You Pinspire Me
Hey readers! Jenn here. We wanted to get & give some solid Father’s Day gift ideas, but, we’ll be honest – we lack the testosterone to give a list like this any credibility. Enter Steve – our oldest, wisest (?), and definitely silliest brother. He is an absolutely incredible father of 5 awesome kids – so we figured he might know something about what some dads might want – but not know it – for Father’s Day. Welcome, Steve! Also, Steve has his own blog in the works, on the back burner. Help me convince him that he should launch it sooner, rather than later.
My darling sisters have requested that I grace their blog with my words, offering some interesting Father’s Day suggestions for the geeky/techy/gadgety minded male folk out there. They’ve also long suggested that I contribute to their growing work, so how can I say no? Two birds with one stone, eh? So, here we go!
1. Book: My Dad Thinks He’s Funny
Caveat- I haven’t even read this book yet (apart from the sneak peek online), but I want it just for the title. What Dad can resist making “dad jokes,” and all the better, when they’re acknowledged with an eye roll, or even an audible groan. I have confidence in this one…
2. Book: Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Kids and Dads to Share
This is a fantastic book- I’ve already done a few of the projects in here with some of my kids. One of the first things they did when they leafed through it was to put bookmarks with their names on them at certain projects, so that I would know that they wanted to do THAT project with me. Science fun and learning AND interaction with your kids? Awesome.
3. Movie Gift Card
I’m a huge fan of comic book movies, sci-fi movies, action movies- heck, pretty much all “guy” movies. (Aside- ever heard the distinction between girl movies and guy movies? In a girl movie, one person dies very slowly, and in a guy movie many people die very quickly…) This summer is shaping up to be an INSANE movie for people like me. Here are some I’m looking forward to, in no particular order: Guardians of the Galaxy, Edge of Tomorrow, Jupiter Ascending, Snow Piercer, Transformers 4, Interstellar, Dawn of Planet of the Apes, Expendables 3, Sin City 2… Give movie passes or gift cards, so he can see some of these flicks without worrying about spending money.
4. Guilt-Free Gaming Time
I’m not a huge gamer (my PS3 died a few months ago…) but my friends who are struggle with finding enough time to get into their latest game, between work, family, and outside obligations, gaming tends to fall by the wayside (as it probably should in most cases). A gift of a few intentional hours here and there would be incredible, when they KNOW that there is nothing else that they should be doing. A cold beer beside their controller wouldn’t hurt either…
5. Utili Key
I’ve just lost my second one, and have solid plans to purchase a third. It attaches to your key ring, and is designed to look like a key (so well designed, in fact, that I have accidentally brought it through US airport customs twice). It’s perfect for the little jobs, when all you need is a little something extra. It has a knife with both a straight and serrated edge, bottle opener, Phillips screwdriver, and two sizes of flat-head screwdrivers.
6. Dad-Kid Friendly Video Games
I mentioned above that I’m not that much of a gamer, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t wasted my share of hours with a controller in my hand. My oldest is 11 and youngest is 4, and they’re ALWAYS interested in what Daddy is doing. That means that if I want to play video games while they’re up, Grand Theft Auto is definitely out of the question. Good news is that there are plenty of games out there that are fun for adults to play, without worrying about the content that might be absorbed by the little eyes watching alongside. Trailers are linked in each paragraph.
The first game I came across like this is Limbo. It’s a black and white sidescroller, where you play a kid who wakes up in this mystery world. Some parts are a little frightening to the younger children, so I wouldn’t recommend kids under the age of 8 or so to watch along.
Next is great for all ages- Portal 2. It’s essentially a first person shooter, but instead of a gun that fires bullets, you shoot portals in each level while trying to solve puzzles. The characters are great, and voiced perfectly (your companion robot is perfectly voiced by Stephen Merchant).
Lastly, is a game that I started, but is still sitting, incomplete, inside my broken PS3. If you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli’s animated movies, then you will love this game from their production company: Ni No Kuni. Not for everybody, but if your kids like their movies, they’ll love watching you play this game.
7. Graphic Novels
This is a tough one because, if your guy is already into comics, he’s probably got all the good ones already. That being said, here are some great ideas. I won’t include long descriptions, but have each linked to Amazon for more complete information.
WE3 (super powered cybernetic pets escaping from military captivity, may very well move you to tears), Kingdom Come (Biblical book of Revelation, seen through the eyes of DC Comics writers), All Star Superman (he’s so darn friendly and nice…), All Star Batman (“Who the hell do you think I am?! I’m the goddam Batman.”), Powers Vol. 1 (Homicide detective investigates the murder of the city’s most beloved superhero) , The Runaways (Teens find out that their parents are actually super villains, band together, and try to thwart them), League of Extraordinary Gentleman (what if all the major fictional adventure figures in British history got together to fight bad guys?) , and Maus (WW2 experiences told in comic form- extremely powerful).
8. Super Powerful Green Laser Pointer
So, I’ve just found out this website called Ali Express, where you can order made in China items, direct from China, often with free shipping. I’ve not had any negative experiences with it, but I would advise buyer-beware, as there is such a large physical and cultural distance between you and the seller. That being said, I recently purchased this green laser pointer, and have been absolutely overwhelmed with how amazing it is. Not only is the laser line visible in low-light conditions, I have popped balloons with it…! Take it outside at night time, and you have a light-saber that reaches to the clouds. AND- it comes with a rechargeable battery and charger! What’s not to love?! I use it often as a flashlight when checking on my kids at night- just shine it at the ceiling, and the entire room is illuminated with a ghastly green
NOTE: Common sense must prevail- don’t be stupid with it. Don’t shine it in eyes, at planes, etc.
I hope this list helps inspire some interesting ideas for your guy out there. I’ve left out one more idea that, really, is my favourite- a date with my wife. We both have busy evening schedules, and find it difficult to force ourselves to put things aside, get a babysitter, and just get out with the two of us. But when we do, it’s so nice to leave the craziness of the home behind us, and just be a couple.
Happy Father’s Day!
-Steve
Jenn vanOosten
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Some great ideas! I bought my gamer daddy Rock Smith. He found it in the closet and started playing it last night. 😉
My brother would probably just hit me if I asked him to GP for me. P.s I LOVE THE GAMING TIME ONE. BAHAHAHA!
Thanks for the guest-post, Steve!! Lots of great ideas here!!
Thanks, Mar- it was fun to put together!
What a great “invention”, that Utili Key – I’ve never heard of it. It’d be good to pick up for my husband, except he’s not a father yet… so I’ll wait to give it to him for his bday …… in October, 😉
These are great ideas. I had to go check out the techy stuff for myself. Thanks for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I’ve pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Board