Tips to Make Father’s Day Fun! 

Father’s Day is just around the corner – so be sure to note it on your calendar. While the rest of the world celebrates the occasion on June 19, we like to do things a little differently down under, marking ‘Dad Day’ on the first Sunday in September (this year, that’s September the 4th). With difference in mind, why not gather your whānau together, and make this Father’s Day an intergenerational celebration not to be forgotten. Use our DIY suggestions, below, to help make it happen!

A ‘brunch’ of fun!

Brunch is the perfect celebration meal – not too early, not too late, alcohol-free (unless you want to throw in a vintage Buck’s Fizz), and with delicious food that won’t break the bank. Be sure to let everyone (except the dad’s, of course!) know, well ahead of time, what you’re planning so you can divvy up the shopping and the prep. Keep the menu simple so you all get time to sit down and eat. Nothing beats bacon and baked beans on buttery toast, oaty pancakes with good old kiwi golden syrup dripping down the side of the stack, creamy scrambled eggs with loads of grated cheese sprinkled on top, and sizzling sausages with tomato sauce for the kids. Lash out on real coffee, and plenty of plungers, for a bottomless mug!

Wind it up!

Whether you’re planning brunch, or another meal in the day, be sure to include plenty of Dad games in your Father’s Day celebrations. Arm wrestling is a great starter – recently it’s taken on a new lease of life, and it’s so easy to organise. Head to the NZ Arm Wrestling Federation’s website for information, jot down some fun facts and figures on cards, and let the kids read out the snippets while their dads and grandads battle it out. Be sure to have a bell or buzzer on hand to announce the winner of each round!

Gumboot throwing is another laugh-a-minute, and it gets everyone outside while you make the coffee! Arm the kids with a clipboard and tape measure, and let them be the judges. If you’re looking for free gumboots, phone ahead to the thrift store and let them know you’re happy to accept the boots not good enough to sell.

If the weather keeps you indoors on Father’s Day – ‘Tool Box’ is the perfect game to play. Snaffle a range of non-sharp tools from the garage, and get the kids to wrap them, one at a time, in newspaper (the basic shape of each tool should still be relatively – but not too easily – discernible). Pop the wrapped tools into a container (or a tool box if you have one). On Father’s Day, blindfold the blokes, one at a time, and ask them to name the tools, by feel, as they take them out. Hot up the game by keeping each player to a time limit.

Snap happy!

Memories are magic, so be sure to capture your guest dads and grandads on photo – only, this time, do it with a difference! Have some hilarious themed costumes on hand. For example, if you want to ‘go gangster’, op-shop ahead for old suits, white shirts, bow ties, fedora hats, dark glasses, and stick-on moustaches (why not make some fake cigars from brown paper, while you’re at it!). If it’s cowboys you’re wanting to create – you know the drill. Ask your men to change into their costumes (take plenty of photos as they dress up, as casual shots are often the best), then get them to strike a few solo and hilarious group poses against a plain wall backdrop. However you do it, be sure to take loads of snaps, and share them around once everyone is back home.

Celebrating father’s day doesn’t have to break the bank, and it should be as much for the kids as it is for the fathers and grandfathers. Family memories are precious – this Father’s Day, enjoy taking the time to make them happen!