The Father's Day gift dad has never opened before
Every Father's Day, the same short list comes around: a tie, aftershave, some gadget. Kids want to give something they made or picked themselves, and that's usually what gets to a dad. A personalized coloring book starts from photos of the kids with their father. Each photo becomes a color page, already printed, and the same scene as line art, ready to color. The kids can color a few pages before the day, or sit down and do it with dad. It's an original Father's Day gift from the kids that stays on the shelf long after the weekend.
A few examples that work for this case
Father's Day gift ideas kids can make or give
What matters most in a Father's Day gift from the kids is that they had a hand in it. Depending on their age, that ranges from a handprint guided by an adult to a project they run almost on their own.
1.A framed handprint or footprint
On canvas, a ceramic tile or a plain sheet in a frame. It's the safe bet for a baby or toddler, with an adult holding the hand (and the brush). It records a size at one moment in time, which is exactly why it hits hard a few years later.
2.A drawing of dad, plus an interview
From about 3 or 4, kids can draw their dad and answer a few questions: how old is he, what is he best at, what does he eat for breakfast. The answers are usually funny and wildly off, and they're worth keeping.
3.A decorated pencil pot or valet tray
A simple object the child paints or decorates, which dad keeps on his desk or dresser. It doesn't need to look good to be useful, and he'll see it every day.
4.A voucher for an outing together
A morning fishing, a ball game, a bike ride, an afternoon fixing something. The child picks the activity and hands over the voucher. The gift is the time together, as long as you pin down a day quickly so it doesn't sit in a drawer.
5.A kit to build together
A model, a birdhouse, anything you can put together that afternoon. For kids 6 and up, it's a real afternoon side by side. Pick one that matches the child's skills, or dad ends up finishing it alone.
6.A personalized coloring book
A book made from photos of the kids with their dad, with a color page and a page to color for each scene. The kids can color some of it before giving it. Worth knowing: an adult places the order and sorts the photos, so the kids help choose rather than make it.
What kids can really do at each age
Under 3, a child doesn't make much on their own, and that's fine. The gift is theirs because they're in it: their handprint, their photos, their scribble on the first page of the book. The adult does the work, the child signs in their own way.
Between 3 and 6, they can choose, decorate and dictate. They spot the photos where they're with dad and can tell you why they like them. They can color a page or two before the day, with no pressure to finish: a half-colored book gets finished nicely by two people on a Sunday afternoon.
From 6 or 7, kids can run the project almost alone: write their message, pick the page order, hide the gift until the right moment. For kids who like a challenge, there's also a color-by-number version of the same book, where each area carries the number of its color and dad appears one patch at a time.
Keeping a Father's Day gift from the kids secret
The hard part of a gift from the kids is logistics. The best photos are often on dad's own phone. Look elsewhere first: the other parent, the grandparents, the aunts and uncles who were there on the last vacation. Shortlist about fifteen shots, then let the kids have the final say.
Before printing, you get to see the pages, check them and swap out a few photos if you don't like how they came out. It's a nice moment to share with the kids: they watch their dad turn into a drawing and make sure everyone is recognizable.
To keep the surprise, have it shipped wherever suits you: a grandparent's place, a neighbor, your work. And wrap some colored pencils or washable markers with it, so dad only has to sit down.
Father's Day by country, and how early to plan
Father's Day isn't on the same weekend everywhere. In the United States, the UK and Canada, it's the third Sunday of June. In Australia, it's the first Sunday of September. If the kids are giving to a dad or grandpa who lives in another country, follow his calendar.
Allow 5 to 7 business days from order to shipping, then carrier transit. Planning about three weeks ahead also leaves time to sort the photos and color a few pages together. If you're cutting it close, a gift card can be handed over on the day in an envelope the kids decorated, and the photos get picked later with dad.
Our tip for Father's Day
Lean on photos where dad is doing something with the kids: sports, DIY, a game, a swim. A moment of closeness in action makes a livelier drawing than a posed portrait facing the camera. If several kids are taking part, go for the 12-photo format so each one has their own pages to color. And put their names in the From field: it's their gift, not the gift of whichever parent placed the order. A short message dictated by the youngest goes a long way too.
Recommended format
24-page book, A$74.99
Hardcover
Ideal when several children share the album, or when you want to cover different periods of the father-child story.
Create the Father's Day albumHow we make your book
Printed on demand by our print partner, close to your delivery address. Square 21.6 cm format, 90 gsm uncoated inner paper that holds pencils and water-based markers well, hardcover on the 12 and 24-photo formats (saddle-stitched on the 6-photo format).
- 21.6 cmsquare format
- Stays flat when open on the table, the right size for coloring.
- 90 gsmmatte uncoated paper
- A grain that grips colored pencils and won't bleed with markers.
- Soft or hardcover
- Softcover for the 6 photo format, rigid hardcover for the 12 / 24.
- 5 to 7days to ship
- Printed as a single copy by a professional printer, then shipped with tracking.
Frequently asked questions
When is Father's Day in Australia?
In Australia, Father's Day falls on the first Sunday of September. Choose photos and check the delivery estimate before ordering.
Can several children take part in the same album?
Yes, and we actually recommend it. Each child can color the pages where they appear with their dad.
Do baby photos work?
Yes, as long as dad's and the baby's faces are sharp. A photo of a baby asleep on dad's chest is usually a brilliant one.
What can a baby give dad for his first Father's Day?
A baby gives what you make with them: a handprint or footprint, and photos from their first months. A 6-photo book covering those months, from the first bath to the first smiles, becomes a keepsake dad holds on to for years. The parent putting it together fills in the From field on the baby's behalf.
Do the kids need to color the book before giving it?
No. Each photo already has its color page, so the book is complete when he opens it. Coloring a page or two beforehand is nice for kids who want to show their work. Leaving the pages blank has its own appeal, though: dad and the kids can color them together, that Sunday or later on.
Does the same book work for grandpa on Father's Day?
Yes, and many families celebrate grandpa that day too. Choose photos of him with the grandchildren: gardening, walks, card games. The grandkids will color the pages when they visit, and he'll have a book to show off. If you're making two, one for dad and one for grandpa, vary the photos so each one gets his own.
How many photos should we use for a Father's Day book?
The three formats hold 6, 12 or 24 photos. For one child, the 6-photo format covers a year of moments with dad. With two or three kids, the 12-photo format gives each of them several pages to color. The large format suits grown-up children looking back on years of memories with their father.
Our personalized books made from your photos
Three ways to turn your family photos into an activity book, from free coloring to guided play.
- Personalized coloring bookEach photo becomes a color keepsake page and the same scene to color freely.
- Personalized color by numberYour photos as numbered zones with a color legend: guided coloring, true to the memory.
- Personalized dot to dotThe drawing of your photo appears as you connect the numbers, then gets colored in.
Ready to create your book?
Every page is checked before printing.
Create the Father's Day albumRead more
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