Do you need ideas for activities to do with kids? Tried and true suggestions that real moms actually do? Here they are! We’re asking families to share their favorites, to help you find yours.

In honor of Father’s Day we wanted to switch up our #MomLife series and feature a Dad! @DetroitFather on Instagram is one of our favorite profiles and if you’re not following Damarqio you should. We love seeing the smiles during father-daughter time and in recent weeks, we’ve been especially inspired by his activism in the Black Lives Matters movement.

Meet Damarqio

What up, doe? My name is Damarqio, and I am the dad of one beautiful 3-year-old girl, Jenesis and two amazing sons, Judah and Joseph. Though Judah and Joseph are not physically on earth, they are forever in our hearts. Born and raised as a metro Detroiter, I could not choose a better place to raise our little angel! Grateful for the opportunity to share some of our favorite places to visit and activities to do where we call home.

Favorite Ways To Spend Family Time:

• Growing outdoor home garden with our favorite fruits + veggies
• Enjoying movie nights with bag of our buttery popcorn (anything on Disney+)
• Taking road trips across the country (and even Toronto)

Favorite Places To Go:

• Detroit Riverwalk/Rivard Plaza
• Belle Isle Beach
• Beacon Park

Favorite Bedtime Stories:

• Little Giraffe’s Big Idea: A Tall Story by Benjamin Richards
• Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry
• Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss

Favorite Recipes:

• Easy Homemade Ice Cream
• Southern Salmon Croquettes
• Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Best Park/Playground: Lake St. Clair Metropark

We absolutely love this park and visit regularly for extended trips out of the city. Though there is an admission cost for entry into the park, it is worth it. The park includes all your favorite recreational activities: biking, hiking, jogging, swimming, golfing, and even nature center. The one-mile shorelines along picturesque Lake St. Clair makes for a family perfect adventure.

Best Annual Event: Detroit Tree Lighting

The wintery holiday season is our favorite time of year, especially in downtown Detroit. It makes sense that our favorite annual event would be the Annual Detroit Tree Lighting. For several years now, this has become our yearly tradition with family and close friends. This event does require us to wear our winter apparel and brave the freezing temperatures as it is the official kick-off to the winter season in Detroit. But the spectacular holiday décor, traditional Christmas music, diverse food trucks, and live countdown to light up the 60-foot-tall Christmas tree in Campus Martius Park is well the worth it.

Best Life-Saver: Home Garden

As a family our best life-saver is our home garden. Not only does it give us something to look forward to as the seasons change, it also provides a healthy alternative for us. During the winter, we struggle to eat healthy, whole foods. But thanks to our garden, we can save and store our favorite fruits & veggies for the winter.

Best Summer Destination: Mackinac Island

One of our annual summer trips is up north to Mackinac Island. It is the perfect 4-hour drive to escape the city for a day or two. From the quick ferry boat ride to the island to bike ride around the island to the butterfly house to the delicious ice cream and pizza. A family fun trip that is not expensive.

Photo credit: DetroitFather

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