Father's Day is on Sunday 22nd June this year. If you want to actually enjoy it rather than just survive it, a bit of planning goes a long way. Here are some ideas that work well with children in tow -- and a few that work even better without them.
Get Outside
Richmond Park -- big enough that you will not feel crowded, wild enough that it still feels like a proper day out. Take bikes if the children are old enough, let them chase the deer from a sensible distance, and find a decent spot for lunch. This is a solid Father's Day without requiring much organisation at all.
Hampstead Heath -- a classic for good reason. The views from Parliament Hill on a June morning are genuinely excellent. The men's swimming pond is free if Dad fancies a proper swim. Bring a picnic and make a morning of it.
The ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park -- the world's longest tunnel slide. If the children are old enough and Dad is game, this is the kind of thing they will talk about for a while. Book ahead.
Do Something Properly
A stadium tour -- most of London's big clubs offer stadium tours that work well for football-mad children. Wembley, Emirates, Stamford Bridge, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. If Dad has a team, get it booked. These sell out on Father's Day weekend.
Go karting -- several good options in London including Playscape in Streatham and Daytona in Sandown Park. Works for children from around age 8 upwards. Competitive, loud, memorable.
Crazy golf -- Swingers in the West End or Junkyard Golf in Shoreditch. Both have food and drinks, both are genuinely fun, and both are a lot more enjoyable than the name suggests. Book ahead for a Sunday slot.
Eat Well
Hawksmoor -- if Dad likes steak and a proper Sunday roast, this is the correct answer. Reliably excellent, works well with children, eight London locations. Book now -- it will be full.
Duck and Waffle -- 40th floor of the Heron Tower, floor-to-ceiling views across London. The Sunday roast is three courses and the glass lift alone is worth the trip. Spectacular setting for a genuinely good meal.
A local pub with a garden -- sometimes the best Father's Day is a long lunch at a good local with a beer garden, a decent roast and nowhere you need to be afterwards. Do not overcomplicate it.
If Dad Wants a Quiet One
Not every dad wants an adventure. Some want a lie-in, a coffee, and a Sunday that moves at a reasonable pace.
If that sounds more accurate, the best gift is probably time -- a morning where no one needs anything from him before 10am, a decent breakfast, and an afternoon that he gets to choose. Children can help make breakfast. That is usually enough.
One Practical Note
London is busy on Father's Day Sunday. Book restaurants now. Check stadium tour availability now. Leave extra time for travel if you are heading somewhere central.
And lower your expectations slightly -- not for the day itself, but for how smoothly it will go. Something will go slightly wrong. That is fine. The children will not remember the logistics. They will remember that you all went somewhere together.