Father’s Day: A Golden Opportunity for Engagement

Father's Day rolls around once more, and many schools will go through the motions with the “same old same old”—a bacon and egg roll, kids celebrating with their dads, a polite “thank you for coming,” and the promise to see everyone next year. Sound familiar? While your school may do it differently, I guarantee 90% of schools are on "rinse and repeat," simply because "this is how we’ve always done it."

But Father’s Day offers something more—a golden opportunity to engage fathers in their children’s learning journey. Too often, dads find it hard to get involved during the school day, usually because of work commitments. So when they do show up, it’s a captive audience. This is our moment as schools to engage, not just involve fathers in a way that leaves a lasting impact on their children’s education.

Research shows that even brief, meaningful interactions between dads and schools can have a profound impact on a child’s learning outcomes. Family involvement is not family engagement, and we can’t let a day like this pass us by with just the usual breakfast and a handshake. Let’s do it differently this year—use Father’s Day to bring dads closer to the heart of their child’s educational experience. It doesn’t mean more work for schools, but it does mean doing things differently, not more.

Father’s Day is a time to celebrate, but also to connect in ways that matter. Never let a chance go by—let’s use this special day to engage dads in a way that sticks.

Three Ways to Reimagine Father’s Day as an Engagement Opportunity

1. Guided Learning Walk for Dads Why not invite dads to experience a Guided Learning Walk? Much like the successful model with parents, this structured approach allows fathers to observe their children’s learning in action. Dads can walk through classrooms, seeing firsthand how their child approaches problem-solving, collaborates with peers, or engages in creative activities. A reflective session afterward, where dads discuss what they observed and how they can support learning at home, reinforces the idea that family engagement is an extension of what happens in school.

2. ‘Learning with Dad’ Workshops Instead of a casual breakfast, transform Father’s Day into a learning workshop where dads and their children work together on a fun, educational activity. Whether it’s building a simple project using math and science skills, creating a story together, or solving puzzles that challenge critical thinking, the aim is to show dads how they can engage with their children’s learning in small but impactful ways. Schools could provide resources or follow-up ideas that dads can use at home, linking the day’s activities with ongoing support for learning.

3. Father-Child Co-Design Sessions Co-design isn’t just for staff and schools—invite fathers to work with their children to co-create ideas for enhancing the school environment. Whether it’s designing a new outdoor learning space, brainstorming ideas for class projects, or thinking up new ways to promote literacy and numeracy, these sessions give dads a real, meaningful role in shaping the learning experience. Co-design also highlights the message that learning happens everywhere, not just within the walls of the classroom, and that dads are a vital part of that.

By shifting the focus from involvement to true engagement, schools can make Father’s Day more than just a celebration—it becomes an actionable step in strengthening family engagement in learning. This day is our chance to build lasting connections that impact both fathers and their children."