Father’s Day 2009 :: Gift Ideas
This year, Father’s Day falls on June 21, 2009. So, what are you going to get your dear old dad this year? Considering the poor state of the economy, people (and kids) across the country and around the world are trying to save more money and cut down on costs. That’s why this year we’re giving you some cost-cutting ideas for Father’s Day gifts – things you can make yourself that will still show your dad how much you care about and appreciate him without breaking the bank.
Homemade Father’s Day Cards
If you’re the creative, artistic type (and even if you’re not), why not skip the store this year and make your dad a personalized and unique Father’s Day card at home. Don’t be afraid to get totally creative with the materials you use to make the card. We recommend materials like feathers, colored beads, string, pieces of colored fabric, felt or faux suede, pre-cut letters, stencils, stickers, colored markers, pencil crayons and crayons, etc.
One fun idea is to make your dad a Father’s Day Tie Card. Get a colored piece of paper and cut the shape of a necktie (like your dad may wear to work or for special occasions) out of the paper. Glue it onto a different colored piece of paper that’s been folded in half so it opens up like a greeting card. On the tie, copy the poem we’ve written out for you below, or write something original for your dad (see the next gift idea in this article). On the inside of the card, wish your dad a Happy Father’s Day and sign your name. For an extra dded touch, turn the card over and write the name of who made it (YOU!) in small letters on the back – just like a real card you’d buy at the store!
Super Daddy!
Some daddies are short
Some dads are tall
Some fish and some hunt
And some like to play ball
Some chase a ball
Around a golf course
Some dads work as actors
And some ride a horse
Some dads like to fix things
When they are broke
Like dishwashers, sprinklers
And bicycle spokes
Some daddies teach school
And some work at the mall
Some dads are policemen
Some dads are on call
Some dads work on computers
All day 'til they're tired
Some dads have gray hair
And now they're retired
Some dads are adopted
And some are not
But however we got them
We love them a lot
So whether you fish
Or hunt or play ball
Whether you're short
Or even quite tall
Whatever your role
As a Daddy may be
Today you are a
SUPER DADDY to me
Other Father’s Day Cards
You don’t have to use the shape of a tie for your card if there’s something else (a different object) that makes more sense for your own dad. Here are some other ideas for shapes you can use on a card:
Poems For Dad
If you feel like writing your own father’s Day Poem instead of using one that someone else wrote (like the Super Daddy poem we wrote out above), here are some tips to get you started.
No. 1: Observe your dad for a little while before you write the poem. What does he look like? What kind of clothes does he wear? What does he like to do? What does he like to do with you? What are some of his favorite things?
No. 2: Check out a book of poetry from the library or your parents’ bookshelf. Read a few poems to yourself to get some ideas of how they work. Are the poems you read rhymed or not? What is the structure of the poems? How many lines in the poems?
No. 3: After you’ve read a few poems, think about the ones you liked and the ones you didn’t like that much. You can base your own poem on the style of poetry you like best.
No. 4: Before you start writing, think about what you want your poem to say. If writing a poem all about your dad seems too complicated, why not just write about one of your favorite memories with your dad? Or how about one of your feelings about your dad? Shorter topics may make it easier to write.
No. 5: Start writing your poem. Once you have a first draft written down, read it out loud to yourself. Does it sound good? Does it flow the way you want it to flow? Does it say everything you want to say about your dad?
No. 6: Go back and edit your poem to make it just right. Take out any words that don’t make sense and add new words that make more sense. If you’re writing a rhyming poem, try looking up words in a rhyming dictionary to see if you can find a better fit.
No. 7: Every poem has a title, so think of a good one for yours!
Crafty Photo Frames
In this day of digital cameras, you probably have a whole lot of photos saved on your computer. Sometimes when we put pictures on a computer we forget to look at them. Maybe your dad would like to see one of these pictures (of you and your dad, your brothers and sisters, or your whole family) off the screen and on his desk at work or in his office at home? You can even make your own photo frame to put the picture in – we’ll show you how!
The first thing you’ll need to do is print off a hard copy of the photo you want to put in the frame. Get your mom, older brother or sister or another adult who knows a lot about computers to help you print off a color copy of the photo.
Now that you know the size of the picture, you can make the correct dimensions for its frame. Get a piece of sturdy paper (thick construction paper, poster board or cardboard from an old box) and trace the outline of the picture on it. Then use a rule to widen the traced boxed on all four sides. Cut out the bigger square.
If the paper you used to cut out the frame is colored or brown (cardboard), you may want to cover it with another sheet of thinner paper or a coat of paint so it’s easier to decorate.
Now it’s all up to you and your imagination. Using feathers, colored beads, string, pieces of colored fabric, felt or faux suede, pre-cut letters, stencils, stickers, colored markers, pencil crayons and crayons, etc., decorate your photo frame any way you want (or how you think your dad would like it). Then, with tape or glue, attach the printed-out photo to the frame, so that it fits perfectly at the edge. You can attach a string to the top of the frame so your dad can hang it on the wall, or make a little stand with a piece of cardboard cut out in the shape of a triangle and glued to the back of the photo/frame.
More Cards For Dad’s Day
If you’re looking for a card that’s a little simpler to make than a cut-out paper card, try one or these three suggestions.
Nutty card
To make this card you’ll need: a plain white piece of paper, colored markers, a piece of black construction paper and glue.
On the white paper, draw a picture of a peanut and color it in brown. Color the background purple. Next to the peanut, write this in black felt: I’m nuts about you dad! Glue your drawing to the black construction papers, so the black edges show, making a kind of frame.
Top Dog Card
To make this card you’ll need: one piece of brown construction paper, one plain white piece of paper, colored markers, a piece of blue construction paper, scissors and glue.
Draw an outline of a dog on the brown construction paper, making his ears long and tall like rabbit ears. Cut out the dog. Glue the dog to the white piece of paper – but DON’T glue down its ears. Fill in the details of the dog with the colored markers: draw a nose, eyes, whiskers, a dog collar, etc. Then, fold down the ears so they look like folded dog ears instead of bunny ears. At the bottom of the white paper, under the dog, write out the following words: My dad is top dog! Then glue the whole thing down on to a piece of blue construction paper, so the blue edges show, making a kind of frame.
Apple Of My Eye Card
To make this card you’ll need: a plain white piece of paper, one piece of red construction paper, a real apple cut in half, red paint, green paint, two small google eyes, glue and colored markers.
Take the apple half and coat it with red paint (not the peel but the white part of the apple). Quickly press the painted side of the apple down on the white piece of paper. Once the red paint dries, you can add the details of the apple, like a stem, a big green leaf, etc. Next to the apple, use the green pain or a green marker or crayon to draw a little caterpillar. Instead of drawing in his eyes, glue the two google eyes on his face.
Next to the caterpillar and the apple, write out the following words: “Dad, you’re the apple of my eye. I love you to the core!” Then glue the whole thing onto the red construction paper, so the blue edges show, making a kind of frame.
Other Homemade Gifts For Dad
More Father's Day Gift Ideas:
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