great memories.
• Play laser tag or paintball – Get competitive with a game of laser tag or paintball. This is such a fun way to spend time together as a family and dad is sure to love it. Although it might not be the ideal option for younger kids, it’s definitely a great way for teens to spend time with dad.
• Visit an indoor rock climbing centre – Head to an indoor rock climbing centre and get active. This is a great activity for all ages and dad is sure to love it.
• Go to a farmer’s market – Spend the day browsing through your local farmers’ market for some fresh produce and unique gifts. This is a great activity for the whole family.
• Take a road trip – Pack up the car and go on a mini road trip to somewhere new. This is a great way to explore your local area and discover cool things you didn’t know existed.
• Head to a waterpark – Cool down at the local waterpark as you all take on the water slides and pools for the day.
• Watch a live sports event – If dad loves sport, take him to watch his favourite team play live. This is a great way to spend time together and you’re sure to have a lot of fun.
• Take a mini-break for the weekend – Treat dad to an extra special weekend away at a hotel or bed and breakfast.
• Go-Karting – Get the competitive juices flowing with a session of go-karting. This is a great option for older kids and teenagers to do with dad.
• Go to a concert – Plan a trip to a concert dad will love. Perfect if it falls on Father’s Day but if not, he will love the experience on a different day too as a wonderful gift idea.
• Do a brewery or distillery tour – For dads that love beer, take a tour of a local brewery or even just spend the afternoon sampling all the different beers on offer. Many brewery tours offer beer tasting and they are also usually family-friendly so the kids can still enjoy the day out.
• Play a round of golf – Head to the golf course or better yet, battle it out at a game of mini-golf instead. This is great for kids of all ages and dad still gets to show off his golf skills.
• Go to the zoo – Spend the day exploring your local zoo. This is a great option for families with young kids as they will love seeing all the animals.
• Learn something new in a class – There are plenty of free or paid courses and master classes on offer in the local community or find an online class to do together at home on something dad will love.
• Bounce at an indoor trampoline centre – Get active and have a laugh as dad gets to relive his youth at a trampoline centre. Most cater to all ages so why shouldn’t dad get to enjoy it?
• Ride public transport – Catch a train, ferry, bus or tram to somewhere new and explore or leave the car at home as a different way of getting to your favourite destination.
• Dine out at a favourite restaurant – Take dad out for lunch or dinner at his favourite restaurant so he can sit back and relax while he enjoys his meal.
• Go on a lunch cruise along the river – Or enjoy lunch with a view on a river cruise instead!
• Go ten-pin bowling – This is always a classic and fun activity for the whole family.
• Play barefoot bowls – Lawn bowls but without the shoes is a twist on the classic game that is usually played by the older generations. It’s usually a cheap activity and you can even bring grandad along to show off his skills.
• Play tourist for the day – Visit all the local attractions that you usually take for granted and enjoy them as tourists. It’s a great way to appreciate your own backyard and you might even learn something new about your hometown.
• Do a winery tour – If dad considers himself a wine connoisseur, go on a tour of the local wineries and learn all about the wine-making process. This is a great way to sample some delicious wines along the way and grab him a bottle of his favourite to enjoy with dinner.

And if you’re still at a loss for what to do on Father’s Day, there is always the good old breakfast in bed to kick start the day. Check out these yummy make-ahead breakfast ideas.

There are so many fun things to do with kids at home or out and about that dad will love! Start creating new precious memories together.

Check out our celebrating Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve with kids guides too for even more family fun!

If you are looking for something nice to do as a couple, minus the kids, check out these 101 free or cheap date ideas and date night at home ideas that are sure to inspire. Many of them can also be adapted into kid-friendly family outings too!

Check out these great DIY Father’s Day gift ideas you can make at home for dad too:

Need gift ideas? Here are plenty of DIY options that will be fun to make:

• Valentine’s Day gift ideas
• Non-Chocolate Easter Gifts For All Ages
• Easy Christmas gifts for kids to make
• DIY Father’s Day Gift Ideas
• The Best Gifts For New Mothers
• DIY Mother’s Day gift ideas
• Experience gift ideas

Do you have any special Father’s Day traditions that you do together? Leave a comment below.