Father’s Day Gifts Children Can Make

Father’s Day is a special day of the year. Most Dad’s aren’t thinking so much about what type of gift they receive – but it is always touching to be appreciated and to be thought of by your children. Homemade gifts have a personal touch – and many fathers hold onto homemade crafts or artwork forever. Can’t most of us remember making something for our Dads at summer camp or school, and notice that he still has it in his possession decades later? When my father moved to his new place one of the first things he instructed the movers to pack was a set of clay zoo animals I made when I was seven years old. You would have thought they were made of the finest crystal the way he stood over them to be sure they were packed safely. And they were the first personal object he unpacked in his new home. So making homemade gifts often means that you are making a treasure that will last a lifetime and will bring up happy memories of the days of being the father to small children.

Here are several craft ideas that will appeal to children. They are simple to make and children can easily add their own personal touches. Adult supervision is needed with some steps.

Start off with a great card…
A great way to top this gift off is to make Dad a homemade card. Purchase a sheet of cardstock at your local copy center (you can ask for one or two sheets). Cardstock is heavier than regular paper and will fold just like a card does. Children can design a card using markers, pens, crayons, even stickers or glitter. Just let your imagination take over!

Who doesn’t love a great t-shirt?
Not only is this gift fun to receive, it is tons of fun to make. Why not make Dad a tie dye t-shirt? Purchase tie dye packets at your local grocery store or craft store. It is easiest to make a single color shirt. Use a 100% cotton t-shirt for best dye absorption to get the brightest and best colors. Get a large packet of rubber bands. Let children put rubber bands all over the t-shirt in different places, explaining to them that wherever a rubber band is it will be white and will help create the design. You could even have a little fun and make t-shirts for the whole family to wear and then take a photograph wearing your shirts. Dad will have a good laugh seeing that picture.

Make a baseball cap or a visor
Many Dads like to wear a baseball cap or a visor. Pick up a white one or a lighter colored one and get some fabric paint pens at the craft store. Or get some fabric paint and some stamps (not the type for rubber stamping). Small children will most likely take to stamping than working with a fabric paint pen. Teens may have more fun doodling with a fabric paint pen.

Stamped planter
This is a great craft to do with little ones. Get a terra cotta planter at the craft store, whatever size you prefer. Purchase acrylic paints in different colors and some large stamps (not the type for rubber stamping). Or make your own simple cut out shape stamps out of sponges (cut sponges with scissors). You can have children start first by painting the planter a solid color, or simply stamp the planter up. Another cute idea is putting their hand prints on the planter. Once the planter has dried, transfer a plant of your preference into the planter. A great gift for Dad.

Pretty as a picture
Every Dad likes a picture of his family. If you go to his office, chances are that he has at least one, if not two or three photographs of his family in his office. Why not make him a picture frame and take a family picture? Small children can make a simple picture frame using some basic objects such as buttons, shells, or even stickers. You will want to look for picture frames with wide frames, at least two inches thick so that you have a surface to glue things to. You may want to paint the picture frame first with a coat of acrylic paint and then glue fun things onto it. Allow picture frame to try overnight before use.