Father's Day Ideas for Daycare Kids Including One W/o "Daddy"

Updated on May 25, 2011
M.B. asks from Milwaukee, WI
16 answers

Hi everyone. I was wondering if any of you have ideas for me. I work in daycare and I need to come up with cards from my toddlers for Father's Day, except one of my families does not have a father in the home and would be offended if I gave them something "to Daddy." Normally I would do the "Walk a little slower, Daddy" poem with the child's footprints. I would like to do the same thing for each of my five families, and I don't want to leave anyone out. Do you have any ideas for an artwork/poem I can make with my 1-year-olds to celebrate Father's day for my families with "Daddy" that I can also do for the family w/o "Daddy"? Many thanks for any ideas you have for me. *Peace*!

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J.D.

answers from Green Bay on

We are lacking a daddy in my house and my sitter always had my girls make me a "Happy Father's Day Mommy!" project. I absolutely loved it! They simply replaced "father" with "mommy". There is a child there being raised by her daddy, and she did the same thing on Mother's Day-Happy Mother's Day Daddy! This way, all the kids were doing a project and it helped to teach the kids that there are all different kinds of families.

5 moms found this helpful

P.M.

answers from Tampa on

As a single Mother - I loved getting "Happy Father's Day Mommy!" cards!

Single Mothers do it all - which means they are recognized on both holidays!

3 moms found this helpful

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V.T.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter did a picture with her hand prints and a poem, "When my Hands Were Very Small". I'm sure you can google it and find the words. It's not gender specific, but it talks about the impact those little hands will have in your life.

5 moms found this helpful

L.B.

answers from Biloxi on

Yeah, that is a hard one.

My son didn't have a Dad around for many early childhood and elementary things. Father/Son day at school I either kept him home, or one of his friend's father volunteered to be "dad" for the day.

It is a touchy thing to do parent specific crafts with a group of kids.

But, how about you have the fatherless child do the same poem but replace Daddy with Mommy? Then write a little note to go with it telling the Mom how much you admire her being both Mom and Dad to her child and expressing what a wonderful job she is doing raising her child.

I have to admit, I lean towards child care providers and schools becoming gender non-specific in family events. Parent and child day is so much better (easier?) than Father/Mother and child day.

God Bless

5 moms found this helpful
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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

How about changing Daddy to "for me"? It would fit any family group, even when a child is cared for by a grandparent. I have never heard of the poem, but now I need to write it down--love it. And instead of the heading FOr my Dady , you could just put in "from me" or "from the child".

3 moms found this helpful

C.W.

answers from Las Vegas on

I would just let the child without a daddy to do one for mommy or grandpa. My daughter doesn't have a dad in her life (he just isn't interested in her) and that's what I would tell my cousin if she was doing something for father's day. My dad is a dad lol so if she made one for him since he is a big part of her life it's be cool with me :) Can you just take out the word daddy in the poem and replace it with mommy or make a slightly different one for grandpa (I don't know how close grandpa is to the child).

2 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

How about an Apron for dad? Let them hand print or Finger paint whatever they want onto an apron? I have purchased them at craft stores.

For the child that does not have a Dad, how about the gift be for mom? She is both mom and dad..

Or ask mom if she is going to do something for Grand dad and the child could do the craft for him..

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H.W.

answers from Portland on

You know what I'm doing with my preschoolers for Father's Day: I'm going to the dollar store to buy frames for photos. Then we'll glue shells or seed pods or buttons onto the frame, and I'll put a photo of each child in them, to give to the parent.

You can also do a more generic message for the family without daddy, or even just ask the mother if she would like something for her dad (the child's grandfather)... You will know better than I would if this is a question she would respond positively to. In any case, what I usually do is just a simple "mother/father, thank you for...." and let the kids dictate to me what they are thankful for. You can keep this one more generic if you choose to by just doing the 'thank you for' part.

Hope this helps!

2 moms found this helpful
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S.C.

answers from Des Moines on

I'm a very single mother, and either getting a surprise something for "the woman who does it all" OR getting asked ahead of time if there's a special man in my son's life he'd like to honor would be wonderful

2 moms found this helpful
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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi,

What about doing a "self-portrait " and then having them make frames and you can put like to my wonderful daddy or to my wonderful uncle etc. for the one who doesn't have a daddy--- I know my hubby always enjoys hand made gifts that come from the heart. GL!

M

2 moms found this helpful
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R.M.

answers from Cumberland on

Do they have a Grandfather or a special Uncle in their life? Otherwise-we all have one Father.

2 moms found this helpful
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R.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

I also have a day care and make the "Walk a little slower Daddy" for their dads. Does this child have a grandfather or uncle that is in his life. If so then just change the words from Daddy to Grandpa or Uncle Jim

One of my favorite poems is the hand-print one where it starts out "My little handprints play patty-cake they peek-a-boo and wave…" If you goggle handprint poems something should come up. I make a border around cardstock paper, print the poem in the middle and then put their handprints on either side of the poem. Put their name and date at the bottom of the poem and then frame it with a inexpensive frame.

1 mom found this helpful
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F.W.

answers from Miami on

Single mom here and I always got a card on both mothers & fathers day. Lucky me!! :) Plus my dd gets her Grandad a card on fathers day too "To my Grandad on fathers Day". aw cute. lol

1 mom found this helpful
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A.B.

answers from Fargo on

Is there a Grandpa or an uncle that the child is close to? That's what I would do for Father's Day before my mom remarried.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.G.

answers from Rapid City on

I wrote a poem for Grandpas when my granddaughter was a year and half old.

My Grandpa
by S. Gose

My hands and feet are very small
I reach your knees, I'm not very tall
I look to see the love in your eyes
My Grandpa who seems so very wise

My hands and feet may be very small
I reach your knees, I'm not that tall
You'll teach me a lot being my best chum
I have a lot to learn in the years to come

My hands and feet may be very small
I reach your knees, I'm not that tall
Hold my hand & I'll hold onto your finger
As we explore the world; come on, let's not linger

I put that with her handprints and gave it to each of her grandfathers and great grandfathers. You can change it daddy or mommy if you like it.

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K.D.

answers from Milwaukee on

Hi there,

We have a picture of our two boys in a foam frame that I really like. We got it from our daycare for Father's Day. It has the saying-I/We love you to pieces Dad (replace with Mom-maybe) and then there are old puzzle pieces around the frame. Just use bright colored form that kind of match an old puzzle that you don't have all the pieces for anymore.

Just something a little different for you.

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