12 Ways To Make a Long-Distance Father’s Day Fun for the Kids

If the Dads in your family are a long distance away from your child, you can still celebrate the day in a meaningful fashion. Kinoo is here to talk all about Father’s Day and how to include the long-distance dad in an extra special celebration.

When Was the First Father’s Day?

In the early 1900s, Sonora Smart Dodd pioneered the idea of Father’s Day after the new (at the time) holiday of Mother’s Day began. Dodd and her five siblings loved their single, widowed father, who raised them on his own.

Sonora felt that dads should have a devoted day as well, so she petitioned for Father’s Day to become a federal holiday. While it was celebrated by families all over throughout the 1900s, it wasn’t until 1972 that it finally became federally recognized.

When Is Father’s Day?

Father’s Day takes place on the third Sunday of June (in 2022, it’s June 19) in the United States. The day honors all the dads — and dad figures — who show up every day with love. While the USA honors dads in June, many other countries celebrate fathers on different days. 

Twelve (12) Virtual Father’s Day Activities 

If you're a dad (or dad figure), there are many reasons you may not be able to be with the kids you love this June. You may live far away, commute for work, be a part of the military, or be away for one of many other reasons.

Just because you can’t be with your little tykes doesn’t mean you can share a memorable, connected Father’s Day. Luckily, today’s technology gives you many ways to connect virtually.

But it can sometimes be difficult to get kids excited about phone calls or video calls. One way to keep your kids engaged in virtual Father’s Day activities is by finding pastimes you can do with technology that your kids will love.

Enter Kinoo — If you’re looking for something fun to do, Kinoo has so many options to make your virtual Father’s Day extra special for you and the one who made you a dad.

Here are 12 activities that can make a long-distance Father’s Day one to remember: 

1. Fish by the Lake

If there is one thing that traditionally screams “dad,” it's going fishing. Instead of getting suited up in your waders, fishing vest, and bucket hat, you can sit in the comfort of your living room and fish together the virtual way! 

In the Kinoo activity library, you'll find a super exciting fishing activity. You and your fishing buddy can cast a line with the Kinoo wand to pull up the fish. The fish may even do a silly dance for you, so go ahead and start a dance party of your own!

You may pull up some trash while you're fishing — just like you may in real-life fishing. When that happens, it's a fantastic time to talk about keeping our world clean and our water free of trash and chemicals. Kinoo helps you get that conversation started with prompts built right into the game that only the adult sees.

So no worries if you aren’t sure what to say. After all, as grown-ups, one of the best gifts we can leave behind is a clean, healthy environment and little ones who have learned to love it.

 

2. Plan a Trip to the Beach

If your family loves water, take a virtual trip to the beach. Here, using Kinoo, you can create an interactive scene with hippos, penguins, monkeys, and more. The happy animals lounge on the beach, build sandcastles, and eat ice cream cones. 

Leaning back on the virtual sand, relaxing, and having a chat can be one of the best ways to build a bond with your long-distance loved ones. However, it can sometimes be tricky for grown-ups to talk with younglings, especially in the early years while language skills and relationships are still developing.

That’s why Kinoo’s childhood-education experts created active learning activities, and carefully-generated thought-provoking prompts to help bridge the gap between generations. Either click on the light bulb or wait for it to light up and deliver a prompt — to light up the conversation.

Open communication with your kids can help build a strong relationship, even if you don't live as close as you’d like. Regular communication also helps your kids feel safe talking to you about big emotions when needed.

 

3. Play Charades

Another activity that can make this day extra special is a game of charades. The Kinoo version of charades is perfect for mimes of all ages, even those that don't totally get the concept of keeping quiet. You two act out the words on your screen, trying to get the other player to guess. 

For the smaller kids and grandkids who can’t quite guess what you're acting out, you can bend the rules to help younger contestants by making a noise or giving another hint. Kinoo charades can be adapted to fit any developmental stage, making this an ideal game for the whole family. 

 

4. Go on a Scavenger Hunt

Going on a scavenger hunt is another way to add adventure to your holiday video chat. Scavenger hunts are only limited by your creativity (and your surroundings). A scavenger hunt can heighten your connection; you and your family share so many similarities even when far apart.

Need some inspiration? You could each take turns finding things that start with the letters in “Father’s Day.” Get creative in your hunt — maybe you can't find anything that starts with Y, but you can find a yellow ball. 

If your kiddo isn’t quite ready to use letters, be inspired by shared hobbies. You can add a ball, game, doll, puzzle piece, or toy car to the list. Consider what sentimental items will spark a loving conversation. 

Bigger kids can even write a scavenger hunt list for you and will love to watch you hunt for tricky clues to see if you can find everything on the list. And if you connect with a far-away loved one in a Kinoo call, you can show each other the items you’ve collected and spark a discussion of the similarities and differences!

 

5. Draw a Picture

If you and your child are new to connecting over video chat, it may be difficult to keep everyone engaged, at least at first. Growing minds struggle to stay focused on a stationary video call, and who can blame them? There’s a trampoline, sand pit, and bicycle all beckoning outside.

