10 Free and Thoughtful Father’s Day Gift Ideas

As Father’s Day quickly approaches, many of us are wondering what gift to get dad this year. Barbecue grills, TVs, and golf clubs are great, but sometimes all it takes is a message of appreciation, straight from the heart.While you can purchase a really cool gift (check out the Ultimate Buy Black Father’s Day Gift Guide for some ideas) there are other ways to honor fathers and father figures.

Here are some creative gift ideas to honor dad on his day.

Use your camera to film a short documentary. Ask siblings, kids, and extended family members to share their favorite stories and the best advice they’ve ever received from dad.

Host a Father’s Day Cook-off Competition. Invite family and friends over to recreate some or your dad’s favorite meals. Of course, dad is the judge and chooses the winner.

Create a customized coffee table book. Include family events such as weddings, graduations, and father-daughter-son moments from your childhood.

Sign Dad up for a class. If he’s been talking about learning how to fly a helicopter or paint, find a class and sign him up.

Write a short personal essay or poem. Talk about key events in your childhood or the influence your dad has had on your life. (E.g., 10 Life Lessons I Learned From Dad.)

Build something. Whether it’s a birdhouse, shed, or backyard deck, if your dad loves spending his free time making things, these are all great bonding experiences.

Make a playlist. Pick some of dad’s favorite songs and create a playlist for him. As an added touch, include a few songs that remind you of him and save them to a USB flash drive.

Volunteer in the community.While honoring your dad on Fathers Day, donate your time to helping others who are less fortunate.

Plan a Father’s Day Olympics. If your dad loves sports, a day of competitive activities, such as swimming, a relay race, or even basketball, will make his day.

Spend quality time. Nothing beats quality time with family. Whether it’s spending the day watching movies or barbecuing in the backyard, the memories made are priceless!