This Father’s Day gift guide focuses on gifts that dads and kids can enjoy playing with together.
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Mike is an awesome dad. He makes up amazing bedtime stories for our kids, takes apart electronics with them, and draws little notes for them when he goes out of town. He works hard at work and plays hard at home (he helps with household chores when he is at home, too), so when we are looking for Father’s Day presents we often end up with cards and then something for him to do with the kids. I’m sure I’m not the only mom who does this, so today I am sharing some gift ideas that dads will love, as well as kids!
Father’s Day Gift Guide: Dad and Kids Play Edition
Table Top Tennis. This is the set we have, and it has held up well so far! We have friends who rigged a board on a stand, which should hold up FOREVER. We don’t own any woodworking tools (although they are on my personal wish list) and we didn’t have any ping pong paddles or balls, so this seemed like a pretty economical solution.
A nice chess set. I like these wooden European style ones; Mike prefers this roll-up type, so that’s what we bought since he is much more of a chess player than I am. My type is definitely better if you want to play “king and queen make diplomatic visits”, or “knock the chess pieces over bowling style using marbles”.
Hotwheels race track. Because cars are fun to play with, and these tracks make them even cooler.
Snap Circuits. This lights set is our personal favorite, and thanks to a couple of gifts plus one purchase we own three different Snap Circuits sets now!
A LEGO Technic set. There are several neat sets, but the one I linked to features a pull-back race car. I am a bit disappointed that LEGO no longer appears to make LEGO Technic figures. My brother made some awesome stop motion animation movies with his. Note to LEGO: if you do bring them back, please make sure there are some girls! I always wanted a set with a girl figure!
What would you add to this list?
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MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
That table top tennis looks like loads of fun.
We have really enjoyed it!
We love snap circuits as well. Another good one by the same company (Elenco) is their Electronic Playground. It’s a little bit more challenging, so it’s perfect for those who have mastered snap circuits already or are a bit older.
I highly recommend snap circuits too!
Love this theme for Father’s Day gifts! Awesome ideas for Dad and Kids having play time together!
The Lego technic sets are new to me but so cool! Buying them now for a bday gift!
Fantastic list! I love the picture of Mike and Johnny playing table tennis!
This is a great list. In our house Lego, of course, rules for every holiday :)
more board games, lots more games. That seems to be the go to gift in our house. Or Legos.
What a great theme for Father’s Day gifts! I think anything with throwing or kicking balls would work in our home! And my husband has been wanting to teach our eldest how to play chess.