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8 ways to make this Father’s Day special

A man smiles as he reads to the smiling child on his lap.

June 14, 2024—Looking for ways to celebrate this Father's Day? Try these fun ideas for spending quality time together that will work for kids, dads and father figures of all ages. An added bonus: Making your favorites a new habit may even help the dads in your life stay healthier in the long run.

1. Have a healthy cookout. Show Dad your appreciation by letting him relax while you do the grilling yourself. Choose some options lower in artery-clogging saturated fat, such as these healthy suggestions from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

  • Lean proteins, like skinless chicken breast or up to 99% fat-free turkey burgers.
  • Veggies with olive oil and herbs. A few good choices: squash, corn on the cob, red peppers, eggplant and portobello mushrooms.
  • Fruit kebabs made from pineapples, peaches and mangoes.

2. Schedule a video chat. Does your dad live far away? If you can't visit in person, try the next-best thing: a Father's Day video call. Maintaining social connections may help support your dad's health by decreasing loneliness and isolation, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) reports. If your dad or grandfather isn't tech-savvy, ask family or friends where your dad lives to help get things set up smoothly.

3. Make dad time story time. Children whose fathers read to them tend to have better literacy and language skills, which may help set the stage for future employment success. Let your child pick the book. Or, instead of reading one from a book, make up a story to tell your child. Have your children outgrown story time? Start a Father's Day tradition of sharing a favorite poem.

4. Team up for family game night. It's more than fun and games. You can experience a sense of joy, relaxation, social connectedness and reduced stress. Brain games, such as doing puzzles together, may even help stimulate the mind and protect against memory loss, according to the NIA.

5. Get sporty. You're never too old to toss a ball with Dad. Or how about hosting your family's inaugural Father's Day basketball or volleyball game? Get the whole family moving—it's a healthy habit to build.

6. Launch a healthy journey together. Do you and your dad share a common health goal? Maybe both of you have wanted to participate in a 5K race or shed a few extra pounds. It may sound clichéd, but every journey starts with a single step—and Father's Day could be that step. For 5K training, you could start with a short Father's Day run or walk. If weight loss is your goal, the two of you might start by simply committing to your long-range plan and supporting each other.

7. Take a hike. Whether you hike a forested trail or a city park, you're doing heart-healthy aerobic physical activity and burning calories. And for many people, nature is a mood lifter.

8. Tell each other your best dad jokes. Laughter promotes positive feelings, improves your mood and may strengthen the relationship between you and your father or children. Don't worry if you don't know any dad jokes. You can learn some here.

Focus on the future with preventive care

Another great way to celebrate Dad is to encourage him to get the health screenings he may need.

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