Luckily, Kinoo is here to help. With new activities added regularly to the Kinoo library, finding activities that interest you both will help you get over those hurdles. Drawing over Kinoo is an inviting activity for your little one, which is part of why Kinoo calls last ten times longer than a regular call. WIth Kinoo, you can collaborate on a Father’s Day card or just draw whatever you like together. No custom coffee mug or new tie can compare to a child’s smile (perhaps featuring some newly missing teeth). That smile is the ultimate Father’s Day gift.

Since it’s Father’s Day, one idea is to draw a picture of the two of you side-by-side. You can each create separate parts of the picture. Your artist may even want to make a Father’s Day card without you looking. Don’t peek! 

 

6. Travel to the Moon

If you and your mini astronomer love gazing up at the stars and moon, why not blast off and take a tour? In the Kinoo Activity Explorer, tap on the Moon Rocket activity. Here, you can become an astronaut and travel through the stars on your way to the moon.

Insert a picture of your faces into the animated astronaut suits — it’s almost like you’re hanging out and dressing up in person. Take a screenshot and print it out for the ultimate one-of-a-kind office desk picture!

Once you're back on Earth, look outside to see if you can both see the moon. The moon can be a comforting object in the sky to make you feel closer to your little loved one. No matter where you are on the globe, you both look at the same moon. 

 

7. Host a Movie Night

Do you love family movie nights? Just because you may not be together doesn’t mean you can’t share this hobby. On Father’s Day, pick a movie you can both enjoy, maybe even including some family-friendly silver screen classics. Give your growing movie buff a call over Kinoo, and then start the movie simultaneously on your separate streaming devices. 

To amplify your virtual connection, send over a couple of movie-going snacks. You can share a movie and popcorn, just like at the theater. (or work together to make a virtual snack with Kinoo!)

 

8. Read a Book

Dads and kids reading go together like peanut butter and jelly. If you and your mini librarian love reading, plan a reading activity on Kinoo.

If you don't have any books at your location, head to the local library and rent a few beloved classics. Maybe they have special books about fathers and their families; try series like My Father’s Dragon or Little Bear. 

Reading can benefit your kiddo’s mental health, even at a very young age. Reading helps emotional and social skills blossom. Additionally, reading can improve math, science, and questioning skills. And of course, if you can’t be WITH Dad on this special day, reading together in a Kinoo call is a great way to spend time together, even when you are apart.

 

9. Work Out 

Physical activity as a family benefits everyone. Adults and children get the same benefits from moving their bodies, and when your kid sees you making exercise a priority, they may follow suit and make it a lifelong habit. Just because you're not physically with your tiny athlete doesn’t mean you can continue — or start — your workouts with your family. 

Working out, or being physically active, doesn’t have to mean hitting the gym and pumping iron. You can do age-appropriate exercises like jumping jacks, running in place, stretching, or even jumping rope. Start a jump rope competition to see who can jump the most times. The best part? You can do all these activities together over a Kinoo video call!

10. Play Online Games

Games always bring kids and parents closer together — making them the perfect activity for Father’s Day. With Kinoo, you and your gamer can play super interactive games together while connecting through a video call. In our Activity Explorer, you'll find both unique games and activities and old favorites — like Memory, Matching, and Four in a Row. 

Choose the right game level to match your kiddo’s developmental needs. Some of the games are competitive, while others are cooperative. It’s never too early to teach our mini athletes and mathletes how to have fun, take turns, and how to be gracious winners and losers. 

 

11. Make a Virtual Meal

If you love being in the kitchen whipping up delicious treats, you can still enjoy that activity virtually. On your Kinoo call, play Cookie Maker, where you mix up the ingredients and bake delicious cookies.

In this activity, kids can use the magic Kinoo wand to slice, chop, mix, drop cookies on a tray, and more! You can also tap on Cake Decorator and decorate the perfect Father’s Day cake. 

Since it’s a holiday, you can eat your dessert first! Once you finish with your cookies and cake, move on to the Pizza Party and make a DIY pizza that is just as silly and unique as you are. 

 

12. Open Presents on Kinoo

***Dads, don't read this tip; it's a surprise!***

If you're reading this and want to make Father’s Day extra special for someone, maybe send a gift. While a newly bought gift is lovely, a handmade craft (courtesy of their mini-me) is even better. Before the guest of honor opens the gift box, set up a Kinoo call with their child so they can open the present together!

 

Happy Father’s Day: Here or Away

Father’s Day is an important day to show the dads how much they matter. With our 12 virtual activities, you’ll have a super fun and engaging day, no matter how far apart you are. 

If you can’t be together on the days you really wish you could be, Kinoo is here to help you bridge that separation. Try Kinoo to enjoy engaging and interactive games that encourage play, learning, and bonding and that the whole family will love. 

 

Sources:

Father’s Day | Natural Selections

Co-Parenting: The Unique Role of Fathers | Oklahoma State University

Make Physical Activity a Part of Your Family's Routine | Let's Move!

The 54 Best Movies To Watch On Father’s Day | Elle

Being a good loser takes practice, so start teaching your kids early | ABC Everyday

When Is Father's Day This Year in Different Countries? | The Spruce