Father’s Day is a recognition of a father's contribution and their importance in our life—at the end of the day, some superheroes don’t wear capes. Father is a special man in our life; he is someone that is there to help the kids grow, to nurture and protect them in a world of unpredictable storms. 

In celebration of Father’s Day, one way to engage and bond with your younger ones would be through science and technology.

During our parents’ childhood, technology might not be as influential or widespread as the present age of technological advancement. However, according to Edutopia, modern parents are slowly adapting and changing the way they interact with their children.

In order to strengthen a dad-kid bond, families have to understand and acknowledge that the world has changed: children are growing up with the evolving digital era. Even though technology (specifically smartphones and laptops) is perceived as a breeding source of seclusion among children, parents can deliberately shift the mindset of tech isolation, and exploit the accessible technology to strengthen their connection by creating precious memories.

Nowadays, families have options on how they can choose to spend their family's quality time with the availability of technology and science online: planning science experiments at home such as making crystals with salt; crafting a paper plane; constructing a cup tower; making bouncing balls; creating a stop-motion video. For example, today’s toys, such as robot cars, wooden blocks or board games, have integrated STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) skills into them as the exposure to science and technology at a young age would benefit the child’s cognitive growth.

In Cambodia, Tech for Kids Academy has a program called, “STEM-It-yourself” (similar to DIYs) that allows families to participate in fun crafting challenges (e.g. straw rocket, phenakistoscope) related to science from materials you can find around your house—this is an opportunity to enjoy precious time with your fathers while gaining new knowledge in the STEM field.

The power of technology enables us to create moments with our fathers and explore the world together, whether it’s simply through playing board games or conducting an elephant toothpaste experiment in the backyard.