Father's Day Ideas

Here a couple of items we have created for Father's Day.

The idea for this Father's Day card was inspired here.  In order to make it a toddler friendly project here are a couple techniques I used.  I cut out the pattern on blue paper (actually fed it through the printer), I colored an eye, I cut out large pieces of colored paper and used a small paintbrush to put glue on the back of each piece.  My daughter picked the color she wanted to add after I put glue on the piece she stuck it on the fish.  We put on as many as she wanted.  Note when doing a project like this have everything ready in advance, including a washcloth.  I noticed she really enjoyed glueing the pieces so I grabbed a another piece of paper and let her continue gluing on that sheet.  Don't every stop the project because you are done.  Let them create.

This is a really super and heartwarming gift. Simply (ha, ha) paint your child's hands and make handprints.  I chuckle because this is never any easy task with my daughter.  We ended up doing more finger painting after making the handprints, so have extra paper ready.

You could be more creative than me and use a heart or make it more like a card.  This was the best I could come up with the day I did it. My 22-month-old is into everything these days and this poem fits perfectly.  

Handprints

Sometimes you get discouraged
Because I am so small
And always leave my handprint
On furniture and wall

But everyday I'm growing
(I'll be all grown someday)
And all those tiny hand prints
Will surely fade away.

So here's a final handprint
Just so you can recall
Exactly how my fingers looked
When they were very small.

© T. Lambert, Jr.  May 1978

For more poems go here.

This is a similar project to what I did last year.  It is a laminated book with pictures of my daughter with her daddy.  Each page has familiar text making it easy for her to look at and "read."  Each page starts with Me and my daddy... and is finished with an activity such as read or go to the zoo.  Last years was "I love my daddy because..."  Not seen in the photo: I still have to hole punch the sides and I use binder rings to hold the book together.