Leeds Dads host the biggest free Father’s Day party in the country

Issued on behalf of Leeds Dads

This Father’s Day Leeds Dads will be hosting a Dadtastic free event to support dads to engage with their children.

Dadtastic Day takes place on Father’s Day (Sunday 18 June 2017) from 11am - 3pm at Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square.

It is a day of free family fun organised by Leeds Dads, in partnership with Leeds City Museum and Child Friendly Leeds. The day is for babies, toddlers and children up to 11 years old and offers a great opportunity for parents, carers and grandparents to interact with their children.

The day’s activities will include music, dance, science, storytelling, arts and crafts, and sport.

Children can learn to dance with Phoenix Dance, upcycle vinyl and turn old records into art, jump and shout at the BoomChikkaBoom baby rave, and meet their favourite fairy tale story characters. There will also be fun outdoors with Pop-Up Sport on Millennium Square and artistic youngsters can create crazy carnival headpieces, or make ‘Dad-Face’ biscuits and eat them.

• Some sessions are bookable on the day (loose clothing and trainers should be worn):BoomChikkaBoom – Baby Rave!
• Sponge Tree Storytime – Laughing Yoga Story time
• Phoenix Dance - Movement, Balance and Taking Space Classes

Other sessions are drop-in and do not need to be booked. These are:

• Bloom Bakers - make your own ‘dad-face’ biscuits
• Valentina's Collective Carnival Arts (part of Leeds West Indian Carnival) - create crazy carnival headpieces
• Zulu King Monk - upcycle vinyl and turn records into art
• SaturDads - Tiny Play – heuristic play for under 2s
• Scraptastic - invent musical instruments using scrap
• Leeds Library - Dadstastic Zines - make a mag about your family
• Health For All / Young Dads - fabulous food art and other edible creations
• The Tetley/Timid Elk - 3D dad’s construction
• Hamara Centre - mendhi and face painting
• Leeds Children’s Theatre - meet your favourite fairy tale story characters
• Leeds Pop-Up Sport - fun and engaging activity session to get your heart pumping and your face smiling. Please wear loose clothing and trainers.
• Leeds Museum Family Trail – find out more about dads in the Life on Earth Gallery – from the sensational seahorse to the perfect penguin.

Anyone wishing to attend this FREE event should pre-book and register at www.leedsdads.org

Councillor Lisa Mulherin, executive member for children and families said:

“This is a great opportunity for families to join together in the city centre, have fun and be creative. Leeds Dads is one of our Child Friendly Leeds ambassador organisations and they do important work in supporting fathers, in particular, to actively engage with their children, and to build strong and lasting relationships.

“This event was very popular last year and I am delighted that Leeds City Museum has agreed to host it again and support it alongside Child Friendly Leeds.”

Notes to editors:

What Is Leeds Dads?

In April 2011 a group of dads looking for ways to spend more time with their young babies set up their own playgroup in a café in Leeds City Centre. Now they're opening their doors to hundreds of other dads in the city.

Leeds Dads is a charitable organisation which brings together a diverse community of fathers for social interaction and support. They host playgroups for dads and kids, organise social events, and signpost towards expert parenting support.

Leeds Dads were commended as an asset to the city in Leeds Beckett University's report 'The State of Men’s Health in Leeds (2016)'. It highlights our work supporting the wellbeing of fathers in Leeds, providing a service for fathers and toddlers, and also for lone fathers who wish to maintain contact with children when separation occurs.

They receive regular referrals from family outreach workers at Leeds Children’s Centres regarding families where dads are isolated, and seeking involvement in a dads’ group to make friends and share activities with children.

Leeds Dads meet up on a monthly basis (third Sunday of each month) at The Tetley Arts Centre, Leeds and this meeting is for dads and children. The children get involved in arts and craft, and if the weather is good they have games, a sing-a-long and story time outside.

They also host annual events like a Christmas Party, an Easter Egg Hunt and a summer picnic, which are family events welcoming mums and grandparents too.

For more information about Leeds Dads and Dadstastic, please visit: www.leedsdads.org; facebook.com/leedsdads; Twitter @leedsdads; or e-mail: info@leedsdads.org