Preschool Father's Day Activities and Lesson Planning Ideas

Below you can find tons of fun and engaging Father's Day Activities! Pick and choose the activities for your lesson or download a free copy of our Father's Day Preschool Lesson Plan to save you time!

Club Members have free access to all of our Father's Day activities and this
Father's Day Theme Planning Guide for free!
Not a member? Find out more about our membership

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Father's Day Preschool Theme Map

Sign up below to get a free copy of the sample plan we created using ideas found on this page!

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For creativity this week, consider offering an invitation to create a gift for dad!
Dads are going to enjoy anything their little ones make. I especially enjoyed giving personalized gifts that they can look back on and reminisce about how young their children once were. Some of my favorite gifts to give are handprint crafts, or photo albums that contain childcare photos of their children from the year. Here are few ideas from our readers.

Father's Day Mugs

Dad Mugs shared by Sheena W. of Building Blocks Family Childcare

Create a Special Card

The templates included in our Father's Day Activity Pack make it easy for preschoolers to custom make a card for Father's Day. These fun bookmarks from the pack are another great gift!

Father's Day Grill Plates

Aren't these grill plates shared by Community Member Jenna L. so adorable?

My Dad Rocks

This Father's Day craft Karen M. shared can be made by kids of all ages.

Personalized Drink Cozy

Help dad keep his drink cool with a Personalized Drink Cozy shared by Rosann K. ​

Grill Mitt

Community member Debra R, shared this grill mitt gift she made for Father's Day!

Love you to the Moon and Back

This sweet keepsake for father's day was shared by Community Member April D.

Tape Resist Art

Tape resist canvas art shared by Sheena W. ​of Building Blocks Family Childcare

Personalized Sign

Lori C. Provided wood blocks for the children to paint, and then used a stencil to paint the saying on top, so cute!

I love you to pieces frame

Here is a tutorial for how to make this fun "I Love You to Pieces" frame

Dad Collage

Set out collage materials and pictures of children with their dads for creating collages. 

Father's Day Card

Invite preschoolers to make a card for their dad for Father's Day.
Provide vocabulary cards with words they may want to copy such as: Dad, Love, You, Happy. 

Dress Like Dad

• Dress like Dad. Do a little research to find out what professions the Fathers in your program are in. Add dress shirts, Suit Coats, neckties, Helmets, Men's Shoes (Boots, Dress Shoes), Keyboards, Cell Phones, Keyboards, Tool Boxes, Brief Cases, etc. to your space.  Add Photo's of your Daycare Father's to the space
  

Car Wash

Why not treat dad to a car wash while getting in a bit of pretend play? 
Our Car Wash Dramatic Play set makes setting this invitation up a breeze!

Barbecue Dramatic Play

Set up a grilling dramatic play invitation! Find out more about this adorable grill on Kate's Creative Space
These fun DIY Felt Hamburgers are so easy to make-Check out the Tutorial on Little Family Fun.

Workshop

Set up a workbench and tools this week. Provide your students opportunities to repair and fix household objects.

Car Maintenance

Set out some tools, and ride on cars this week. Have you student practice car maintenance.
Don't forget to set up our car wash dramatic play set when it's time to wash them!

Add Father Figures

Add lots of family figures to the block center this week. Be sure to include men of different generations.
Also include male animal figures such as a daddy lion and a cub. 

Shaving Cream Tower

Give children foam blocks and shaving cream and see how high they can stack the blocks.

Dad Statue

Set up an invitation to create a dad statue out of recycled food cans and bottle caps. You can also leave out a variety of other recycled materials such as milk jugs, toilet paper rolls, newspapers, etc.
Place photos of their Dads in a book, or in the space for inspiration.

Dad Faces

Leave out pattern blocks and invite children to create a portrait of their dad using the blocks.

Dad Blocks

Make your own blocks featuring your students Dad's.

Language & Literacy Activities

Every great lesson starts with a good book! Here are a few of my favorites for this theme!

All About My Dad Survey

Have Preschoolers dictate their responses in the All About My Dad Survey (there 2 versions included in the Pre-K Printable Fun Father's Day Activity Pack)

Available in our Shop!

Dad's Name Scavenger Hunt

Write the name of each child's dad on a shape and hide it around the room. Challenge children to find the shape with their dad's name on it. If they are not yet able to sound out or recognize the name by site you can give clues such as "Your dad's name is written on a blue circle" or write the names on a chalkboard and place a picture of the child next to it. 

Father's Day Beginning Sound Scavenger Hunt

Have students look around the room and find items that start with either "F" for Father or "D" for Dad. You can give students baskets to carry with them to gather the items or a clipboard and paper and they can draw the items. Come back together and share what they found.

Write Letters in Shaving Cream

Put shaving cream in trays and have students practice writing different letters with their fingers

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What Dads Can't Do by Douglas Wood
Made For Me by Zack Bush
Froggy's Day With Dad by Jonathon London
A Perfect Father's Day by Eve Bunting
Just Me and My Dad by Mercer Mayer
I Love You Daddy by Jillian Harker

Father's Day 2D Shape Matching*

Practice matching 2D shapes (and build fine motor skills at the same time) with this set of baseball shape clip cards found inside the Father's Day activity pack.

