8 ways to treat Dad this Father's Day

Funky homemade gifts are a great way to show Dad how much you care this Father’s Day. Getting ‘crafty’ is great fun too and of course the kids will love pitching in to help.

To help get your creative juices flowing, here are some fabulous Father’s Day gift ideas from some of our favourite bloggers.

Let him have the remote for the entire day

Put your dad in control this Father’s Day
Image source: Bee in our Bonnet

If actually giving Dad sole access to the remote control this Father’s Day is a step too far, you could make him this quirky cookie from Kathryn and Ashleigh at Bee in our Bonnet instead.

You’ll need an easy cookie dough recipe and fine tipped icing bags, each filled with a different colour to draw on the buttons.

The trick with cookie dough is to chill it before use. Once you’ve made the dough, roll it into a sausage shape, wrap with clingfilm, and put it in the freezer for an hour before rolling it out.

Place your real remote control on the dough and carefully cut around it. After baking, allow to cool, then use the coloured icing to recreate the design, colours and shapes of the buttons on the cookie.

Pick of the Pops

Dads rock!
Pictured: 12' Black Record Cover Frame - £9.95

Few things conjure up happy memories like music, so show Dad that he’s ‘Top of the Pops’ with a special music-themed treat.

If there’s a vinyl album he loves or that brings back happy memories for him, don’t let it sit on the shelf unplayed. Instead, frame it in one of our sleek and classy record cover frames, and hang it on the wall so that every time he sees it, he’ll be reminded why he loves it so much.

Dazzle Dad with breakfast in bed

Treat dad to a ‘manfood’ brekkie in bed
Image source: Toby Scott via Homemade By You

Treat Dad to a scrummy breakfast in bed that will really wake his tastebuds up. Writing for Homemade By You, Carol Hilker shares a brilliant recipe for a breakfast taco served with an indulgent combination of steak and eggs.

Her top tip for ensuring that the dish is cooked to perfection is to make sure that you rest the steaks for 2 minutes before cutting into strips and serving.

While the steak is resting, fry your eggs and warm the tortillas until they’re slightly puffed up. Serve with tomato ketchup or brown sauce and a big mug of tea. Yummy.

You’ve got to hand it to him...

A first Father’s Day is a very special one, so why not mark it with a keepsake gift for Dad to treasure? Anna from The Imagination Tree shows how to make a baked handprint keepsake.

A lovely way of freezing your baby or toddler’s hand prints in time, Anna’s simple recipe is made from sand, flour and water mixed together in the same way you make pastry. Divide the mixture into four balls, roll to around 2cm thick and place on a baking sheet.

Next, get your little one to press a hand into the dough and decorate the edges ‘using small shells from beach trips and party craft supplies.’

Place the handprints into an oven preheated to 120 degrees and bake for 4 hours until thoroughly dry. If they’re not set, Anna says to 'take them out and gently turn them over, then put them back into the oven for another hour or two to harden the underside.'

The key to Dad’s heart

You’ve got the lock and he has the key(ring)
Image source: One to One Midwives

How about a keepsake for a dad on the go? Skye Meakin from One to One Midwives suggests a great way to turn a baby or small child’s handprint into a keyring. She says: 'this is a really lovely way of treasuring a newborn’s tiny hand and footprints and you can carry them with you wherever you go!'

All you need is some shrinkable plastic and non-toxic felt tip pens. Simply add a little ink from the felt tip pen onto your child’s finger or thumb and press it onto the shrinkable plastic to make a fingerprint.

Cut around the print, turning it into any shape you like and make a small hole for the metal keyring to go through. Place the plastic on some aluminum foil and bake in the oven for two minutes. Remove from the oven to cool then attach a metal keyring and your gift is ready to wrap.

A cup that cheers

Don’t take Dad for a mug, show him how much you care!
Image source: Leanne’s Blog

If Dad’s a champion tea drinker, he’ll love his own personalised mug! Tink at All About Tink suggests creating your own designs on plain cups using Sharpie pens.

To make sure your artwork is perfect, Leanne from Leanne’s Blog recommends practising your design on sketch paper before you start drawing on the mug.

Get funky with your design or keep things simple with a heartfelt token of affection, like the one shown above. Once you’re happy with what you’ve drawn, bake the mug in the oven for 30 minutes to set the ink.

Give him a sweet treat

For dads with a sweet tooth
Image source: Delicious Magazine

You’ve made the mug, so why not fill it with a sweet treat? Delicious Magazine have a tasty recipe for easy homemade marshmallows you can cut into bite sized squares.

All Recipes say that the beauty of homemade marshmallows is that they’re: ‘Gorgeous in a mug of drinking chocolate, mixed into a homemade chocolate ice cream recipe or simply eaten on their own.’

To make the softest, dreamiest marshmallow possible, mix the gelatine with cold water or fruit juice and only stir in the warm sugar and syrup when it’s fully absorbed. This ensures a smooth, lump free mixture that sets perfectly.

Enhance your marshmallows with flavours you know Dad loves. Delicious suggest you try ‘spices, coffee, chocolate, nuts, vanilla, liqueurs, berry fruit and citrus’. They also rate ‘flavour combinations such as cherry and vanilla, raspberry and lemonade, and blueberry and cinnamon.’

Ticket to relax!

Give Dad a ‘timeout’ voucher
Image source: Halfpoint

Is Dad the kind of man who says he doesn’t want anything for Father’s Day? You could always make him a coupon book full of special treats he can use when he feels like he needs a timeout. Blogger Francesca from Sevenoaks Mum suggests looking online for printable templates, but you could easily design your own.

It’s then over to you to decide which delights to offer. If you’d like some inspiration and ideas, the team at Parenting Support Centre suggest vouchers for ‘breakfast in bed, a Sunday morning lie in or free car washing!'

Father’s Day gifts at dotcomgiftshop

Still not sure how to treat Dad this Father’s Day? Here at dotcomgiftshop, we’re only too pleased to offer you a great selection of gift options for the main man in your life.

Pictured (from left to right): Daddy Cool Nose & Ear Trimmer - £9.95, Colour Wheel Mug in Gift Box - £6.95, Modern Man Manicure Set - £4.95