Last Minute Big Boy Toy Ideas for Father’s Day

by Matthew Worwood

Ok, I’ve been thinking about Fathers Day, and what us Dads want other than the new Apple Watch. Below are some last minute big boy toy ideas that might reengage our childhood play and/or creativity. If you’ve already got something – fear not – these can be additional Father’s Day gifts from the kids. I’ve added $ signs to indicate their price and all are available from Amazon. Those with one symbol are $50 or below, those with three symbols are over a $100. Please, please, please feel free to post some additional ideas, I will post this article again next year and can include these suggestions.

  1. Lego ($): I would say Lego is a safe bet for most Dads, but if you’re looking for the right box set, play it safe and buy one of the movie classics like Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Star Wars (make sure it’s from the original films), Lord of the Rings, or Indiana Jones. If you’re looking for something a little more sophisticated look into the Lego Creator or Lego Architecture collection.
  2. Google Cardboard ($): Today my wife said asked me what I purchased on Amazon yesterday for $23, I said Google Cardboard, she said ‘what’s that’. I said don’t worry about it! Google Cardboard is just cool, especially for it’s price. At the moment there’s not an immediate application in the home environment, but it might be of interest for the Gamer and will certainly spark the curiosity of any technology enthusiast.
  3. Arduino Starter Kit ($): There’s a lot to write about the Maker Movement, but these mini/build your own computer sets are growing in popularity and make for a great gift for any dad who’s interested in electronics or computer science. It’s also highly likely that this toy will soon expand into weekend activities with the little ones that might one day lead into a creative outcome that expands outside the home.
  4. Remote Control Helicopter ($): About five years ago my sister in-law purchased a remote control helicopter as a Christmas present. This was one of the best gifts I’ve received as an adult, and I’ve already upgraded it twice. Be sure to get a single propeller with flashing lights. These ones are challenging to fly, but not overly complicated. It’s also something the kids can learn to fly with some guidance. Mind you the Hot Wheels Flying Car is pretty cool as well.
  5. GoPro Camera ($$$): We don’t need to over think this one – or cameras in general. This are artistic gifts that have the power to get the creative juices flowing, especially if it’s accompanied with a video tutorial subscription or book. I would also say that this is another useful item to add to the household.
  6. Telescope ($$): How often do we look up at the Stars? I think a telescope would be a great way to reengage our childhood curiosity and generate new knowledge in an area that is probably unrelated to our work – this is a good thing, especially when it will likely include the kids and/or a bottle of red wine/romantic evening.

Yes, I will be forwarding this article to my wife, who will likely say it’s my Christmas, Birthday, and Father’s Day list combined.

Happy Father’s Day Weekend!

 

Matthew Worwood
Matthew Worwood is an educator, Creative Studies scholar-practitioner, and co-host of the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast. He is a professor of Digital Media Design at the University of Connecticut and a husband and proud father to three young boys.

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2 comments

Sharon S. July 3, 2015 - 7:47 pm

I bought my husband a remote control helicopter a few years ago for Fathers Day. He was so excited and played with it often with our daughter. It broke and this post reminded me to buy him a new one

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Matthew Worwood July 3, 2015 - 8:03 pm

Thanks for commenting Sharon. Get the warranty this time. I’ve used it three times and it pays for itself on the first time of use.

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