In the UK Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June and this year it is on Sunday 18 June. This is a special day to honour fathers and father figures such as grandfathers, stepdads and fathers-in-law.
Father’s Day is celebrated on different days around the world. For example, in Australia it is in September, in Norway it’s November and in Italy it is in March.
The adoption of Father’s Day in the UK is thought to have been inspired by America. Although the exact origins of Father’s Day are not clear, many attribute it to an American lady called Sonora Dodd who was raised with her siblings by her father.
She wondered why there wasn’t a day to celebrate fathers after hearing a Mother’s Day sermon and campaigned for a father’s day. It is believed that it was first held in America in 1910 and was put on the country’s official calendar in 1966 by President Johnson. President Nixon later made it a national holiday in 1972.
In honour of all the great dads and father figures, here are a few ideas for things to do on Father’s Day:
Visit your dad – take some time out to visit your dad or father figure and spend time with him. If he’s not local to you then try ‘visiting’ via skype or even just a phone call to let him know you’re thinking of him.
Family gathering – get everyone together with dads and grandads being centre of attention. This could be a home or at a venue of your choice. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, just an informal gathering to spend some time together.
Make a card – everyone loves a homemade card so make something special for your dad. Or get the kids to make cards for their dad. It doesn’t have to be really creative – you only need card and some pens – but the effort will be appreciated. If you are stuck for ideas then take a look at our free resources for Father’s Day for things to make.
Eat – cook your dad’s favourite meal or go out to eat to his favourite restaurant. Mealtimes are a great opportunity for family time.
Reminisce – look through old photos with your dad and remember fun times. Share stories of great times together.
Go bowling – ten pin bowling is great family activity as even the youngest children can take part. It’s also ideal if Father’s Day brings wet weather.
Play outside – either in your garden or at the local park. You could play cricket, football, set up an obstacle course, or just a simple game of catch – great fun for youngsters to enjoy time with their dad.
Have a picnic – if it’s going to be nice weather, pack a picnic of your family’s favourite foods and go on a picnic. You don’t even need to leave your house – you could picnic in the garden or even have a carpet picnic in the lounge if it’s raining!
Go on a bike ride – get out an about on your bikes and enjoy the local countryside. You could event take a picnic or just cycle to a favourite restaurant for lunch.
Have a cinema night – curl up with a favourite family movie – a perfect end to Father’s Day. Make sure you have popcorn and snacks!
Whatever you are doing for Father’s Day we hope you have fun and enjoy it. Let us know how you celebrate on our Facebook or Twitter pages.
At Early Learning Furniture we are experts in equipment for early years’ education. We provide a wide range of school dining furniture, classroom storage, school play equipment, school library furniture.
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