by Dee Cain

Created on: June 09, 2009

King for a Day

Children love making crafts for any occasion and sometimes they can keep a secret just long enough to surprise an unsuspecting parent. Combine both of these activities and you have the making of the King for a Day surprise. The surprise doesn't have to be elaborate simply start planning what you would like to do for Dad.

Start by using gold or bright yellow craft paper to make a crown. If there is a Burger King restaurant in the area ask for an extra crown. Either use the crown as is or trace the crown on craft paper, cut it out and glue the craft paper to the original crown for support. Once you have the crown ready to decorate, let the children use their imagination to personalize the crown for their father.

Next plan a special breakfast. Mom may have to do the cooking of items like eggs and bacon but the children could make toast, pour orange juice or set the table. Even the smallest child could take grapes off the stem after hands and grapes have been washed. Make it a family affair with everyone pitching in.

Make dad a special shirt for the day by purchasing a plain white tee shirt and letting the children decorate it with fabric paint. Wash the tee shirt and dry it in the dryer before starting the decorating process. Fabric paints adhere better to shirts that have already been through the washing machine. Use the fabric paints to write "World's Best Dad" or "King for a Day" then let the children put hand prints on the front with paints. As an added touch add there names under each hand print. The possibilities for decorating are endless especially if you let little imaginations take over.

Plan an activity for the special dad to do with the children. Perhaps a day in the park or a trip to the zoo. Just about anything will work as long as the children get to spend quality time with their father,

Gifts for Dad doesn't have to be expensive either. Help the children make a coupon book for their father. The coupons could offer to take the trash out without asking or helping dad wash the car. Ask the children to think of ten activities they would like to do to for their dad and put them on a coupon. Something as simple as no interruptions during a movie or sports game would be an appreciated gift.

While tickets to a major sports team can be costly, check with the local summer league baseball clubs to obtain tickets for a game. These are a form of minor league baseball teams that play in many cities around the country. Some tickets cost as little as $9 for adults and offer family viewing areas where you can take your own lawn chairs so the parents can watch the game while the children can play on playground equipment nearby.

End the evening with a movie at home. Everyone can relax and wind down from an active day. Mom don't forget to tell the little ones that anything planned is a surprise and hint that this kind of activity filled day could be a great gifts for Mom too. who knows maybe the next birthday or Mother's Day you just maybe Queen for a Day. Little minds may seem to not be listening but we all know they never forget many of the things we tell them.

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