Now here’s a dad who gets it. A little clowning around with a camera, and now he’s got a memory to share. A lot of dad videos on YouTube have pratfalls and pranks…

These are great, though more of the kind of videos I’m looking for are random, spontaneous stuff… dad doing something funny while mom or someone grabs a camera to capture the moment. But I realize that life is what happens when you’re making other plans. 

So. If you’re a cool dad, a fun dad, or know one, and if you saw or created a great moment of laughing, happy kids, get the details written down and send it to us at dad@magicaldad.com. We will post the story and further the dream to create a free idea resource for dads everywhere. 

Also, if it’s possible to reproduce the idea, we’ll create a video, with full credit to the innovator. 

You know those mini sample size chocolates, Hershey’s, Krackel, Mr. Goodbar usually used for Hallowe’en candy?

Imagine this: you open a chocolate in front of your kids, eat it, flatten the little wrapper, hold it for a moment, blow on your hand– and the chocolate is back!

Here’s how: reaching into the bag of chocolates get two out of the same kind. Hide one in your palm, and keep the other at your fingertips. Open and eat the one they can see, flatten the wrapper… and the slide it into between the paper and foil wrappers. It will look as though the empty wrapper has magically re-filled with candy. This is easy as can be to repeat… so don’t worry if they ask you to do it again.

If they ask you to open the new one to prove it is real, just cleverly open it in such a way that the old wrapper is crumpled along with the new one. As you’re tearing the new one open, pinch the empty wrapper together with it. Simple.

Make every moment count!

This is one a friend of mine taught me, and also once in Vegas I saw the brilliant comedy magician Mac King do onstage. Start with a narrow, medium sized rock (4-6 inches long) and put it in your pocket when they’re not looking. When you’re stopped for a water break, complain you’ve got a rock in your shoe. Stand at a 45 degree angle from them, and as you lean over to take off the shoe, steal the rock from the back pocket. Then with the rock hidden slide it down the rear of you legs to the edge of your shoe. Simultaneously, you are pulling your foot up out of the shoe. As your heel is up and lifting out, slip the rock in (it doesn’t need to be all the way in because of what happens next.) Next, simultaneously reach forward and pick up the shoe by the area in front of the laces, and move your foot away… tip the shoe so that the rock is hidden. Then shake, the rock falls out! Guaranteed laugh. This is perfect if your hike destination is a lake, because you can use it as a skipping stone.

Another idea: use acorn tops to make whistles. Holding the acorn with both thumbs across the opening, make a V shape: blow forcefully into this, chin against the knuckles, and you’ve got a whistle.

And be sure to stop along the trail. Are we on a deadline or there to enjoy nature? Look for animal prints. See how many varieties of leaves or seeds or cones you can find. Just make it a memory.

You may already know an alternative method with a playing card or baseball card in the spokes, using a clothespin. Instead, try getting a balloon, one of the larger sizes, and fill it with a very small amount of air, to about baseball size. The excess size, uninflated will mean the rubber is more durable. Tie it to the strut on the non-chain side of the rear wheel so that it is free to flap against the spokes. As the bike is ridden it will make a very loud motorcycle sound. Best to do this for your nephews or nieces on a visit away from home…

And this is where being a Magical Dad comes in handy.

I asked her, “How does a cow ask for glue?” She blinked, stared at me. I said, with my best bovine accent, “GLoooOOOO.” After the laugh, I asked her, “how does a cat ask for glue? Gl-eow.” And we carried on with giggles, continuing through a menagerie of animals: dog, bird, duck, horse, and cracking up as we went along. She forgot about what she wanted and it’s been a running joke for us ever since.

Wish I’d filmed it but life is what happens when you’re making other plans.

Millions of people have been woken up by his message. It’s profoundly simple, and profoundly life-changing… if that’s the choice you make.

This life isn’t a dress rehearsal. Make very moment count.

For now– a Magical Dad is simply a dad who lives aware that his time with his kids is the most valuable thing in the world. He’s that guy who’s making his kids laugh so much that they smile every time he looks at them. He’s the guy who on a flight could take the airsick bag (unused) and pretend to throw up to get his kids to giggle. Or he makes it into a puppet. Or he pretends it is alive attacking his throat. Or all three.

“Magical Dad” can be described as a father dedicated to making moments count. It means realizing that in the end all we have are moments strung together to call a life.

A magical dad greets the day with creativity. When something is humdrum and rote, he looks for a way to make it fun. ”What’s funny about this? What could spark some wonder? How can I make a memory here?”

And every dad has been a magical dad. Almost every father wants to be a magical, memorable, fun, cool dad. Every dad wants his kids love and affection, and wants it to grow.

And so this site is about collecting the ideas. Journals, video, blogs, all about fun. We’re excited about seeing the great home video snippets that people will share over the next few years.

A word to the moms: we love ya. You know as well as we do you’re not going to pull a coin out of the kid’s ears as often as the dads are going to want to.

As we work out technical details for the features (video entry, journals, idea pages, and discussion board) we thought we’d make our progress transparent. So for at least the next five or six weeks, this weblog will be the core of the site. As things develop we will keep the Magical Dad weblog going with site updates and new feature announcements, but the heart and soul will be the idea forum and vlog/ video sharing.

The most precious thing in the world is time. The greatest way to celebrate that time is by creating memories and moments with the people you care about. This site will be your idea resource for fun things to do and fun ways to act around your kids!