Fathers, Grandfathers, Great Grandfathers, Stepfathers, Uncles, Brothers and all other loving father figures in the community will love to open a personalised handmade present- representing the love and gratitude we feel for them and to celebrate all they do for us each day.
The beauty of MTA’s open-ended range of Father’s Day materials is the ability for children to adapt them to their own needs & suitability – making a personalised treasure that’s just right for their role models.
Whether in the school classroom, early education setting, home-based learning or weekend crafting – there’s something for everyone in MTA’s NEW and best-selling Father’s Day art & craft resource collection.
Read on for some creative Father’s Day-themed activities to make Dad feel special.
1. AIR DRY CLAY BOWLS
Air Dry Clay is wonderfully versatile, allowing young hands to easily mould into all sorts of treasures – including small plates and bowls to act as desktop paperweights or handy holders for keys, coins, wedding rings, and cufflinks etc. These beautiful keepsakes will be held in Dad’s heart as they hold his keys!
HAND BOWL STEP BY STEP
- Divide Air Dry Clay into roughly 8 portions
- Using a rolling pin, roll out each portion to roughly 1cm thick
- Place the child’s hand onto the clay and gently trace around using clay tools
- Gently cut away excess clay with a clay knife
- Lift hand print off the messy mat and smooth down any rough edges by gently pressing with fingers
- Set aside to dry for a few days
- Decorate with paint as desired and leave to dry
- When completely dry, coat with PVA Washable School Glue or Crystal Clear to provide a barrier to dirt, tarnish, wear stains and moisture.
*TOP TIP – placing the handprint in a small bowl lined with a paper towel while it dries will ensure it hardens into a shallow bowl shape.
Featured Products;
White Creatistics Air Dry Clay Ceramic Clay – (one packet does about 8 little hands)
Crystal Clear OR Creatistics PVA Washable School Glue
2. WOODEN HANGING FRAME
Perfect for home, Dad’s office, the tool shed, or garden shed, Wooden Hanging Frames are perfect for children to decorate and add their own style. Use paint, patterned, paper, markers or embellishments to personalise and then add a photo or drawing to each of the different-sized frames. When your paint and glue has dried, each square frame is ready to be strung together using the handy pre-cut holes.
TO MAKE DAD ROSETTE
- Fold paper square into 4 lengths and cut along each fold – you will have 4 x long rectangle lengths
- Fold each rectangle length into a paper concertina (fold the strip back and forth along the length of the paper).
- Repeat for all 4 lengths of paper
- Glue the ends of the concertina sections to each other, alternating paper pattern. You will now have 1 long concertina.
- Bring 2 edges of the concertina together and glue in place to make a circle
- Cut two lengths of patterned paper into ribbons and apply glue to the top, attach to the back of the rosette.
- Cut a circle out of carboard, smaller in diameter to your rosette.
- Using a metallic marker, write #1 Dad, BEST DAD AWARD, or desired quote
- Use a thin permanent marker to trace around the metallic letters for crisp & clear lettering
- Apply an even layer of PVA glue to the back of the cardboard circle and lay it over the front of the concertina circle, apply pressure to the layers while drying (laying a book over the rosette will help it to dry flat).
- When dry, attach to the frame with a good dab of PVA glue
*TOP TIP – Low melt Hot Glue Guns will glue the rosette components together quickly for older age groups, or educators.
Featured products;
Creatistics Superstick Glue Stick
3. LATTE MUG
Whether Dad is gearing up for a big day ahead, or ready to relax after a long day, a personalised Latte Mug will be Dad’s go-to favourite cup! These beautiful mugs are supplied as plain white, providing the perfect canvas for children to decorate and personalise with drawings and messages to remind Dad how loved he is.
To set the markers and paint for wear & tear and dishwasher use, the mug will need to be baked in an oven. Set oven to 150 degrees C, once oven temperature has been reached, bake mug for 30 minutes, turn the oven off and allow to cool before removing. Dad’s mug is now ready for his favourite hot beverage.
*TOP TIP – Paint provides great overall coverage of colour, while porcelain markers provide precise detail.
Featured products;
4. DAD ROCKS
Painting rocks is a simple and fun craft idea that’s recently become popular the world over – with this adorable Father’s Day version sure to delight! You’ll want a smooth and clean stone, thick acrylic paint and heavy-duty markers to decorate your Dad Rocks. A few base coats of paint will provide the ideal surface on which to draw a likeness of Dad, a positive message on the back or a funny rock-themed quote – be as creative as you like! A coat of PVA glue or Crystal Clear will provide a protective surface for general wear and tear. Dad’s rock is now ready to find in a treasure hunt, to brighten the garden path or to keep loose papers secure as a desk paperweight. Dad will always know he rocks!
*TOP TIP – A quick wash with warm soapy water before decorating will give a clean surface for paint and markers to adhere to your rocks.
Featured products;
Acrylic Paint Introductory Set
Crystal Clear OR Creatistics PVA Washable School Glue
5. FATHER’S DAY CARDS
DIY Father’s Day cards make light work out of present making – perfect for children to use a wide range of open-ended materials in imaginative ways to make something just right for their Dad. A thoughtful and loving message inside the card will be something Dad will hold in his heart forever. If you’re feeling like some creative card inspo, have a read on to follow the step-by-step guides to making a Dad Shirt card or a Patty Pan Award card.
