Father’s Day Gift Ideas for
Healthy Dads
It’s Father’s Day again so you are probably scratching your head trying to figure out what gift to get your dear husband or dad. Another neck tie? Socks? Grill accessories? Yawn. We can do better than that, can’t we?
One of the greatest gifts we can give the men in our lives is the gift of health and happiness so here are a few of our favorite gift picks:
All Weather Sun Hat
Encourage dad to get outside and get active by giving him an all-purpose sun hat. These are great for working in the yard, hanging at the beach or doing activities such as fishing, kayaking or hiking. Most have a UPF rating of 50 which is great if dad doesn’t have as much hair as he once did.
Water Bottle
Encourage dad to drink less soda (or beer…) and try (gasp!) water by giving him a reusable water bottle. And not just your regular, old, plastic variety with the little flippy sip thing. He probably already has one of those. Instead, get him a BPA free water bottle with filtration system. BPA stands for the chemical bisphenol A and is used to harden plastics for the production of things like plastic bottles. It has been linked to hyperactivity and learning disabilities in children, immune deficiencies and other serious conditions. The bottom line – a quality, BPA free, reusable water bottle is a MUST. There are many to choose from so just make sure the one you purchase says BPA free on the label. By far, my favorite water bottle is the Bobble. These awesome little reusable bottles come in a variety of colors, are BPA, Phthalates and PVC free, and start at around $10. Fun fact; every Bobble filter equals 300 plastic water bottles so you get to be a good environmental steward too. Get dad a manly green or black one!
YMCA Membership or Class
If dad hasn’t been particularly active for awhile, buying a big chain fitness club membership might leave him feeling a tad intimidated, so for this reason I prefer the YMCA. There are thousands of locations worldwide, each offering a variety of fitness, sports, educational, community and enrichment programs. Whatever your dad or husband is into, the YMCA probably offers it. If your dad is retired many YMCA locations offer a “Fit Over Fifty” class that focuses on cardiovascular and endurance training. For the younger guys, they offer everything from Adult Soccer to Karate. You could purchase your favorite guy time with a personal trainer or sign him up for message therapy. Visit the YMCA website to find the location nearest you to find out what classes and programs are available.
Baseball Game Tickets
Father’s Day is the perfect time of the year to get the family together to enjoy an evening or afternoon at a local baseball game. You do not have to live near a professional Major League (MLB) team or stadium. There is probably a Minor League affiliation near you. You can check the MILB.com website for more information. Minor League teams often have theme and special nights where they give away prizes. You can usually purchase a gift certificate that will cover a couple of tickets, drinks and snacks. Check with the colleges or high schools in your area too. It doesn’t matter who is playing! The gift will be hanging out with the family for an afternoon of good, old fashioned, American summer fun. But beware the ballpark food! Keep it healthy by staying away from the chili dogs and cotton candy.
Smart Pedometer
If the man in your life is more of a tech guy than a jock guy, then this little gadget is pretty cool. It’s a “smart pedometer” that does all the stuff a traditional pedometer does but with the added bonus of monitoring your activity and behavior and motivating you to do more. It tracks your progress too and allows you to compete with friends. They aren’t cheap though – the Striiv website sells them for just under $100. Amazon and Best Buy offer them for around $70. If your dad already has an iPhone then you can probably get an app for free that does everything the Striiv does but, for all the other dads out there, this little tool might just be the perfect motivator to get them moving.
D.I.Y. Father’s Day Idea: We Love Dad Because Photo…
This is simple, cheap and effective. Have the kids write why they love daddy on a large sheet of paper. Decorate it. Color it. Whatever. Try to make them as personal and heartfelt as possible. “I love daddy because he makes funny sounds when he reads The Very Hungry Caterpillar to me.” will probably mean more to dad than “I love daddy because he is nice.” When the drawings are done, line the kids up and take their pictures holding up their signs. Print. Frame. Done. Bonus – the kids can give dad their drawings too. Make sure they sign and date them.
This idea would work for your husband or your father. Use baby pictures of yourself with your dad, caption them and frame. Might want to give dad a box of tissues too.