On Father’s Day, it’s tempting to gift the tried-and-true gifts that dad might expect, like a mug, tie, or cologne.
But Father’s Day is a great opportunity to get creative with your gift-giving and to think of things that are more unique and personal to the dad(s) in your life.
If the dad that you’re shopping for is a nerd — that is, if he has niche interests, especially if they’re technical, academic, or related to sci-fi or fantasy — then you’ve hit the jackpot, because he probably has specific hobbies that will help you to choose a gift he’ll love.
Think about what your dad gets most excited about, and get him something that aligns with his niche pursuits. He’ll be so pleased that you noticed — and that you’re celebrating and embracing his nerdy side.
Here are a few great Father’s Day gift ideas for nerdy dads, including puzzles, books, gadgets, and games.
1. Best for the puzzle aficionado
For the dad who loves putting puzzles together, consider a wooden 3D puzzle as a Father’s Day gift.
It’s intricate and challenging to push his puzzle skills to the next level, and it also creates something that he can proudly display once complete.
We love this 3D marble run puzzle you can buy on Amazon.
2. Best for the historian
If your dad is a history buff, we think a great gift would be to take him on a little field trip.
Find a local museum that has a collection he’d be interested in, and plan a day out. Let him teach you some stuff, learn some new things together, and just allow dad to fully own his inner history nerd.
3. Best for the comic book fan
If dad is into comic books and super hero movies, then we suggest this Marvel encyclopedia so he can brush up on all the fun facts and behind-the-scenes info.
He’ll be able to declare himself a bona fide expert of every hero, villain, and supporting character that makes up the Marvel universe.
You can order the Marvel Encyclopedia on Amazon.
4. Best for the Lego lover
Some people never outgrow their childhood obsession with Lego. If that’s your dad, then we’ve got the perfect Father’s Day gift for you.
Lego makes adult building sets that are challenging to put together and beautiful once completed. We love this Lego typewriter set that apparently moves and sounds like a real typewriter — you can even feed real paper into it!
It’s something dad can do on his own to unwind, or it can be a family effort to complete the build.
You can order the collectible retro typewriter Lego set on Amazon.
5. Best for the trivia buff
If your dad is always spouting facts, shouting at Jeopardy, and offering little nuggets of random information, then he may appreciate a Father’s Day gift that helps him to expand his knowledge even further.
There are so many books out there loaded with trivia tidbits but we love Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything because it offers digestible pieces of information that are thought-provoking and entertaining.
You can order A Short History of Nearly Everything on Amazon.
6. Best for the bookworm
For the dad who always seems to have a book in hand, giving a book for Father’s Day might seem too predictable.
But if he also enjoys holding a cocktail now and then, we have a fun suggestion that might make him smile.
Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist is a book that offers cocktail recipes inspired by literary classics. It’s got everything from the Romeo and Julep to A Rum of One’s Own.
He can work his way through it, reading each book and trying each cocktail.
Tequila Mockingbird can be ordered on Amazon.
Don’t have a cocktail set? Here’s a top-selling version you can buy on Amazon.
7. Best for the gadget geek
We have yet to meet a dad who’s not fascinated by gadgets in some shape or form. It seems as if all dads have this nerdy interest; they love fiddling, fixing, and finding new tools and inventions to help them with this work.
One thing your nerdy dad may not have yet is a pair of flashlight gloves.
Whether he’s working outside at night or in the crawlspace or attic, these will help him see in the dark while keeping his hands free.
You can purchase flashlight gloves on Amazon.
8. Best for the meteorology geek
For the dad who is a science nerd, our favorite gift is an analog weather station.
This piece contains the Galileo Thermometer, a quartz clock, and an analog barometer and hygrometer, so that your nerdy dad can track temperature, air pressure, and humidity.
It’s a beautiful statement piece that will stimulate his scientific brain and look great on display.
The analog weather station is available on Amazon.
9. Best for the board gamer
One of the best Father’s day gifts you can give is something that aligns with your dad’s nerdy interests and shows that you want to spend quality time with him.
If your dad loves board games, then give him one that’s fun for the whole family.
We love Planet because it’s a strategic family-friendly game that is perfect for science and nature enthusiasts.
You can order Planet on Amazon.
The final word
If the dad in your life is a nerd, then let Father’s Day be an opportunity to show him that you love his nerdy side.
Avoid standard-issue gifts like mugs and ties and instead let him see that you really get him.
Choose a gift that helps him to dive deeper into his hobbies or that allows you to share his hobbies with him. He’ll be so happy that you were paying attention.