DAD SHIRT CARD – Step by Step
- To make the shirt front, apply glue to the front of the card and lay it onto the back of the gingham paper (the white side)
- Cut away excess paper
- To make the tie, select your desired colour of patterned paper and cut into a tie shape (narrow at the top, wide at the bottom with a V shape)
- Glue tie in the centre of the shirt front card
- To make the collar, apply glue to a length of cover paper and lay it onto the back of the gingham paper (the white side) and cut away excess to make your desired collar size
- Fold the 2 sides of the collar length around to make the front corners of your collar (this is where the buttons will go)
- Glue buttons in place onto the shirt front
- Decorate the inside of the card with drawings and messages
- Your card is ready for Dad!
*TOP TIP – To make the collar lengths apply glue stick to an entire piece of cover paper and lay onto the gingham paper, you will then be able to cut multiple strips of collars at the one time.
PATTY PAN AWARD CARD – Step by Step
- Cut a circle out of coloured cardboard
- Draw or write your message for Dad using markers
- Cut patty pans into quarters
- Glue sections of patty pans onto the back of the cardboard circle to form the Rosette (experiment with colour patterns, or multiple layers)
- Cut 2 lengths of coloured paper or cardboard & cut an inverted V shape into the lower lengths to form the Rosette ribbons
- Attach you ribbons onto the back of the rosette with glue
- Apply a layer of glue to the back of the finished rosette and press down firmly onto the card
- The inside of the card can be decorated with drawings and messages too!
- Slot your card into the supplied envelope and it’s ready for Dad!
*TOP TIP – The front of the card where the patty pan award sits can also be decorated with paint, drawings or coloured paper for an extra splash of colour!
Featured products;
Creatistics A4 White Cover Paper
6. SHRINK FILM BOOKMARKS
With just a few supplies and a lot of imagination, these handy bookmarks are super simple to make, and will remind Dad how special he is with each turn of a page.
To make, simply cut a length of clear shrink film or printable shrink film ) (one sheet of shrink film makes 4 bookmarks). Draw or write your design onto the matt side using coloured pencils or markers , use a hole punch to make a hole for threading the string later on – and then you’re ready to bake! Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees C. Place design on a lined tray (matt side up) and bake. The plastic will begin to shrink after 10 seconds. Remove from the oven once the plastic has flattened and set tray aside to cool completely before handling.
To make the beads, roll small chunks of silk clay or paper magiclay ( in the palm of your hand) to form small beads. Poke each bead with a skewer all the way through, making sure the hole is wide enough to thread cord or string through and then set aside to dry for 24 hours. Use a length of strong string (or leather cord ) to tie through the punched hole, add some of your colourful beads and tie off with a coloured tassel . Your personalised bookmark will mark reading places proudly!
*TOP TIP – Coloured pencil markings go a long way once shrunk in the oven; a very light shading is all that’s needed for bright vibrant colour!
Featured products;
Clear Shrink Film (Each sheet of clear film paper makes roughly 2 car hangers).
7. CERAMIC PLANT POT with PLANT LABEL/STAKE
Plants truly are the gift that keeps on giving! Whether your Dad would like a spiky cactus to decorate his office or a tasty bunch of herbs to spice up his cooking, he’ll no doubt love a personalised plant to keep him thriving.
These adorable ceramic plant pots make the perfect vessel to decorate with glass & ceramic paint and porcelain markers. We’ve added a little shrink film plant label for further personalisation, which makes the ideal tag to jot down the care instructions for Dad’s plant.
*TOP TIP – Paint provides great overall coverage of colour, while markers provide precise detail.
Featured products;
Porcelain Flower Pot OR Terracotta Plant Pot
Thinline Permanent Markers Assorted Pack
8. WOODEN HOME FRAME
Home is where the heart is, and what a beautiful home these wooden frames make! The sturdy surfaces of the wooden frames are ideal for all sorts of personalised decorations including open-ended Father’s Day essentials or silk clay . When your frame has been decorated and thoroughly dry it’s ready for a photo, drawing or special message to be added into the frame. You’re then ready to slot the wooden stand into the back of the frame so it can sit proudly on Dad’s desk where we’re sure it will stay forever!
*TOP TIP – Remember to add the date to the back of your Home Frame so Dad can remember what year it was when he looks back at his treasured memories.
Featured products;
9. AIR DRY CLAY DECORATIONS
These sweet decorations will bring a smile to Dad’s face every time he sees them. For younger children, the design can be kept straightforward and simple lettering, with older age groups adding complexity to their designs with messages, carving decorations or clay beads.
To make, simply roll out a slab of air-dry clay and use cookie cutters or free-form tools to cut out your desired shape. Set aside to dry for 24 to 48 hours on a flat surface. Meanwhile, to make the beads, roll small chunks of clay , silk clay or paper magiclay in the palm of your hand to form small beads. Poke each bead with a skewer all the way through, making sure the hole is wide enough to thread cord or string through and then set aside to dry with the decoration. When the clay is firm to the touch it’s ready for painting. When your decorations are dry once again, they’re ready for stringing together – remember to tie them off well to keep those beads from rolling away!
*TOP TIP – The thicker your decorations are, the sturdier they will be able to withstand general wear and tear. A few coats of PVA glue will also provide strength to your decorations for added longevity.
Featured products;
Creatistics Air Dry Clay Ceramic Clay – (one packet does about 8 little hands)
Creatistics PVA Washable School Glue
Whether it’s a Dad, Grandpa, Stepdad, Brother or a cherished father figure you’d like to spoil, MTA has you covered with all sorts of treasures waiting to be personalised with your love.
*All these activities can be modified and adapted to suit different age groups, taking away small parts for children under 3 years of age and replacing them with larger safe parts. Where scissors are used, educators may use adequate supervision to suit the needs of the children or offer pre-cut shapes. Where glue guns are used, educators may substitute with a safer alternative such as washable PVA glue.
Which one is your favourite?