If there’s one thing most dads love almost as much as their kids, it’s a really bad joke. You know the kind—groan-worthy, eye-roll-inducing, and somehow still hilarious? That’s where this Dad Joke Jar for Father’s Day comes in. It’s part craft, part gift, and part stand-up comedy… all wrapped into one mason jar.
Whether your child is preschool age or loves cracking jokes with dad, this DIY gift is fun to make and even more fun to give. It’s silly, thoughtful, and guaranteed to get laughs—because what better way to celebrate Dad than with a jar full of giggles?
Why You’ll Love This Craft
- It’s funny and heartfelt – a combo dads totally love.
- Kids can personalize it with decorations, doodles, and hand-picked jokes.
- It’s easy to make with basic craft supplies and a little creativity.
- Perfect for all ages – younger kids can help decorate, while older ones can help write (or invent!) the jokes.
This makes a great gift for home, school, or daycare Father’s Day celebrations—and it doubles as a sweet little keepsake.
Materials You’ll Need
- Mason jar (or any small container with a lid)
- Craft sticks or small pieces of paper
- Foam sheets
- Scissors
- Glue
- Foam letter stickers or foam sheets
- Markers
- Optional: ribbon or washi tape for extra flair
How to Make a Father’s Day Dad Joke Jar
- Decorate the Jar: Start with a clean mason jar. Cut out a bow tie from a foam sheet. Outline it with a marker. Glue the bowtie to the top of the mason jar.
- Make the joke sticks: Use craft sticks for a more sturdy, popsicle-style look, or cut strips of white paper to fit inside the jar. Aim for 2-5 jokes depending on the age of your child. Older kids can write out the jokes themselves, while younger ones can dictate them for you to write. Want to keep things simple? Google a few clean, kid-approved dad jokes to get started. A few classics:
- What do you call cheese that isn’t yours? Nacho cheese.
- Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field.
- What does a lemon say when it answers the phone? Yellow!
You can also make blank ones for Dad to add his own later!
- Cut a strip of foam sheet to wrap around the inside of the jar. Next cut two strips of foam sheets. Then use a marker letter stickers to spell out “DAD JOKE JAR” across the label. Let kids go wild with decorating! Add stars, smiley faces, mustaches, or even little drawings of Dad’s favorite things. Glue them to the middle of the jar.
- Add the Jokes to the Jar: Fold the strips (or leave the sticks as-is) and drop them into the jar. Want to really surprise Dad? Write “Open one a day!” on a tag to keep the laughs going well beyond Father’s Day.
- Add a Personalized Message: Tape or glue a little card to the top or inside the lid that says something like:
“Dear Dad, you always make us laugh, so here are a few laughs back. Happy Father’s Day! Love, [your child’s name]”
It’s a small extra that makes the gift feel even more personal.
The Dad Joke Jar is one of those Father’s Day crafts that’s as meaningful as it is hilarious. It gives kids a chance to be creative, helps celebrate dad’s unique brand of humor, and gives the whole family something to smile (or groan) about.
It’s the perfect blend of DIY, humor, and heart—and we guarantee this is one gift that won’t get tucked away in a drawer.
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
