Honor Your Dad as Your Hero
A Father's Day Knighthood Celebration
Take time to prepare a special day that combines feasting, fun, and a special tribute to honor the hero in your home or other Father figure in your life.
Make a Cardboard Shield and Sword
Prepare ahead by making a shield and sword for the ceremony. Cut the shield shape (a half oval). Decorate it with a symbol for your Dad, such as a cross or castle for the home. If desired, add symbols for his bravery and other qualities, such as a lion for courage or smile for kindness. Find a toy sword of light saber of make one from cardboard with a foil-covered blade.
The Knight’s Costume and Oath
Cut a white tunic from a white garbage bag, with a slit to slip over Dad’s head. Slit the sides for his arms. Make a red cloak from a plastic red tablecloth or a red towel. Pin on ties to fasten the cloak. The red symbolizes royalty. Find more ideas for knight costumes to create a more festive atmosphere.
Write out a code of chivalry and an oath of loyalty.
Book of Heroic Deeds
Every hero needs his deeds recorded and praised. Create a scrapbook with stories of Dad's special deeds as a lad and a Dad. Let mom write about how he rescued her, a damsel in distress at some point, how this handsome knight swept her off her feet and married her.
Recount times from Dad's youth of camping in the face of dangerous nights, rescuing friends, or sport and academic achievements. Write about his slaying the monsters under your bed and keeping you safe from many dangers. Ask his parents or siblings to add their stories too. Read about chivalry of knights for more ideas of great deeds.
Decorate the cover with a coat of arms.
The Ceremony
This is the heart of the celebration so take time to set the scene and make it special. Decorate a place for the ceremony. It might be at a round table or in front of a chair decorated as a throne. Escort your Dad and read his heroic deeds. Hold up the shield and explain each symbol. Have him read the oath and code of chivalry. Then ask him to kneel on one leg. Touch each shoulder lightly with the blade of the sword, and say, “I dub thee Sir Dad, knight of the round table.”
Decree that Dad is in charge of all future knight-times and that everyone must hearken to his calls and orders at night.
Remember to take photos of the ceremony to add to the scrapbook.
Celebrate with a Knightly Feast
A special day needs good food. Set a place with the best china and silver for Dad. Make Hero sandwiches chuck full of his favorite fixings. Create a sundae with fancy toppings for this man who is tops in your life.
Hold Knightly Tournament Challenges
Children can test their skills toward knighthood with a tournament to impress the new knight. Or, let Sir Dad join the fun to show off his knightly prowess. Try these challenges:
- Hold a sword tournament with plastic swords of long balloons.
- Rescue a damsel. Set up an obstacle course with a doll at the end to be rescued and time each person in rescuing the damsel.
- Cross the moat: Set up a blue blanket or sheet (or green or brown for a muddy moat) and see who can leap across it. Keep widening it and try again.
- Find the king’s treasure: Hide gold foil covered chocolates and plastic jewels around the house. Race to find them and see who collects the most.
Create Lasting Memories
Making the day special with costumes, feasting, ceremony, tournament games, and a recounting of Dad's knightly adventures will create lasting memories that you'll want to capture with a camera. Use a scrapbook for the heroic deeds that can be added to over time as you catch that special guy in the action of doing great things, including chivalrous acts of courage and kindness that impact lives.
Sword and Shield
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Partners & Parents
Latest Articles