It can be hard in today’s digital landscape not to get caught up in the lavish picture perfect birthdays we see posted on social media. But a birthday is so much more than that. It’s a chance to celebrate your kid in that exact period of their life—so we wanted to find birthday traditions that Dads did for their kids that were fun, unique, and special to them each year.
Here are some of their annual birthday traditions:
● Balloons. By in large, balloons were the biggest tradition dads did every year. From balloon nets (balloons held to their door by streamers) to balloons in the room to water balloon fights, it’s all about the balloons. If you choose to go the balloon route, may we offer some set up music for your listening pleasure.
● Carte Blanche Dinner. For one night, and one night only, your kid gets to pick whatever he or she wants for dinner. Ice cream? Done. Sushi? Done. Salad with a side of french fries? Done. It doesn’t matter how crazy of an idea, that’s what they’re getting!
● Send Something to School. Whether it be flowers or your kid’s favorite lunch, it can make them feel really special to have something delivered to them during a school day.
● A ‘Yes” Day. It’s exactly as it sounds. For one day, your kiddo gets to pick out whatever they want to do (within reason of course – unless you’ve prepared for a spur of the moment trip to Disney). Maybe it’s a trip to Target to pick out a gift, a fun afternoon at the zoo, and a great dinner and dessert to finish the day. The fun part about a yes day is that it’ll most likely change from year to year.
● Scavenger Hunt. Now, this one does require some set up work, but it can make a birthday really fun as you watch your kids figure out the clues and race off to the next location. Plus, if you do it after they’ve had their birthday dessert, it will help burn off some of that sugar!
● Birthday Interview. Each year, sit them down and ask them a set of questions, and film their answers. It’s a fun way to see how they grow and change over the years and also capture who they were at that exact moment. We recently interviewed a Dad that did just that, and it is incredibly moving.
Find a new birthday tradition to start? We hope your kids will enjoy these birthday traditions as much as our Dad Community has.
For more articles like this, podcast episodes, and events, sign up for our weekly newsletter, ‘The Dad’!
Contributors:
@ThatGuyThatSaysWords, @SuccessfulMumenRider, @mattbag1, @bearded_bustah, @xrock83, @rust-e-apples1, @-ecow, @4score7loko, @SquidgeyPants, @AJP51017, @BrodyMC83, @cjh10881, @Copenhagan