April starts with a bang when it comes to dad-and-daughter activities because the first is designed for dads to play tricks and games on their girls.
I remember how hard my daughters tried to trick me on April Fool’s Day, just to have bragging rights of pulling one off on their pitiful father. Take extra fish oil to keep your mind sharp so you can stay one step ahead of the young pranksters.
If you’re married, April 1 is also a great day to conspire with your daughters to pull a fast one on mom, too. Just be prepared to counter the gag with a special treat.
Here is a calendar for the other special days planned for April. May these suggestions help you plan one-on-one activities or do special group outings to commemorate the actual and made-up holidays:
April 2 – International Children’s Book Day
Reading together still matters, even when daughters are older and can read on their own. However, if she is young let her pick out her favorite book for you to read, or challenge her to read it to you as you patiently help her sound out tough words.
A one-on-one activity could be to visit a local used bookstore and allow your daughter to pick out one or two books for her own library. Don’t forget, places like Salvation Army and Goodwill stores often have books for just a few dollars.
For older kids, challenge them to read a certain number of books this month or quarter. To encourage her, offer a special incentive.
I know fathers who pay their high school-age daughters to read specific motivational classics or books that provide valuable life lessons. Here are a few I recommend:
- “Rich Dad, Poor Dad for Teens” by Robert Kiyosaki
- “7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey
- “Do Hard Things” by Alex and Brett Harris
- “Life Skills for the Teenage Soul” by Elizabeth James
- “You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life” by Jen Sincero
What are your daughters’ favorite books? I’d like to recommend them, too. Let me know at greg @ dododads.com.
April 10 – National Siblings Day
This day is ideal for a group outing with all your kids, boys and girls. Stress the importance of maintaining strong relationships with each other because they will be a source of support when you’re not available.
Teach them that sisters are supposed to be more like teammates, each with unique skills and traits, instead of rivals. The same holds true for brothers.
Activities you can do as a family in support of National Siblings Day include:
- Recreating old photos – Try to mimic the pose of a photo taken when the kids were really little. It will bring back fond memories and create something fun to keep or share.
- Create a meal featuring each child’s favorite food served buffet style.
- Play a board game with a twist – The loser has to tell an embarrassing childhood story.
I remember giving each of my daughters a special bracelet I had designed for them. It was not a gift for Siblings Day, but I presented it to them the first Christmas after their mother and I were divorced.
It was a cord of three strands and each strand was highlighted by a charm with the initial of each girl – K E or B. I explained the Bible verse from Ecclesiastes 4:11-12 saying that a cord of three strands is not easily broken. I believe my daughters still wear theirs on occasion.
April 22 – Earth Day
This is a great day to demonstrate proper stewardship for our planet. You can explain how pollution works to impact everyone. Show pictures of the “trash island” floating in the Pacific Ocean and explain how careless disposal of litter works to destroy the earth’s beauty.
Activities you can do one-on-one or as a family include:
- Simply take a walk together to pick up trash in the park or along the side of the road.
- Look up what can be made from recycled products.
- Plant a tree in front of your house. My father did that with me when I was 4 years old. Today, the tree towers over the two-story building.
- Plant a garden with each daughter selecting her favorite type of flowers or vegetables. Watch as it grows over time, then enjoy the harvest together.
April 23 – Take Your Daughter to Work Day
Many companies create special opportunities for children to accompany their parents to work on this day. But, even if they don’t, it would still be a good idea to have your daughter accompany you for half a day.
Introduce her to your co-workers and ask them to explain what they do for the company as well as what special skills or education they need to do their jobs.
If you are self-employed, maybe you could call on a client or teach your daughter to do an important task around the office, like taking inventory, stocking supplies, filing papers, preparing orders, etc.
This is an ideal day for your daughter to spread a little sunshine around your office by bringing donuts or healthy snacks and delivering them to your co-workers.
Conduct a debriefing over lunch to discuss what she liked and didn’t like about your workplace.
I know some fathers who refer to this as “Take Your Daughter to Learn How to Build Someone Else’s Dream Day.” So, if you are entrepreneurial, use the day to talk about the pros and cons of self-employment. Help your daughter start a business or do some brainstorming about the kind of business she would like to have someday.
Then, encourage her by giving her resources to study or connecting her with people who are already doing what she would like to do.
April 25 – National First Ladies Day
Here’s an opportunity for dads and daughters to learn about the women who worked behind-the-scenes and, sometimes in the forefront, to support their husbands who were presidents of the United States.
Most of our first ladies championed special causes. Find a first lady who was an advocate for something your daughter cares deeply about.
It’s also a great day to explain how women can have power and influence even when they are not directly in the spotlight.
April 30 – National Prepareathon Day
Emergencies happen when we least expect it, or worse, at the most inopportune time. There are lots of things dads can do with their daughters to prepare for emergencies on a day like this:
- Test smoke alarms or change batteries.
- Conduct a fire or tornado drill.
- Teach your daughter how to use a fire extinguisher.
- Teach your daughter how to escape from her bedroom by showing her how to open the window. Assure her it is okay to break it in a true emergency.
- Pack “go bags” with clothes, non-perishable food, medications, cash and other essentials that can be stored in a closet and ready to grab and go in an emergency.
- Pre-program emergency numbers into everyone’s phones.
- Create contact lists for family members with phone numbers, email addresses and their actual addresses.
Other special days
There are a lot of special days scheduled in April, all of which provide an opportunity or excuse for dads to do memorable things with their daughters. They include:
- April 2 – National Burrito Day plus National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
- April 4 – National Play Outside Day
- April 5 – National Nebraska Day when the state was admitted to the Union
- April 5 – National Deep Dish Pizza Day and Learn to Read a Roadmap Day
- April 6 – National Student Athlete Day and National Popcorn Day
- April 8 – National Zoo Lovers Day
- April 10 – National Farm Animals Day and Encourage a Young Writer Day
- April 11 – National Pet Day
- April 12 – National Colorado Day when the state was admitted to the Union
- April 12 – National Only Child Day and National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day
- April 13 – National Peach Cobbler Day and National Scrabble Day
- April 15 – National Purple Up! Day where everyone wears something purple
- April 15 – National Banana Day
- April 18 – National Animal Crackers Day
- April 19 – National North Dakota Day when the state was admitted to the Union
- April 20 – National Look Alike Day
- April 22 – National Jellybean Day
- April 23 – National Picnic Day and Teach Your Child to Save Day
- April 24 – National Pigs-in-a-Blanket Day
- April 25 – National Celebrate Trails Day
- April 26 – National South Dakota Day when the state was admitted to the Union
- April 26 – National Kids and Pets Day
- April 27 – National Gummy Bear Day and Tell-a-Story Day
- April 27 – National Prime Rib Day (okay, this one is for dads only)
- April 28 – National Superhero Day and Blueberry Pie Day
- April 30 – National Oatmeal Cookie Day and Bugs Bunny Day
Thanks to National Day Calendar for the dates and suggestions. There are plenty more that aren’t included in the list above. Feel free to peruse the free website for more inspirational ideas.
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