Last summer, I took a hunting trip with my son for a few days away from civilization. On the first night, I planned a surprise—to wake him up in the middle of the night for a secret adventure. After he slept for a bit, I woke him up and told him we have a super-secret mission, that the owner of the land we were on needed our help finding the coyotes and hogs tearing up his property. I gave my son an all-black outfit and eye black and told him we had to go immediately. His confusion quickly turned to excitement.
Adventures are important for fathers and sons because they create a bond like nothing else.That night, we didn’t see one coyote or hog. We drove around in the Jeep, using spotlights and animal calls. At times, we sat in the dark, ate Pringles as quietly as possible, looked at the stars, and laughed together. When we got home, he couldn’t stop talking about our adventure in the middle of the night. Adventures are important for fathers and sons because they create a bond like nothing else. Here are 7 adventures for fathers and sons to go on to grow closer.
1. Middle of the Night Excursion
There is something exhilarating about sneaking around in the middle of the night. A friend of mine lives on a golf course and takes his boys golf ball hunting in the middle of the night with flashlights and headlamps. Plan a midnight adventure both of you will love.
2. Middle of the Schoolday Surprise
In middle school, there was something special about leaving school and coming back. Your friends wanted to know every detail of what you did; it was super cool. Plan a special lunch or a quick adventure out. This doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive, just intentional.
3. Outdoor Adventure
You may not be the outdoors type, but there is value in being outside together as guys. Plan a camping trip or go hiking and fishing. It may not be an ongoing adventure, but it’s a must-do to create some shared stories.
4. Fun with Food
Find an eating challenge you can do together at a local restaurant. Go grab some nice steaks and teach him how to grill. Pick a type of food the two of you like and take a tour around your state to find the best places to get it. Food brings everyone together.
5. Something You’ve Never Done Before
Find something you have always wanted to do and do it with your son. When he asks if you’ve ever done this before, you get to tell him, “No, we are doing this together for the first time.”
6. Something Your Son Loves
Plan an adventure doing something your son loves. My son loved LEGOs when he was young. When a LEGO convention came to town, I surprised him and took him. We played with LEGOs until my hands hurt.
7. Something You Love
If you have a hobby that you love, bring your son into that world when that world is age-appropriate for him. Plan something special that includes him. Don’t just show him, but tell him why you love that hobby. The challenge here is to be OK if he doesn’t fall in love with it as you did.
Earn some points: Are you married? If so, share this iMOM article with your wife: 5 Ways to Build a Strong Mom-Son Bond.
Sound off: What adventures would you add to this list for fathers and sons?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What do you want our next adventure to be?”