Daddy-Daughter Date Ideas for Girls of all Ages

What are Daddy-Daughter Dates?

Daddy-daughter dates are a one-on-one outing or activity consisting of a father and his daughter. There is no age limit, but it’s important to pick a daddy-daughter date idea that is fun and will strengthen the father-daughter relationship.

Why Have Daddy-Daughter Dates?

Why take the time to have daddy-daughter dates? Are they even worth the time and effort? 

Longer answer short… YES!!!

Fathers play a critical role in the lives of their children. How much they are involved in their children’s lives and how they act in front of their children will influence their children’s development.

Girls look up to their fathers and depend on them for security, emotional support, and to know what a good relationship with a man looks like (source). When fathers are present in their daughter’s lives, their daughters are likely to be more confident, self-assured, and have a better understanding of what they want in life (source).

Daddy-daughter outings are the perfect opportunity for fathers to build a good connection with their daughters and let them know that their dad cares about them.

Criteria for Picking a Daddy-Daughter Date

1. Don’t do something either of you hate.

It’s not going to be a good bonding experience if either of you come away being glad that it is over. It doesn’t have to be your favorite activity, but just be sure that you can enjoy time together during the daddy-daughter date.

2. Talk to your daughter before deciding what to do.

Help your daughter feel involved by deciding what to do together. It will allow her to feel more excited and that her opinion matters.

3. Have fun!

The whole point is to have a good time. If that’s not happening, then stop what you’re doing and change plans or figure out how to make it fun.

4. Choose an activity that will help you connect.

It’s hard to connect if you aren’t interacting. Be sure that the activity is something you two can do together and that you have a chance to talk with each other. 

5. Make sure the activity is age-appropriate.

You don’t want to do a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle with a two-year-old or play princess dress-up with a high schooler. That will not result in an enjoyable experience. The ideas below can help you figure out what an age-appropriate activity would be for your daughter.

Daddy-Daughter Date Ideas

I know it can sometimes be tricky thinking up daddy-daughter date ideas, but they don’t have to be elaborate or expensive. Here are some ideas for fathers with daughters of all ages. 

Daddy-Daughter Date Ideas for Toddlers and Elementary-Aged Kids

These ideas are great for daddy-daughter dates if you have little girls that are just starting to walk or 8-year-old girls in third grade.

1. Go to a playground

This could be at a fast food place with a playground inside (if you’re willing to go in there with her) or it could be at a local park nearby. You could also take her to her own school playground on the weekend to show you what they do at recess.

2. Go to a school assembly or field trip where parents are invited or needed

Talk to your daughter before attending to make sure it is something she would enjoy you coming to.

3. Go to a kids museum

4. Do a holiday craft

Depending on the next holiday, you could make ornaments, cut out hearts, make flags, etc. 

5. Play with legos or blocks

See how high you can make a tower, build a house, create a city, whatever you want! Our two-year-old loves playing with these blocks with her dad.

6. Paint

Water color, finger paint, oil paint, etc.

7. Color  

8. Go to a pet store and look at the animals

Some stores will even let you pet or play with the animals!

9. Play dress up

In order to make it fun for her, you need to be willing to dress up too. You could even let her choose your outfit and see how silly it turns out! 

10. Help her ride a bike

Take the opportunity to teach your daughter to ride a bike or walk with her while she rides a small bike, depending on her age and abilities.

Daddy-Daughter Date Ideas for Tweens and Teens

If you have a daughter who is 9-18, then she’ll likely enjoy one of these father-daughter date ideas!

1. Laser tag

2. Escape room

3. See a play or musical

Just make sure the play is something you both would enjoy and is age appropriate.

4. Hike

This is a fun idea for a daddy-daughter date if you both like the outdoors. It not only gives you an opportunity to enjoy nature, but you can have a lot of good conversations along the way as well.

5. Geocache

Geocaching is basically a scavenger hunt using a GPS or smart phone. This is a fun daddy-daughter date for those who like the outdoors and solving puzzles. You can learn more about it at geocaching.com.

6. Run

Only run for a daddy-daughter date if you both would enjoy it. If you want to go the extra mile, sign up for a race together! You could even train together daily or weekly which would make a great father-daughter bonding experience.

7. Jigsaw puzzles

This is a great idea if the weather is bad and you want to stay inside but still spend time together. It can also be a great opportunity to talk about life and catch up on how things are going. If you already have a lot of puzzles and want something unique and challenging, check out these!

8. Camping

You could go camping or backpacking overnight.

9. Volunteer

Serving together is a great way to strengthen your relationship! If you aren’t sure where to start, check out ideas on justserve.com!

10. Bike ride together 

Daddy-Daughter Date Ideas for Kids of all Ages

1. Go out for dessert 

2. Go out for a meal

3. Movie

This could be at home or at the theater. It could be extra fun if the movie is based on a book she just finished (or even better, a book you’ve read together).

4. Play catch

5. Flip a coin adventure drive

Go on a drive and take a coin. At every intersection, flip the coin. Heads means go right and tails means go left. Go for as long as you want and feel free to stop and explore along your journey.

6. Make food together

7. Board/card games

I have good memories of playing the board game Risk with my dad. He always beat me, but I still enjoyed playing it with him. 5 Crowns is another game that would make a fun father-daughter date.

8. Backyard camping

This is a great option if you like camping but don’t have all the time, energy, or resources for it. Make a fire outside if you can and star gaze before sleeping outside or in a tent.

10. Arcade

11. Do one of your favorite things

This can be one of her favorite things or one of your favorite things

12. Picnic

13. Go on a walk

Going on a walk for a daddy-daughter date is a great way to connect while getting a little exercise. Some of the best conversations can come from just going on a walk.

15. Wash the car

This can be a fun activity to do if you make sure it’s on a warm day and you wear clothes that can get wet! Extra points if it turns into a water fight.

16. Build something together

This could be a shed in the backyard, a doll house, a bird house, or any other fun construction project. Be creative!

17. Water park

18. Teach her something she wants to learn 

How Often Should Daddy-Daughter Dates Happen?

Ultimately, it is up to you as the parents how often daddy-daughter dates will occur. Think about your family’s needs and what would be realistic and meaningful.

When my family had four kids, my dad had one day each month when he would take one kid on an outing. (So each kid would have 4 outings per year with him.) This was the perfect amount of time for our family because it worked with my dad’s busy work schedule and it was often enough that we could look forward to it.

No matter how often daddy-daughter dates are done, they cannot and should not replace regular time spent together. Your daughter should know that she can turn to Dad for help or have fun with him almost any day, and not just during daddy-daughter outings. Daddy-daughter dates are just an extra special way to strengthen the relationship and help your daughter know she matters.

Now Go Have Fun!

Now dads, go have some fun with your daughters and keep your eyes open for daddy-daughter date ideas that will strengthen your unique relationship with your girl.