Creating Meaningful Moments: Celebrating Father’s Day in Preschool

Father’s Day offers a wonderful opportunity for young children to express appreciation and strengthen family bonds through inclusive, thoughtful classroom experiences. At ABC West Child Development Center, we believe that early learning environments play a crucial role in helping children understand love, gratitude, and emotional expression. In this post, we’ll share how toddler and preschool classrooms can celebrate Father’s Day in ways that nurture connection and emotional development, while also supporting fine motor skills and communication.

Why Celebrate Father’s Day in the Classroom?

Children thrive when their family relationships are acknowledged and celebrated. Father’s Day, like Mother’s Day, is a chance to highlight the important role of caregivers, whether it’s a father, grandfather, uncle, stepdad, or trusted family friend.

According to the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), recognizing families in diverse and inclusive ways helps foster a sense of identity, belonging, and emotional security in early childhood. When done thoughtfully, Father’s Day activities can:

• Reinforce family connections
• Encourage expression of love and gratitude
• Support early communication and creativity
• Promote social-emotional growth through shared experiences

Inclusive Craft Ideas for Father’s Day

At ABC West, our teachers design Father’s Day activities that are meaningful, developmentally appropriate, and adaptable to different family dynamics. Here are a few of our favorite crafts that help little learners express appreciation for the important people in their lives.

1. “I Love You Because” Card

This simple writing and art activity invites children to complete the sentence “I love you because…” and decorate the card with drawings or stickers.

Skills Developed:

• Language and self-expression
• Fine motor (drawing, gluing, writing)
• Emotional awareness

Teacher Tip: For toddlers, educators or aides can help transcribe their spoken words while still allowing children to illustrate their cards independently.

2. Handprint Keepsake with Poem

Using non-toxic paint and cardstock, children create a colorful handprint and pair it with a short poem or message.

Why it Works:

• Provides a lasting memento that families cherish
• Allows for sensory exploration (texture, paint)
• Enhances motor coordination

Inclusive Angle: Educators can modify the message to say “for someone special” or allow the child to choose who to give it to, ensuring all families feel acknowledged.

3. Father’s Day Coupon Book

Children create a mini “coupon book” with items like:

• “One big hug”
• “Help setting the table”
• “Reading a story together”

Developmental Benefits:

• Encourages generosity and giving
• Boosts language and early literacy
• Supports sequencing and cognitive planning

This project works well with both preschoolers and older toddlers, with help from teachers or aides.

Storytelling & Circle Time: Reflecting on Family Love

In addition to crafts, Father’s Day provides opportunities for children to explore big feelings through stories and group discussion.

Recommended Books:

• “My Dad” by Anthony Browne
• “Because I’m Your Dad” by Ahmet Zappa
• “The Family Book” by Todd Parr (great for inclusivity)

Reading these books in a supportive classroom setting encourages conversation about different family structures and helps children practice empathy, listening, and turn-taking.

Prompt questions for circle time:

• What is something fun you do with your dad or someone special at home?
• What do you love about them?
• How do you show someone you care?

These open-ended questions support emotional development and language acquisition, key goals in our play-based preschool programs.

Supporting Emotional Development Through Expression

Early childhood is a critical time for developing emotional intelligence. Activities tied to holidays like Father’s Day give children an age-appropriate way to:

• Express love and gratitude
• Learn the vocabulary of emotions
• Understand family relationships
• Practice self-regulation and empathy

At ABC West, we guide children in expressing their feelings through play, art, storytelling, and structured classroom experiences, building a foundation for lifelong emotional resilience.

Celebrating All Families with Care and Inclusion

We understand that Father’s Day can be sensitive for some families. Our toddler and preschool classrooms always emphasize:

• Inclusivity: Activities are framed around “special people” or “someone I love,” with flexibility for each child’s family structure.
• Respect: Teachers connect with families in advance to ensure they feel comfortable with planned activities.
• Empowerment: Children are encouraged to choose who to create their crafts for, dad, mom, grandparents, or another loved one.
  

This thoughtful approach reflects our broader commitment to equity and family engagement, core values that shape our UPK and preschool programs in Greeley.

Real Moments from Our Classrooms

This year, our toddlers used jumbo crayons and heart stickers to create colorful cards for their special grown-ups. In our preschool classrooms, children shared stories of weekend adventures with dads and created watercolor art with handwritten notes (transcribed by teachers).

Families appreciated the effort and intention behind these keepsakes, many sharing how proud their children were to bring home something “just for them.”

In Summary: Why Father’s Day Matters in Early Learning

Celebrating Father’s Day in toddler and preschool settings supports far more than crafting nurtures emotional development, encourages communication, and builds stronger classroom-to-home connections.

At a glance:

• Crafting builds fine motor skills and confidence
• Storytime fosters emotional vocabulary and empathy
• Inclusive approaches ensure every child is represented

Gentle Call to Action

If you’re searching for a “preschool near me” or are interested in our toddler child care programs in Greeley, we invite you to explore what makes ABC West Child Development Center a trusted choice for early education.

We proudly participate in Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program (UPK), offering free preschool to qualifying families and enriching care for toddlers through pre-K.

Learn more about our programs
Explore UPK options here
Contact us to schedule a tour

Celebrate milestones and build lasting memories with ABC West, where early learning begins with love, creativity, and connection.