Inexpensive ideas for Father's Day

Children and others who are heavy on love but light on funds thisFather's Day may need a few clever - and inexpensive - ways tocelebrate their dads.

Heather Young, community events coordinator at the Children'sDiscovery Museum, 716 E. Empire St., offered a great possibility: amosaic stepping stone for the garden.

Kids can make one from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at UnionPlanters Bank, Bloomington. Cost is $2.

Here are some other ideas from a variety of Internet sources:

Homemade jigsaw puzzle

- Enlarge a family vacation photo at a copy shop and glue theprint onto fun foam. Coat the top with Mod Podge for a glossy finish.Once it hardens, draw the puzzle pieces on top with a felt tip penand cut them out using scissors or an X-acto knife.

Wrap the pieces in a box, and Dad and the family can all put thepuzzle together.

Walking stick

- Select a four- to five-foot stick and remove its bark with adull knife. Sand the stick until it's semi-smooth, but allow it toretain its character. Varnish it, tie it with a bow and go for afamily hike.

Paper weights

- Select a smooth stone and heat it in the oven. While it's stillhot, use glittery crayons to draw on the stone. The wax will melt andharden, leaving a colorful and virtually indestructible officeaccessory.

Snacks

- To make chocolate-covered pretzel logs, melt semi-sweet morselsin the oven, then use tongs to dip pretzels in the chocolate. Shakeoff the excess; lay the treats on foil, sprinkle them with coconut,chopped nuts or sprinkles and allow to dry.

A round oatmeal box is the perfect size and shape to hold thepretzels.

Wash and wax

- Dad probably would appreciate a home car wash and detailing. Assign each family member a small item to buy (chamois cloth, hangingscent, floor mats, window cleaner, tape or CD, car wax). After Dadhas opened his gifts, get out the hose and crank up the music for afun family afternoon.

Smile and shoot

-- Buy Dad a roll of film and photo album and set out to fill it.Head to a park or zoo and allow everyone a turn at playingphotographer. Drop the film a quick-developing service, buy some icecream and then return for the set of pictures you can put in Dad'snew album.

Personalize it

- Make a T-shirt with a cute saying memorable for all. Plainshirts and fabric paint are inexpensive and widely available. Or,put some paint in a foil pie pan, dip the kids' hands and press themon the back of the shirt. Then write "This Dad Deserves a Pat on theBack." If the kids' dip their feet, write "My kids walk all over me!"Have the children sign their names; allow shirts to dry at least 24hours.

On the Web: www.childfun.com, www.womansday.com, www.allcrafts.net/kids.htm, www.homeschoolzone.com, www.momscape.com.