Whilst spending quality time together as a family is invaluable, finding activities that both kids and parents can enjoy is key to authentic success. Kids from an early age can tell when parents are going through the motions and the best memories are created when everyone has a great time. Going to the pub and leaving your kids in the car with a packet of crisps and a coke is a no-no and standing bored and a puppet show will be noticed by your little ones. Try these instead :-
The key isn’t just doing something together. It’s doing things you both enjoy. When the experience is genuinely fun for everyone, memories are made, trust is built, and relationships grow. Here are 17 activities designed to hit that sweet spot — interesting, rewarding, and fun for both dads and their kids.
1. Tackle a DIY Project Together
Whether it’s building a birdhouse, fixing a bike, or assembling furniture, kids love being trusted with tools (even if they’re just handing them over). The sense of teamwork and accomplishment runs deep, especially when the project has a real-world purpose.
2. Fire Up the Grill or Kitchen
Let your child be your sous chef — whether you’re grilling burgers outside or making pancakes on a Sunday morning. Cooking is hands-on, sensory, and productive. Plus, everyone wins when the food’s good.
3. Create a Family Game Night Ritual
Choose games that are fun for both adults and kids. Think Uno, Connect Four, or Exploding Kittens for younger ones, or strategy games like Ticket to Ride or Codenames with older kids. Rotate who picks the game and keep it lighthearted — winning isn’t the point.
4. Go for a Bike Ride With a Destination
Instead of just “going for a ride,” set a goal — the playground, a milkshake stop, or a cool part of the neighbourhood. It gives the outing a purpose and a reward. Younger kids might ride scooters or join in via a bike seat or trailer.
5. Build a Backyard Fort or Tent
Pillows, tarps, blankets, rope — whatever works. Build it, then hang out in it. Forts tap into the universal love of hideouts, and they create a space that feels like it belongs to both of you.
6. Movie Night With a Twist
Pick a film you both like (or take turns choosing), but make the night feel intentional: turn off phones, make popcorn together, maybe even build a fort and watch it from inside. Add a theme or dress-up element for extra laughs.
7. Start a Two-Person Book Club
Choose a book to read together — out loud, or in parallel — and talk about it. Great for older kids and teens, it opens the door to real conversations. Graphic novels, mysteries, or funny memoirs often work well.
8. Create a Music Playlist Together
Sit down and build a “Dad + Me” playlist. Include favourites from your childhood, their current obsessions, and songs you discover together. It’s a great way to share stories and find common ground.
9. Go on a Mini Road Trip
It doesn’t have to be far — even a half-day drive to a nearby town, museum, or nature reserve can be memorable. Let them choose the snacks, make the playlist, and navigate. It’s about the journey more than the destination.
10. Try Backyard Camping
Set up a tent, roll out the sleeping bags, and make hot dogs or s’mores (even in the microwave). You’ll be close enough to bail if needed, but far enough to feel like an adventure.
11. Take a Nature Walk or Urban Exploration Hike
Explore trails, bushland, or even unfamiliar parts of your city. Give it a loose mission — find cool rocks, spot birds, take photos of “weird stuff.” The key is curiosity, not cardio.
12. Work Out Together
Kids love copying what Dad does. Turn your home gym, push-up routine, or stretching session into a fun shared activity. Use water bottles as weights or set up an obstacle course in the backyard. Keep it short and playful.
13. Build Something From Scratch
LEGO, model kits, robotics sets, or good old cardboard and tape — build something that takes time and teamwork. Projects like this teach patience, problem-solving, and shared pride in the finished product.
14. Do a Science Experiment at Home
Make a vinegar-and-baking-soda volcano, a DIY lava lamp, or homemade slime. You don’t have to be Bill Nye — just embrace the mess and the learning. It’s equal parts play and discovery.
15. Plan a Volunteering Day
Sign up to help with a park clean-up, food drive, or charity walk. Helping others, side by side, shows your child what you value and builds empathy through action.
16. Invent a Family Holiday
Make up your own annual tradition — like “Waffle Day,” “Backwards Dinner Night,” or “Super Silly Socks Saturday.” The weirder the better. These are the things kids will talk about for the rest of their lives.
17. Use the ‘Adventure Jar’ Trick
Write a bunch of activity ideas on slips of paper — fun ones, lazy ones, wild ones — and put them in a jar. When you’ve got a few spare hours, pull one out and do whatever it says. It turns indecision into surprise fun.