1.
"As a kid, history was the subject I struggled with most in school. To help me study, my dad would take the textbook chapter and turn it into quiz questions like a game show format. Not only did this help us bond, but it helped me get good grades and develop a strong work ethic. He was always willing to go the extra mile to help me become who I am today!"
– Katelyn S
2.
"My dad used to do my hair. After I showered, I would sit on the back of the couch while he combed it and blew it dry. My dad would even cut my hair too. He would always finish my haircut by giving me a moustache. We would spend time perfecting the moustache, which was difficult because it'd 'fall off' as soon as I laughed, and then there was the grand reveal to my mum and sister. We would all crack up laughing!"
– Laura H
3.
"My dad and I (my whole family, really) bonded with LEGO. We would all play together – in fact, we still do from time to time. But my favourite memory is actually with my dad.
"A little backstory: My parents decided we were moving overseas. My dad was going to be leaving first to get us settled, and we would then follow a year later. The night before my dad left, he helped me build a remote-control LEGO car. It took us HOURS to make, but it was my favourite toy. I thought it was the coolest thing we'd ever built. The next day, he took off, and whenever I missed him I would play with my LEGO car. As much as I wanted to build other things with that cool 'remote' mechanism I had, I couldn't bring myself to take the car apart. I was so careful with my car that I would store it in a box on the top bunk bed in my room."
– Tammy T
4.
"When I was a toddler, my dad turned his hobby of buying, collecting, and selling 16mm films and movie memorabilia into a full-time job. Our house is covered in vintage movie posters, and I've spent my entire life learning and talking about film, theatre, television, actors, directors, editors, and writers. He instilled in my brother and me a passion and deep appreciation for movies and movie-making, and as a result, these topics aren't just watercooler talk for us; they're religion."
– Casey C
5.
"My dad taught me how to play video games (in particular the racing ones) when I was pretty young and was really proud of me when he stopped letting me win and I'd genuinely beat him.
"When I was about 8 or 9, he took me to an auto show. There was a console set up for the public, and he told me I should play against someone. I ended up playing against a really surly looking 13-year-old boy who I could tell was not messing around. Anyway, I won, and my dad looked really genuinely proud of me for beating that pimply teen. Thanks for teaching me to challenge gender stereotypes, Dad!"
– Emily G
6.
"My dad is the funniest guy I know, and so much of my childhood was spent making jokes with him. He and I were constantly making up games (we loved to play 'None', which was just what we called a staring contest) and finding things to laugh about. Whenever we spent a day at an extended family gathering that got boring, I'd meet him in the kitchen and we'd crack jokes about how bored we were. We still do that! I'm so grateful for the sense of humour my dad passed on and helped me cultivate."
– Jana P
7.
"My dad is the chef of the family and goes to the grocery store every single day to get ingredients for dinner. Luckily, my parents raised my sister and me to be adventurous with food; instead of chicken fingers, we would order calamari. Bonding over food, whether at restaurants or his cooking, will always be so important for us. Just talking about a fantastic fish we ordered or how he cooked the chicken wings better than he ever had before makes us so happy. It's also the little things, like how whenever I'm home he always makes me a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich in the morning. He spends so much time making it just right and then tries to act casual as he paces around waiting to hear if I liked it or not. Food is definitely what we bond over most, and I wouldn't have it any other way!"
– Chesney L
8.
"My dad has always loved bike riding; he's gone on rides every day for as long as I can remember. When I was really young, he would take me on the back of his bike, and we would ride around the suburbs – and then, as I got older, we would go on rides together along the beach. I remember having such a feeling of joy and pride when I would tell all my friends at school that my dad was going to pick me up and we were going to go ride along the beach and watch the sunset. Those little moments were very special to me. I am now a pretty unathletic human, but I make a point to go on bike rides with my dad whenever I go home to visit!"
– Alex S
9.
"My dad is super outdoorsy and was my primary caregiver/a stay-at-home dad when I was younger. We would spend a lot of time at the park or in the bush, and he would teach me things I have no practical use for in my daily life (setting a broken leg on a hike, starting a campfire, identifying venomous vs nonvenomous animals, that kind of thing) but that made me feel very confident and self-sufficient. It also gave me respect and love for nature and, in my opinion, really helped the development of my empathy. We still talk about the many things we have in common when we talk on the phone, and I think of him every time I have the opportunity to fight a snake. ;)"
– Kaye T
10.
"My dad was always my biggest fan and partner in crime as a kid. He would drive me to school every day blasting classic rock, reggae, and blues on the stereo, instilling my deep love for music of all genres. We both shared a wicked sense of humour and a taste for some light impishness, and while my mum would bemoan our darker sense of humour for fear that we were going to lose our sweetness, my dad always got my jokes and sarcasm (as well as encouraged my prankish side....while still staying sweet).
"To this day, my dad and I have gotten over a lot of personal hurdles through our sense of humour and understanding of each other's quirks. Our relationship has only gotten better with time."
– Mandy C
11.
"My favourite memories of my dad and me involve belting out tunes together. The one that sticks out the most to me is when I was a toddler and he took me to work with him for a few days over the summer holidays. During his lunch break, we went and bought Madonna's Immaculate Collection on cassette. On the way home that day, he blasted the album to the highest volume his car stereo could withstand, and I distinctly remember just having the biggest grin on my face and having absolutely no idea what the words meant that I was singing along to!"
– Jasmin S
12.
"My dad is very handy and was always building something or renovating part of our house. I loved to go down to his workshop in our basement and see what he was up to. Even if he was doing something too difficult for me to help wth, he would find something for me to do (like use his vacuum to suck up all the sawdust). He taught me how to use a bandsaw at the age of 8 so that I could build my papa a miniature boat for his birthday. We’ve made a lot of things together throughout the years: furniture for my dollhouse, a crib for my dolls, different DIY projects, and bunk beds for my room!"
– Laura H
There's something extra special about a father-daughter bond. LEGO Friends helps dads and daughters connect through classic LEGO-building combined with fun first-person role-play!
