Celebrate Father’s Day with the National Inventors Hall of Fame

There is no getting around it: Parenting can be tough. And over the past two years, it’s been especially so. Parents have had to think on their feet and transform their homes into classrooms where their families could learn, work and adapt together — and they’ve done all of this while teaching kids how to be persistent, innovative problem solvers who can overcome any obstacle that stands in their way.

For this Father’s Day, we should all be extra appreciative of the amazing fathers in our lives and let them know what an incredible job they’ve been doing. To help children say thanks and spend quality time with a special dad you know, we invite you to adapt the activities below for Father’s Day!

Craft a Homemade Card

Brighten any Father’s Day by helping children create a homemade, light-up card. Using two pieces of construction paper or cardstock, have kids first fold the pieces of paper in half. Then, invite them to come up with a design for the front of the card that would be enhanced by a small light. Taking an LED, place one exposed wire from the LED on one side of a AA battery or coin, and move the other wire on the opposite side. Using tape to secure the wires in place, and an additional piece of cardstock to hide the battery, the LED can now appear on the front of the card after poking a tiny hole through the paper. Inside the card, kids can write a personal message for an awesome dad.

Superhero Dad  

Modify this activity by making a comic book that illustrates the many things a dad does each day. To begin, invite kids to create a list of reasons why they are thankful for their father. Next, encourage them to decide which of the items on the list they want to draw. Use a ruler to draw boxes of a few different sizes on a sheet of paper. Children can number each box and then draw a picture representing an idea on their list in each one. Children can tell a story by drawing different scenes in sequential order. Maybe this could depict all of the things their dad does each day. The comic could also represent the different qualities that make him amazing, or even favorite activities they’ve done with him.

Paper Football

This activity invites families to explore the science of aerodynamics with customized paper footballs. First, construct two goalposts using objects found around the house, like popsicle sticks, tape and plastic cups. After finding a smooth surface to act as the game field, fold sheets of paper into different shapes including squares or triangles, or even crumple the paper into a ball. Together, families can discover which paper shapes travel the farthest and highest!

Thank You!

The National Inventors Hall of Fame^® would like to thank every dad as they guide and encourage the little innovators in their lives.

For more activities and ideas for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fun at home, we invite you to visit our blog