How to Have a Great Father's Day With Your Science-Minded Dad

You might have one of those dads who are constantly tinkering with gadgets, or he's always out collecting stream samples or studying lunar craters. Whatever the case, you've got to get creative here.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Take him out to the local or big-city museum of science and industry. Watch a show at the planetarium and delve into the anthropology and ecology displays or the high-tech dioramas (gadgets!).

2. Visit an electronics store. Science dads are often techno-geeks at heart. Check out the new computer hardware: handheld scanners, heads-up displays, wireless Internet connections.

3. Consider subscribing your pa to a premium cable addition. Endless satellite or cable packages offer various channels on science and the high-tech world.

4. Send your father on a field trip. If he's always collecting rocks, enroll him in a geology field class or a paleontology expedition with a local museum or college.

5. Find a restaurant with the most chrome and neon lights, and treat your dad to lunch.

6. Call ahead and get take-out food. Because, come to think of it, science-minded dads are extremely efficient, and sitting down to wait for food is not. Better yet, before spending the day wrapped in various activities, order easy lunch makings through an online grocery delivery service. Then you don't have to tip, either.

Tips & Warnings

• If you decide on tickets to a show, museum or other excursion, don't just stick them in an envelope. Take apart an old 5 1/4-inch floppy disk and hide them inside.
• Spring for seats at a new "Star Trek" film, or rent a classic. Supplement with old sci-fi reruns or updated eye candy like "The Matrix."

[vallain]

on 12/22/2008 great ideas!