Take time to be a dad today!
Here are some ideas for easy, free or low-cost ways to spend quality time with your kids. Use the filter on the left to find activities appropriate for your children's ages.
Check out Money as You Grow for 20 essential, age-appropriate financial lessons with corresponding activities to help you start the dialogue.
Terribly Funny
Do you know what the loudest pet is?
A trumpet.
On June 10, 1752, Benjamin Franklin flew a kite in a lightning storm and discovered electricity. What a great topic to discuss with your kids! A few activities would be to see how long you can spend together without using any electricity, or get outside and fly some kites (not in a storm of course!)
May 21 is Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day, dedicated to the idea that eating more fresh fruits and veggies can be good for your health and good for your life. You and your kids can challenge each other to try one new fruit and one new vegetable on this day!
On Mother's Day, we celebrate all mothers and mother figures in our lives. Plan a special activity with your children for the special women in your life. Maybe a virtual run? Mom Strong Virtual Walk/Run is a great way to honor that special person from a distance.
Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated during the first full week of May each year. Even though your child may not see his/her teacher in person, this is still a great time to spend with your kids making something together to show teachers how much they are appreciated throughout the year. Cards can be sent via email or maybe create a musical thank you that can be presented via video.
April 22, 2020 marks 50 years of Earth Day. Take time to do something kind for the earth or simply get out in nature with your kids.
April 17-19 is Global Youth Service Day, the largest youth service and civic action event in the world and the only one that celebrates and builds the capacity of all youth ages 5-25 to help our communities thrive by working together for the common good. Pick a project for you and your child(ren) to do together that will inspire kindness and civic duty in your children.
April 4-11 is Money Smart Week, a national initiative to provide financial literacy programming to help people better manage their personal finances. It is never too early to begin learning important financial lessons which instill good habits and smart choices. See if your child is reaching age-appropriate money milestones. Then, find activities and conversation starters that can help keep your child on track.
Author Tommy Barnett, in his book “The Power of a Half Hour” suggests spending some time with your children once a week dreaming and planning the details of your next family vacation. Pull out maps, look up exotic places online. You’ll teach them how to plan and to dream big! Five or ten years from now your children won’t remember the toys or gifts that you bought them, but they will remember that you took time to spend good old fashion quality time with them.
Taking time at least once a year to volunteer at your child’s school is a great way to show your child that you care. Volunteering to be a chaperone on a field trip or through a program like Watch D.O.G.S. or All Pro Dad or through your school’s PTA are great ways to meet your children’s friends, and learn more about what they are doing at school.
What’s your favorite board game? Whether it is checkers, or chess, Connect Four or Scrabble, pick a time once a week where you can play board games as a family. You will be able to teach your kids to play by the rules, and how to be a good sport if they win or lose!
Terribly Funny
Do you know what the loudest pet is?
A trumpet.