12 Happy Things for Dads and Kids to Do Around Charlotte

Dads, this one is for you. Whether you are home with the kids every day, making the most of your weekends as a single dad, or the kind of dad who gets more excited about the train museum than the kids do, Charlotte has plenty of ways to make a great day together.

I put this list together with a little something for every kind of dad. Some are free, some are right in your own backyard, and a few are run by Kids' Directory friends I have known for years. Pick one this week and go make a memory.

For the Stay-at-Home Dad

1. Make Tuesday park-and-picnic day at Freedom Park. Weekday mornings at Freedom Park in Dilworth are quiet, the playground is wide open, and the paved loop around the lake is perfect for scooters and balance bikes. Pack lunch in a backpack, feed the ducks a handful of frozen peas, and be home in time for nap. A standing weekly date gives the whole week a happy rhythm.

2. Cheer from the sideline at Soccer Shots. Soccer Shots runs fun, beginner-friendly soccer programs for little ones around Charlotte, often right at preschools and neighborhood parks. The coaches do the teaching - your job is the high fives. Check their schedule for the class nearest you.

3. Burn off the wiggles at Urban Air in Mint Hill. When it is too rainy or too hot for the park, Urban Air Adventure Park on Matthews-Mint Hill Road is a lifesaver. Trampolines, climbing and obstacle courses mean everybody sleeps well that night. Ask about their times set aside for little jumpers - weekday mornings are usually the calmest.

Dad pushing his little girl on a swing at a sunny park

For the Single Dad

4. Learn something side by side at Arte Suave Jiu Jitsu Academy. Arte Suave on South Point Boulevard in Steele Creek is a family-first gym with kids' classes by age and sessions where parents and kids can train together. Learning the same move at the same time builds confidence - and plenty of giggles. Drop-ins are welcome for most classes, so call ahead and try one.

5. Spend a Saturday morning at Cotton Hills Farm. About an hour south in Chester, South Carolina, Cotton Hills Farm has a big pick-your-own pumpkin patch, a corn maze and hayrides on October Saturdays. Let the kids pick the biggest pumpkin they can carry, then let them try to carry it to the car. Check the farm's hours before you head out.

6. Turn Friday into make-your-own-pizza night. Pick up a ball of dough, set out bowls of toppings, and let every kid build their own. Kids eat what they make, the kitchen gets a little floury, and nobody has to agree on toppings. Add a movie and you have a tradition.

7. Hold a glow golf championship at Monster Mini Golf. The Charlotte course on East W.T. Harris Boulevard in the University area is 18 holes of glow-in-the-dark fun with local art on the walls, and there are Monster Mini Golf locations in Gastonia and Monroe too. Keep a season-long scorecard on the fridge and crown a champion at the end of the year.

Dad and son out on the green with golf clubs

For the Geek Dad

8. Ride the rails at the NC Transportation Museum. About 45 minutes up I-85 in Spencer, the museum has a giant working roundhouse and turntable full of locomotives, plus a train ride around the grounds. It is a dream for any kid who loves trains - and for the dad who secretly loves them more. Check the museum's website for ride days and times.

9. Build it, launch it, then go see the real thing. Spend Saturday morning building a cardboard robot or a backyard baking-soda volcano, then head to Discovery Place Science in Uptown to see how the pros do it. Kids who just built something look at the exhibits with brand-new eyes.

10. Swing like a pro at Golf Links Simulators. Golf Links Simulators in the Rea Farms area has HD golf simulators plus baseball, soccer and other sports games on the big screen. It is a great rainy-day pick, and little golfers can try a famous course without carrying a heavy bag. Call ahead to book a bay.

11. Bowl, blast and battle at Stars and Strikes in Concord. Stars and Strikes has bowling lanes, a two-story laser tag arena, bumper cars and a huge arcade under one roof. Make it a dads-versus-kids tournament and let the losers buy the ice cream.

Dad teaching his son to bowl

For Every Dad

12. Start an adventure jar. Write a dozen ideas from this list on slips of paper, drop them in a jar, and let the kids pull one each month. Add a few of their own - "let Dad take a nap" may sneak in there. A year from now you will have twelve great days to look back on.

Dad and three kids on a sunny hiking trail

More Charlotte family fun

Looking for sports, martial arts, music lessons or birthday party spots around Charlotte? I have been gathering the best of them in the Kids' Directory since 2008. Pick up the latest issue around town or browse KidsDirectoryCharlotte.com - The LITTLE book with BIG Resources!