My husband is a good dad, even if he doesn’t always think so. A time-pressed, hard-working father (like so many dads we know), he struggles with the fact that he can’t see his girls as much as he’d like to. And when he is home, he’s torn by dividing his time between left-over work, home improvement projects and time with his daughters (oh yeah, and don’t forget about me). He’s great at playing board games and reading with our 8-year-old, but when I see his eyes start to glaze over after the umpteenth round of Richard Scarry’s Busytown, I feel for him. Well, it may not be Father’s Day just yet, but I know my better half might appreciate something new and different he can do with our girls. We’ve got our eye on Cooper & Kid, makers of a dad-friendly all-in-one activity kit that lets your favorite guy roll up his sleeves and dive into a hands-on project (like he needs an excuse). The first kit in this brand-new series, “How Things Fly,” includes everything to get your brood’s (and his) imaginations soaring: a “flight manual” guide, catapult building kit, biplane building kit, parachute man, sky lantern, themed dinner menu with recipes (does that mean he’ll play chef, too? Be still my beating heart!) and, to cap off their great day together, a bedtime story. Even if your guy isn’t as handy as mine is, there’s bound to be something in this box that he can do with the kids that doesn’t involve a pair of dice, or heaven forbid, having to drink pretend tea. Cooper & Kid gets points bonus for getting everyone out of the house, and away from the iPad, TV or gadget of choice–including Dear Old Dad. Available as part of a quarterly, monthly, yearly subscription, or one-time offer, this is one mail-order gift they won’t forget. And neither will he.
In a Nutshell: Because time isn’t the only thing that can fly when you’re with your kids. Cooper & Kid makes for a great Father’s Day gift or any other special occasion to celebrate Dad.
