A Perfect Way to Honor Dad on Father’s Day

(Image by Matthew Henry from Burst) 

When you think of popular gifts to give Dad on Father's Day, what comes to mind?  Tools, clothes, gadgets for grilling out, maybe a golf outing or tickets to a sporting event? All of these are items that most fathers would certainly enjoy, but how about something a little more meaningful that can’t be bought, but instead comes straight from the heart?  

Creative gifts that highlight what makes Dad such a great father often mean more than material objects (although gifts that include quality time with Dad are also cherished).  Typically it is usually easier for younger children to create sentimental gifts because you can’t go wrong with a handprint keepsake, a handmade coffee mug or a keychain with a picture of Dad and his child(ren).  However, older children may have to use more of their imagination to come up with an idea that shows Dad just how much he is loved and admired.

Fortunately, we have a perfect way to honor Dad on Father’s Day……….write about him!

While this may seem daunting at first, it really isn’t that hard. It doesn’t have to be long. In fact, we are going to tell you step by step how to help your children write a short paragraph that will make Dad feel treasured and appreciated.  

1.  Pick a writing topic or prompt that will motivate your child(ren) to include many examples and ideas in their writing.  Check out these websites for some examples of Father's Day writing prompts:

         https://www.journalbuddies.com/prompts-for-holidays/writing-prompt-fathers-day/

         https://writeshop.com/fathers-day-journal-prompts/

2.  Create a web to help organize their writing.  In the center of the paper, write the main idea of the essay.  For example, if your child wants to write about how much they enjoy spending time with Dad, then they would write,  “I love spending time with my Dad” in the middle of the paper. Draw a circle around it.

3.  Challenge your child to come up with at least 3 examples or reasons that support the main idea (why they like to spend time with Dad).  Each reason would be listed on a line that comes from the main idea written in the circle.

4.  Draft the paragraph using the following outline:

1. Topic sentence:  Tells the main idea of what the paragraph is about. For example. “I love spending time with my Dad because he makes me laugh and I have fun with him.”
2. Detail sentence:  Supports the main idea with an example/reason from the web. “He takes me to the park and plays chase with me until I can’t run anymore.”
3. Detail sentence:  “If he tags me, he will tickle me so that I’m laughing so hard I can barely breathe.”
4. Detail sentence:  “Sometimes, he will take me to get ice-cream at Dairy Queen even if we haven’t eaten dinner yet.”
5. Closing sentence: Restates the topic sentence in different words:  “I always look forward to spending time with my Dad!”

5.  Edit for spelling and grammatical mistakes.

6.  Type or write the paragraph neatly onto lined paper.  

As you can see, making a memorable Father’s Day gift does not have to involve expensive gifts or extravagant gestures. All you need is some time and reflection about why Dad is loved and respected. Put those thoughts onto paper and we guarantee it will be a gift that Dad will cherish for years to come