Free & Low Cost Father's Day Treats If You're On A Budget

It's Father's Day in the UK on Sunday 19th June and you may be rushing around trying to find something suitable for the kids to give to their dad. Let's be honest, it usually falls to us mums to sort these things out, doesn't it?

Dads all have their own unique personality, don't they?

But what do you do if you are strapped for cash? For many of us it's an expenditure we can do without.

It is possible to celebrate the day without spending money and by involving our kids we can help them to understand that the true reason behind the day is to show their dad how much he means to them.

For some, Father's Day is fraught with potential difficulties if, for example, parents are separated or divorced.  For others, Father's Day will be spent in quiet reflection thinking about the dad who is no longer with them.

These ritual of these annual celebrations is often emotionally, as well as financially challenging.

But if you are all going to be under one roof for the day, here are some ideas you might want to try, depending on the ages of your kids of course.

- let dad have a lie-in!

- bring him breakfast in bed (this one needs quite a bit of supervision in this house).

- record his favourite sports fixtures and let him have a 'sports' day' where he can sit in state in a comfy armchair whilst the kids bring him a drink and snacks.

- make him his favourite sweet - fudge for example is quite easy to make but again you'll need to supervise the kids with that boiling sugar.

- let the kids clean his car - or at least clean out their mess from the back seat (Fruit Shoot bottles, sweet wrappers, crisp packets!)

- dress the kids up as butlers, cooks and servants and get them to serve dinner Downton Abbey style

- get them to write secret messages on the loo roll (well, dads do tend to spend ages in there, don't they)?!

- the kids can make home-made cards and banners and decorate them themselves.

The dynamic duo have a number of cunning plans for Father's Day apparently

- why not make a 'cheque book' of promises from the kids e.g. "I promise to tidy my room", "I promise to help you clean the car", "I promise not to wake you before 7:30 am on a Sunday"

- how about making a scrap book of old family photos that have a special meaning to him or create some online photo collages ?

- get the kids to recreate his favourite TV programme - how about getting them to do a mini 'Top Gear' using their bikes and scooters or toy cars in the garden.

- older kids can write dad a special poem.

- give dad his absolute favourite Sunday lunch - in our house this will involve Sticky Toffee Pudding but the kids could dish up some jelly and ice-cream with sprinkles...

- have a gaming competition - if you have something like a Wii or just a good old fashioned game of rounders in the park, or skimming stones into the sea

- find the lyrics to dad's favourite songs online and get the kids to give him a show.  The thought of Caitlin and Ieuan having a Killswitch Engage concert for The Husband is, um, intriguing.  Although a whole heap better than an afternoon of Amon Amarth and their shouty Viking rock.

- make hand or foot prints using poster paint and frame them simply with some plain card.

- get dad to play Sherlock.  Hide a simple gift like a bar of dad's favourite chocolate in the house and get the kids to write a series of clues to its secret location.  If he doesn't find it, he has to share it.

- help the kids to make a sign for dad's shed or his 'man cave' using some strong card. Stick it up and throw a few strings of fairy lights around the space to jazz it up a bit.

No matter how you choose to acknowledge the day, the most important thing is to spend time together.

These days we are all so strapped for time, Father's Day is a great opportunity to make some special memories.

And it doesn't have to cost a fortune.