For Father’s Day—Give Experiences, Not Things

Instead of the generic tie or gadget, give Dad the gift of a new cherished memory.
For Father’s Day—Give Experiences, Not Things
Give dad the memories of having fun and exploring with those who matter to him. (everst/Shutterstock)
Barbara Danza
5/22/2024
Updated:
5/22/2024
0:00
It’s time to celebrate Dad. When we think about ways to honor the dads in our lives, many of us fall back on typical gifts like a tie, a mug, or a gadget. But life is about experiences, not things. This Father’s Day, instead of more of the same, why not give Dad an experience he’ll cherish forever. Here are some experience-oriented ideas to celebrate and show appreciation for your number one dad.

Dad’s Favorite Activity

What’s Dad into? Fishing? Golfing? Biking? Surfing? Whatever Dad loves, organize a family outing to do just that.
Be sure to handle all of those details that would typically fall on him. If he usually packs the car, have the kids do it. If he is usually the driver or navigator, take that off his plate. If he’s the one that makes sure the doors are locked before you leave, that the tires are full in the bikes, that the reservations have been confirmed, or whatever Dad usually handles, give him a free pass to sit back and enjoy a day doing what he loves with his family with all the details handled.

Dad’s Favorite Event

Is Dad into sports, music, comedy, or theater? Track down tickets to an upcoming event he’ll be thrilled to attend. The jersey he wears regularly, a comedian he’s been quoting, or the most played songs on his playlist can all be clues as to what he may truly enjoy experiencing. Make the gift extra special by arranging transportation, inviting friends, or adding dinner reservations to the evening.

Invite Dad to a Backyard Campout

As a fun activity for this time of year, conspire with the kids to create a backyard campsite, complete with pitched tent, dinner on the barbecue, and a campfire.
Enjoy family time together and insist that Dad not lift a finger. You don’t want your gift to become a chore for Dad on Father’s Day, but a carefree joy he’ll cherish.

Hit the Road With Dad

Surprise Dad with a weekend away to one of his favorite places or a new location he’s been wanting to check out. Again, handle the details so that he can be whisked away without worry. Moments like this become lifetime memories.

Make a ‘Honey, It’s Done List’

If Dad’s got some nagging repairs or chores he’s been meaning to get around to, work with the kids to get them done. Perhaps there’s a leaky faucet, a garage that needs cleaning, a guitar that he’d like tuned, yard work he wants done, or a scratch on his car he’d love to have addressed. Hire them out or complete the tasks for him.

For that “ta-da” moment, wrap the list of done items as a gift and watch the sense of relief fall across his face on Father’s Day. Then, invite him to enjoy some well-deserved relaxation on Father’s Day.

Celebrating Dad for who he is, what he loves to do, and all of the things he does that makes him the best dad in the world, just takes a little thought and a lot of love. Dads play such important roles in our lives and communities and deserve a hearty and loving celebration. Wishing you and yours a Happy Father’s Day!

Barbara Danza is a contributing editor covering family and lifestyle topics. Her articles focus on homeschooling, family travel, entrepreneurship, and personal development. She contributes children’s book reviews to the weekly booklist and is the editor of “Just For Kids,” the newspaper’s print-only page for children. Her website is BarbaraDanza.com