There is a lot of pressure on fathers to live up to their traditional roles as providers, protectors, and moral guides. But there are many ways fathers can be involved in their children’s lives. Research has shown that fatherly activities such as reading books to their kids, playing with them, and teaching them new things have positive effects on the child’s development.
Plus, who wants to be a boring dad? Old TV shows and sitcoms such showing the dad sitting at the table reading the newspaper, and fortunately, these traditional standards are disappearing. Children love hanging out with their dads, Bob, from Bob’s Burgers is a great example of that. So, what are some fun activities that you could do with your little ones? Here are some great ideas!
1. Role Playing Games
Role-playing games are a great way to develop children’s creativity and imagination. They also help kids learn to take on different perspectives and solve problems collaboratively. Sure, there’s the whole “playing pretend” with your kids such as a house, or tea parties, but why not go beyond that? Being a more active dad can be pretty easy, so don’t worry about doing any role-playing that’s too intensive.
2. Nature Walks and Hiking
Nature walks and hikes are one of the best ways to connect with nature. It can help kids learn about ecology, biology, and history while giving them a chance to explore nature. It’s important for parents to lead by example and show their kids how much they love nature by spending more time outside. Even if you don’t live by any national parks, that’s not a problem either, just take them to the local park!
3. Cooking Activities
Cooking is a great activity to do with children because it helps them learn about food and how they can make it. It also helps them develop skills such as patience, problem-solving, and creativity.
Some fun ideas could include!
-Baking: This is a fun activity for kids to get involved in because they get to measure, pour, mix and see the results of their work.
-Cooking: This is an activity that you should supervise closely because there’s a lot of potential for injury. Children usually enjoy this more when they’re older than six years old.
-Ice cream making: This is another fun cooking activity that’s perfect for summertime!
In general, make sure you pick something that you know they’re going to enjoy.
4. DIY Projects
DIY Projects are a great way to make an ordinary day special. With just a little creativity, time, and patience, you can create crafts that will make your children feel like they are the most important people in the world. There are many different DIY projects that can be done with kids. Some of them are fun and easy while others might take more time and patience. It all depends on what you want to do with your kids and their interests. But getting them to feel handy can certainly make them proud of themself!
5. Training/Sports Related Activity
A classic fatherly activity would be tossing the pigskin. You could even watch sports together with your little one, and maybe even read up on a game from Stephen Troese Jr’s website. Sports can be a great way to bond.
