Father’s Day Gift Guide

Father’s Day is less than two weeks away and if you’re scrambling for gift ideas (ahem… me!), I hope today’s blog post is a welcomed one! I’m not sure why it always feels harder to shop for the guys in my life than the women but, year after year, that seems to be the case. That being said, when I come up with a gift I know Ryan, my dad, my brother-in-law or my father-in-law will absolutely LOVE, it feels like a major victory and I’ve thankfully had some good wins over the years!

Today’s blog post includes an assortment of gifts, many of which are gifts that have received a big thumbs up from the men in my life in the past. I hope a few of the gifts below jump out at your for a very loved father or father figure in your life!

Father’s Day Gift Guide

• Experience Gift

The best kind of gift! Whether it’s tickets to a sporting event, concert, museum exhibition, movie, musical, etc. or a special date or mini vacation planned by you, an experience-based gift is the gift that comes with lasting memories. Experience gifts are my favorite to give and to receive and I know Ryan agrees!

• Custom Marshmallow Roasting Sticks

I could not wait to surprise Ryan with a set of these custom marshmallow roasting sticks for Christmas last year! We’re planning to have a fire pit at our new house and also hope to take the boys on lots of camping adventures in the future, so I knew they’d be a huge hit. I love the rustic look of these sticks and Ryan absolutely loved this gift!

• Father’s Day Scavenger Hunt

If you want to get the kids involved in the Father’s Day fun, this is a great way to go! Have the kids think of hiding places for clues, let them decorate the clue cards, etc. (Etsy also has a lot of adorable printable options if you want to make it a little easier on yourself.) I love the idea of the scavenger hunt leading to the kids’ gifts for dad and this is an idea I will be implementing in our house with the boys this year!

• Cocktail Cubes

I gave these to my dad for his birthday gift on Friday and he thought they were so unique! Simply drop one of these cubes into a shot of alcohol, wait a couple of minutes, muddle everything together, and enjoy. Pair these cocktail cubes with a pair of classy cocktail glasses for the dad who loves a fun drink!

• MaaMgic Swim Trunks

We discovered this brand thanks to their swim trunks for boys (I ordered a pair for Chase and they were a hit!) and now Ryan and my brother-in-law both love their men’s swim trunks, too! The price point is great (most are under $20!) and there are a ton of different prints and solid colors and various lengths available.

• Food-Themed Gift

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the vast majority of men out there love food! (I know I certainly do!) A unique food-themed gift is a great idea for the guys out there who love to cook, bake and EAT! Some ideas: Ice cream maker (you guys know this one gets a LOT of love in our house!), Ooni Pizza Oven (a big-ticket major wish list item!),  sampler of various BBQ rubs, grill prep trays, organic coffee sampler, DIY whiskey kit, Vitamix blender (a splurge but we’ve had ours for 10+ years and use it daily!), assorted Italian spices

• Father’s Day Itinerary

Plan out the whole day from start-to-finish for dad and surprise him with an itinerary in the morning when he wakes up! I love the idea of planning a full day of dad’s favorite things! You know the men in your life best but an itinerary for Ryan might look like this: Beginning the morning with hot cakes and sausage from McDonald’s (Ryan is a 12-year-old boy at heart when it comes to his fav foods) followed by fishing and lunch on the boat. While I handle the nap trap for boys, I’d send him off for a deep-tissue massage and when he arrived home, we’d hang by the pool and grill out at home for dinner before getting the kids in bed early and watching whatever random movie he chooses together after they’re in bed. Ryan also loves family adventures, so I know a day of hiking at a local state park or a family trip to the zoo or aquarium would be a hit with him, too!

• Summer Apparel

With the first official day of summer right around the corner, Father’s Day pops up at the perfect time to refresh your favorite guys’ wardrobe with some new summer staples. Some summer favs that have received positive reviews in our house: Hari Mari flip flops (Ryan loves that these work for both the pool and around town — his fav is the gray pair), lululemon linerless shorts (Ryan, my dad and brother-in-law love these), Nike UV bucket hat with drawstring (Ryan’s go-to for sun protection on the boat and at the beach) and adidas slides (I joke that Ryan had these when they were cool, kept wearing them when they weren’t cool and now they’re cool again — it’s a cycle!)

• T-Shirt or Socks from the Kids Featuring Their Favorite Things

One gift our boys always get into giving to Ryan is a t-shirt, button-up shirt or socks featuring animals or creatures they love. You can find a lot of surprisingly nice tops for men with reptiles, dinosaurs, rocket ships, superheroes, butterflies and other kid favorites on them! (BONOBOS is my favorite for fun prints that aren’t too in-your-face or cheesy!) Ryan has received shark, dinosaur, donut and vizsla socks from the boys and loves the button-up lizard and shark tops they’ve given him in the past. He says they make him smile because he thinks about the boys when he wears them and they often result in complimentary comments from other dads who have animal-loving little ones, too, and totally get it!

Additional Gift Ideas

• Car Detailing (I’ve done this for Ryan in the past and he appreciated it so much.)
• Portable Charger (The BEST portable charger with built-in cables. Super slim and allows you to charge multiple devices at once.)
• Dremel Cordless Electric Screwdriver (The handiest thing ever. Ryan and I both use this thing all the time and it makes odd jobs around the house a little less painful!)
• Yard Games (Corn hole, bocce ball, ring toss, etc.)
• Digital Picture Frame (I especially love this idea for grandparents! You share photos and videos from your phone or by email straight to this frame and they rotate for loved ones to enjoy.)
• Lightweight Camping Hammock (Ryan sets this up in our yard but also packs it to bring along on beach vacations, cabin trips, etc. The kids love it, too, so it’s a great gift for kids to give to dad.)
• Helinox Ultra Lightweight Collapsible Chair (I don’t know what it is about this chair but Ryan and my brother-in-law are obsessed. This is the newer high-back version.)
• Osprey Poco Child Carrier Hiking Backpack (For the dad who loves to hike! This is the updated version of the backpack we’ve used with the boys and it’s great!)
• BOMBAS Socks (A hit with every guy in our family!)

Question of the Day

Please share any Father’s Day gift ideas below!