Best Father’s Day Gifts: Top 5 Ideas For Dear Old Dad, According To Experts

When the month of June arrives, it’s time to celebrate dad! As you take a moment to show gratitude for your old man on the third Sunday of June, it can be hard to decide what to get him to make him feel appreciated. So, it’s hats off to dad with our list of the top five best Father’s Day gifts.

Everyone’s dad is different. Some are playful and others are reserved. Some are overprotective and others are carefree. Some are loving, and some keep their affection bottled up. So what exactly determines a father’s involvement in his children’s lives? Researchers from New York University say a father’s parenting beliefs, income, education level, and personal relationships all play a role in how he’ll spend time with his children and provide for his family. A father’s income, educational background, and beliefs about his role in the family and involvement in a child’s development all play a major role in how he spends his time with his children. “We found a range of different characteristics influenced father involvement in unique ways, from caregiving to financial investment,” says the study’s lead author, Tamarie Macon. “For example, what predicted how often fathers read to their children was not only their level of education but also their beliefs about gender roles in the family.”

Spending time with dad is essential. Early interactions between parents and their children are critical in shaping physical and mental development. While most research focuses on mothers and their kids, a new study suggests that father-child playtime may enhance a child’s ability to regulate their emotions and behavior later in life. Researchers at the University of Cambridge and the LEGO Foundation reviewed 78 studies examining the frequency and characteristics of play between fathers and their children. The study has three major findings. First, father-child play is often more physical than mother-child play. For young infants, physical play includes things like simply picking an infant up or gently raising their arms and legs. For toddlers, physical play includes rough and tumble activities, like chasing. Second, the study authors say fathers begin to play more with children as they get older (from infancy to about preschool age), but once children reach the age of six, play decreases. Finally, father-child play improves emotional and behavioral outcomes. Researchers say more father-child play results in less hyperactivity and fewer emotional and behavioral problems. Children who play more with their dads are also better able to control their aggression. The study reveals these children are less prone to emotional or physical outbursts when disagreements arise at school.

That being said, thank dad with something special that represents your unique bond. For those who want to show dad some love, here is our list of the top five best Father’s Day gifts. Let us know about your great deal discoveries in the comments below!

Dad pouring milk into a bowl of breakfast cereal for his daughter
Dad pouring milk into a bowl of breakfast cereal for his daughter (© Prostock-studio – stock.adobe.com)

The List: Best Father’s Day Gifts, Per Experts

1. MasterClass

If your dad loves to learn about his favorite topics, then MasterClass could be a great gift choice. Today writes: “Does the father figure in your life want to hone his dad jokes? Gift him a virtual class in comedy from Steve Martin, one of many experts on the MasterClass platform teaching their skills to viewers. Whether he’s interested in cooking or writing, science or entrepreneurship, Dad is sure to acquire a new talent from one of the over 150 courses offered on MasterClass.”

Some say that the best gifts are the ones a person wouldn’t think to buy for themselves. A surprise MasterClass could fall into this category. According to GQ, “they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but with the expert tuition of pros including Spike Lee, Massimo Bottura and Annie Leibovitz, we’d beg to differ. Masterclass is the online education platform that hosts courses from the world’s greatest names in everything from food and drink to chess and poker.”

Remoter learning and DIY videos can be a fun way for dad to expand his skillset. According to Glamour, “The online learning platform launched in 2015 with three instructors—and in the years since, it’s tapped nearly 100 celebrities and industry leaders to share expert courses through an exclusive membership… The courses are billed as ‘classes that look like movies,’ and the description is pretty spot-on, if you take a sneak peek on Instagram or YouTube.”

 2. Ooni Koda Pizza Oven

For the foodie Father, Ooni offers outdoor pizza ovens that will raise his pizza game to new heights. Bob Vila.com details the following, “One of the ultimate gifts for foodies could be their own pizza oven. Mastering the art of a pizza is made easier with this popular Ooni Koda Oven. All they’ll need is a propane tank to heat up the interior.”

Ooni Koda Pizza Oven
Ooni Koda Pizza Oven

With different models to fit different needs, CNN writes, “Take his pizza game to the next level with Ooni, the maker of portable, gas-powered ovens that can churn out fire-cooked pizzas in just 60 seconds. We love the ultra-portable Koda ovens, which come in 12- and 16-inch formats and have folding legs, making them easy to transport.”

Tom’s Guide also adds the following: “Thanks to its ease of setup, relatively lightweight construction and no-fuss functionality, the Ooni Koda… is the best Father’s Day gift for the dad who will appreciate homemade pizza without extra hassle. The large cooking space and powerful L-shaped flame make for a versatile, family-friendly experience, which is why this is the best pizza oven for outdoors that we’ve tested.

3. MEATER Smart Meat Thermometer

Perfect steaks and succulent shish-ka-bobs come out perfect every time with a meat thermometer. Best Products explains, “Babysitting a grill while everyone else is enjoying the barbecue is not how your dad should be spending Father’s Day. Give your dad this wireless smart meat thermometer that’ll take the guesswork out of grilling your meats to the perfect temperature.”

MEATER Smart Meat Thermometer
MEATER Smart Meat Thermometer

The Every Mom also endorses this thermometer, “This wireless meat thermometer is a handy gift for a dad that loves to cook. This neat gadget can sense both internal and external food temps to make cooking easy than ever.”

The reviewers at Bob Vila.com also praised the functionality of this item. “Its inability to become hard to find is one of the factors that attracted me to the MEATER Plus, which is available at many retailers and online shops from Amazon to Bloomingdale’s to the brand’s own store.”

 4. Apple Air Tags

Apple Air Tags are potentially an excellent gift for dads that travel. “He’s already a pro at travel, but when the checked baggage is out of his control, at least our favorite luggage tracker will let him know his precious cargo isn’t floating somewhere in the Atlantic,” writes GQ.

Apple Air Tags
Apple Air Tags

Gear Patrol chimes in with the current details: “Apple‘s newest tech is here to keep everything in its place. If dad is regularly misplacing his keys or wallet, an AirTag might be the perfect gift.”

Bob Vila.com also adds: “If Dad is the type to put his keys in the fridge (we’ve all been there), bring his head down from the clouds with the Apple AirTag tracker that fastens onto valuables to avoid misplacing them.”

 5. Yeti Roadie 24 Cooler

Yeti’s Roadie 24 Cooler is a reliable hard case cooler that is meant for travel and outdoor use. “A quality cooler is an essential for summer and the new YETI Roadie 24 is the perfect one. It retains the same rugged awesomeness of the original, but it’s now 10 percent lighter and holds 20 percent more food and ice. Plus, it performs 30 percent better thermally than the Roadie 20,” writes Gear Patrol.

YETI Roadie 24 Cooler
YETI Roadie 24 Cooler

GQ also regards the Yeti Cooler as high-quality: “Outdoorsy dads will be well acquainted with Yeti’s product line. Specialising in essentials for camping trips, its hero product is without a doubt its cool boxes, of which the Roadie 24 is an all-time best-seller. This lightweight and thermally adept storage vessel is available in no fewer than seven colourways, tall enough to stow wine bottles upright and slim enough to slide onto the passenger’s seat. Did somebody say road trip?”

CNN says, “Along with the Tundra 45 and Tundra Haul, the Roadie 24 is a bestseller, and for good reason. Combining incredible durability and weather resistance with extended ice retention, the Roadie 24 keeps whatever it is you want fresh fresh.”

 You might also be interested in:

Sources

Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.