Summertime is on the way, and so is Father’s Day. This year, step beyond the traditional gifts and have the kids in your children's ministry show appreciation for the father figures in their lives in unique and heartfelt ways.
From personalized crafts to quality time spent together, there's no shortage of ways to make this Father's Day memorable. Dive into our handpicked list of 10 Father's Day gift ideas perfect for children’s ministry classes and beyond!
This Father's Day, Offer Heartfelt Words ...
Through a Class Song!
During the weeks leading up to Father’s Day, teach kids in your Sunday school class to sing a Father’s Day song. Songs that say thank you to dads are a beautiful gift for fathers and a chance to see their kids perform in the classroom or on stage!
With a Thank-You Card!
Writing a personal thank you card to Dad is very meaningful. Give kids some ideas of things they can say thank you for such as time spent together, the ways dad takes care of them, and the ways dad provides for them.
Kids can add drawings to their thank you cards and write a special message just for Dad.
Encourage children who don’t have a father in their life to write a card to a grandparent, close family member, or close family friend.
With a Father's Day Poem!
Writing a poem on Father’s Day is a wonderful way to give kids a chance to be creative. Encourage kids to begin by writing a list of things their dad likes to do, what their dad is like, and why they are thankful for their dad. Next, using the list, ask kids to write a poem all about their dad. It can either be writing to their dad or about them, whichever they prefer! When kids are finished writing, give them a choice of colorful design paper to glue their poems on to give them a nice finished feel.
Give Dad a Special Father's Day By ...
Spending Quality Time Together!
Give each kid a paper with the words, “On Father’s Day, my gift to you is a day of ____ together.”
Discuss with the kids about what their dad likes to do. Bring up a few ideas such as golfing, fishing, hiking, reading a story, bike riding, camping, cooking, etc. Once the children come up with an idea of something that their dad enjoys doing, ask them to write it on their paper.
At the bottom of the page, have them draw a picture of them spending quality time doing that activity with their dad. Instruct kids to give this to their father as an invitation to spend time together.
This is a wonderful gift to give fathers because it invites dads to spend some quality time with their children and make memories together.
Giving Dad a Day Off!
Have the kids brainstorm some ideas for things that their dad does around the house and yard and ask them to write them down on a list.
After they have created their list, ask them to circle the things that are safe for them to do. Examples could be taking out the trash, weeding the garden, or vacuuming the living room.
Next, tell the kids that they will be giving their dad a “Day Off” by creating coupons for their dad to use. Examples could be, “I will take out the trash for you,“ or "I will help you with a project around the house,” etc. Instruct kids to make at least 3 coupons offering to do the items they circled on their lists.
This is a great way to teach kids to help those around them and to show them how much they appreciate the work their father does every day!
Organizing a Game Day!
This gift is all about the games a child’s dad likes to play. Whether he prefers board games, video games, racing go-karts, baseball, or basketball; it’s game day!
Give each kid a blank invitation that they can fill out for their dad. Remind kids to pick the kind of games that their dad likes to play. Ask them to leave the date blank so that their dad can be part of planning a day that works for everyone’s schedule.
Then have the kids fill out the remainder of the invite with the kind of game, location it is, who is attending, etc. Kids can make it a day just with dad or an invitation for the whole family together.
Make Father’s Day Crafts Like ...
A Custom Father's Day T-Shirt!
Provide fabric markers or fabric paints for kids to design a t-shirt for their dad. Be sure to have M, L, XL, and XXL shirts available. A great way to find out what size the dads are is by asking parents to write what size t-shirt Dad wears during check-in.
Before you get started with the craft, ask kids questions like,
- What is your dad’s favorite hobby?
- Where is your dad’s favorite family vacation spot?
- What does your dad say a lot?
- Does he have any famous family quotes?
- What do you always see your dad doing?
Encourage kids to create a t-shirt just for dad based on his interests, things he always says, or a favorite family activity. One example could be to draw a lighthouse from the beach that a child’s family goes to every year. On the back of the T-shirt, they could write “We are burning daylight” just like their dad always says when he’s trying to get everybody down to the beach!
Be sure to explain that the t-shirt should be personal for their dad or father figure to enjoy. Give each kid a piece of paper and pencil to sketch a rough draft on before they put it on the shirt. Be sure to check their spelling!
A "Dad Rocks" Craft!
Collect rocks ahead of time for this craft. You will need 1-inch and 2-inch size rocks.
Using acrylic paint pens, ask kids to draw a face and hair on their small rock. Next, ask kids to paint their larger size rock their dad’s favorite color. Instruct kids to write “You rock, Dad” on it, and then set it aside to dry on a paperplate with their name on it.
Once the rocks are dry and kids are busy with other activities, ask some adult volunteers to hot glue the head on top of the solid color rock. This will look like a head on a body. Once it is dry allow kids to carry home their “dad rocks” on their plate and tell their father, “You rock, Dad!”
A "Big Shoes to Fill" Craft!
Begin by printing out a shoe print color page like this one and making copies for each kid. Next, have the kids color the shoe print with their fathers' favorite colors.
Then, using white paint, instruct kids to make a footprint on top of their "dad's" shoe print. Do your best to center it inside of the shoe print. Take a break from the craft to let it dry.
After it has dried, have kids cut out the shoe print and glue it onto a piece of construction paper. Print out the words, “Dad, you have big shoes to fill, but one day I’d like to follow in your footsteps!”
Have kids cut out and glue this message on the bottom of their page before signing their name in marker.
A Book About My Dad Craft!
Give each kid a piece of paper with the words printed, “A Book about My Dad!” and 7 pieces of blank paper. On the first page have kids write “By” and their name under the title.
For the first 6 pages, instruct kids to write one sentence about their dad and draw an illustration to go with it. On the very last page, ask kids to write one or two reasons they are thankful for their father and include another illustration.
Tell kids to put their books in order from the first to the last page so that you can staple them together. Fathers will love reading the books their children created about them.
Be sure to include a few cover pages that say “A Book about My _______!” for children who don’t have a father in their lives and would like to create the book for another guardian instead.
Embrace the Spirit of Appreciation
Father's Day is not just about the gifts we give; it's about the sentiments we share and the memories we create together. This year, help your kids' church kids focus on the gestures that speak volumes about their appreciation and love for the dads and father figures in their lives. Whether it’s a handcrafted gift, a day spent doing their favorite activity, or a simple yet profound expression of gratitude, these acts of kindness and recognition can make Father’s Day truly special.