Tie Sorting Activity*

Build color matching skills with this tie sorting activity inside the Father's Day Activity pack.

Compare and Sort Father's Day Objects*

Compare and sort Father's Day objects with the Time with Dad matching activity inside the Father's Day Activity Pack

Measure the Tie

Gather ties of various lengths. Have children use unifix cubes to measure each tie.

Father's Day Patterning

Have children complete patterns using items associated with father's and father's day. This set of patterning strips can be found inside our Father Day Activity Pack.

Father's Day Weight Exploration

Take the items used for the Father's Day Mystery Box (See Science and Discovery Section) and have students weigh them. Have them predict which item will weigh more.

Sort the Family

Use Family Counters and have students sort by different attributes (color, size, parent, child, pet, etc.). Set up a container with the family counters all mixed together and containers to sort each category into. Give students tongs, scoops, etc. to pick up the people and sort them into the correct container.

Learning Grill

Our Learning Grill number matching game is a great addition to this theme!

Create Your Own Shaving Cream Sensory Dough

Combine shaving cream and corn starch for a fun sensory dough.

Grow a Dad

Use borax to grow a crystal dad! Combine borax and boiling water and then add to a jar. Have children use pipe cleaners to make a personal shape. Attach the pipe cleaner people to a craft stick and string. Put into the borax mixture and observe for 24 hours. Have children predict what is going to happen and make observations during the day.

Father's Day Mystery Box

Put different dad themed items (ties, hammer, etc.) into boxes. Cut a hole in the top of the box. Have students reach in without looking and feel the object. Then have them guess the item. You could even get your children's dad's involved by asking them to send in an item to use for the activity!

Shaving Cream Car Wash Sensory Bin

Put shaving cream in a container along with small toy cars. Invite children to drive the cars through the shaving cream. You can even challenge them to make certain shapes or patterns.

Tie lacing Cards

Print out pictures of ties on card stock. Laminate and then punch holes around the outside of the picture. Add string and have students lace the string in and out of each hole.

Give Dad a Shave

Print off dad faces and laminate. Add shaving cream to the face and have students use their fingers or other tools like spatulas to give dad a shave and remove the shaving cream

Father Says

Instead of Simon Says, consider playing Father Says! Be sure to include instructions that will get children moving their body in a variety of way to exercise all their muscles. 

Father's Day Puzzle

Work on fine motor skills by setting up an invitation to create a Father's Day Puzzle. Have parents bring in pictures of each child with their dad. Laminate the photos, then provide scissors for children to cut into shapes or strips. 

Play "Father May I?"

A twist on the classic game "Mother May I?" Have children play "Father May I?" Children line up next to each other. One player is in front of the line and is the "father" of the game. The "father" calls out a child's name and tells them how they can move. Example: Michael hop 3 times. Then the child called on must say, "Father may I?" before moving. If they do, they get to move forward following the direction. If not, they have to go back to the start.

Dad Relay Race

Set up a Dress Like Dad Relay Race: Set a pile of men's clothing at one end of the room (be sure to include a variety of clothing such as small men's t-shirts, button up shirts, baseball hats, and clip on ties).  

I can move like an Animal Daddy

Call out names of different animals to move like.
For example "Pretend you are a Bear Cub and move like your daddy.

Who is your person?

Part of keeping children safe and healthy is making sure they are able to state the name of their parents or caregivers. During large group time give each student an opportunity to say their dad's name (first and last) and share something they like to do with their dad. Be ready to provide support for students that may not know their dad's first and last name (have them written on a card for reference). 

Family Structure- Group Discussion

Talk with children about how there are all different types of families.

Host a Dads and Donuts Party

Invite Dads in for a celebration. Serve donuts and juice.
If your program doesn't do meal service, consider creating breakfast to go bags with the kids in your program, have their child include a fun note to include. 

Dad Job Fair

Invite dads to come in and talk about their jobs so that children can learn about different careers

Dad's Emotions

Print off blank faces and invite students to use play dough to create different emotions on the face.
They can even decorate to look like their own dad (hair, eye color, etc.)

Dads around the World

Have a discussion about the different ways to say "Dad" in other languages. What do your students call their Dad?

June Holidays

Help students learn about the months of the year and the holidays that always happen in June like Father's Day.

Fill Dad's Shoes

Filling Dad's Shoes: Provide men's shoes in a variety of styles and sizes for children to try on. Encourage discussion about what type of shoes their dad wears and what it really means to "fill dad's shoes."

Before this lesson..

Reach out to parents, to have them provide several photos of Dad that can be used in these activities.

Dad Bulletin Board

Set up your parent board with photos of fathers when they were a baby
next to photos of their children as babies . 

Club Members: can download all of these products for free! Not a member? Find out more!

Father's Day Preschool Activity Pack

$5.00

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Learning Grill Math Recipe Cards

$4.00

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Car Wash Dramatic Play Pack

$5.00

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