FUN ACTIVITIES FOR DADS TO CONNECT WITH THEIR KIDS

Written by Lance Green 

Dads play an irreplaceable role in the child’s development and shaping their future. Children look up to their fathers as pillars of support, security, and strength. 

Studies suggest that involved dads who are affectionate and supportive, greatly impact the child’s cognitive abilities, emotional well-being, and self-confidence. Therefore, a strong father-child bond is essential for the child’s growth.  

How do you bond with your child? Many fathers think that to form a good bond they need to do something large-scale. But truth be told, it is the little things that count. 

Here are some fun activities for dads to connect and bond with their kids. 

Play Games Together 

Bring out the inner child in you and be your child’s playdate. Have a tickle party, snowball fight, or any other childish thing that comes into your head.  

This may be a great way to bust some stress and lift your mood while bonding with your child. Make the most out of it. The frequency and how long you play is up to you but try to play with your child at least twice a week. 

You can even play video games together. Show them the OG way of doing it or get whooped by your junior.  

By playing video games with your child, you can also impart tips on the internet safety and inculcate healthy habits. 

Be Physically Active Together 

Get physically active together with your child. Start from a young age and nurture healthy habits in your child. Chances are that your child will stay active throughout their lives when they realize the benefits.  

Riding a bicycle, or taking a stroll in the park, or anything that gets their heart rates up and forces them to break a sweat. 

You could also be their first coach and teach them a couple of outdoor sports, like baseball, basketball, or badminton. This will give you a ton of memories to cherish as your child grows up, strengthen your bonds and develop a liking for physical activity in your child. 

Bedtime Songs, Stories and Books 

Dads can read their children their favourite childhood books before bed every night. Books like the Panchatantra tales or Arabian Nights can also be useful in imparting some sensible thoughts to your child.  

You can tell them stories instead of reading a book. Dads can modulate their voices for extra effects and make it more fun.  

Dads can sing their children to sleep, or just have fun singing silly songs together. Use different voices and be the silliest you can. 

Pretending to be a sleeping monster works too. Wait for your child to come closer to you and then catch and tickle them.  

Do Chores with Your Child? 

Get your child to help you with chores. Cook up something with your child, maybe bake some cookies or make a tasty smoothie or even a cuppa joe. You can have a ton of fun and don’t forget to click some cute pics, which you can use as collateral later in life.  

Want to get your backyard cleaned? Create a cleaning game or just ask your child for help. That will make them feel good about themselves and they’ll help you with it. Weeding, raking, or just collecting trash from the backyard can all be good physical exercise as well. 

Celebrate Traditions 

If there is something you used to enjoy doing with your dad, pass it on to your child. Keep the traditions going. Go to that fishing spot where your dad taught you how to cast a line and repeat for your junior.  

If there are no traditions as such, start one! Traditions will remind them of the good times they spent with you later in their lives.  

Give Your Child the Choice 

Put your child in the driving seat and go with how they want to spend time with you. Your kid might come up with a ton of activities and keep jumping from one to another. That’s okay, just go with the flow. 

Bottom Line 

Dads not only influence how kids grow and their skills but also affect how kids treat other people. The way you treat your child is how your child will treat others.  

The point is that dads play a far superior role than what we thought. Establishing a strong dad-child bond is essential to good character development in the child. These fun activities will help you impart some healthy habits to your kids while building a good father-child bond.