Rock July with Us!
Rock July with us!
Summer is in full swing, and we've got another exciting month ahead at Dads Rock! From family trips and playgroups to workshops and community events, there's plenty happening across Scotland to keep dads and little ones busy throughout July.
This month, we're especially looking forward to our Summer of Fun in Ayrshire, with plenty of opportunities to get outdoors, try something new and make lasting memories together. We're also encouraging dads to take part in the Dads Survey 2026, helping to ensure fathers' voices are heard and shape future support for families.
Take a look below to see what's coming up this month – we can't wait to see you at one of our events!🍉☀️🍦🌻✨
Have Your Say – Dads Survey 2026💙
We're encouraging dads to take a few minutes to complete the Dads Survey 2026. The survey gives fathers across Scotland the opportunity to share their experiences, helping to build a better understanding of fatherhood today and shape future support for dads and families.
If you've used any Dads Rock services in the last 12 months, we'd especially love to hear from you. The survey only takes 5–10 minutes to complete, and every response helps make a difference.
Take the survey here👉 Dads survey
Thank you for helping us ensure dads' voices are heard! 💛
Groups
If you are wanting to spend some quality time with your wee one(s) and chat with some other local dads, our groups are the place for you.
Most groups run every week but it’s always worth checking the calendar to make sure it’s on.
North Ayrshire: In Irvine we have weekly groups for Dads and their children on Sundays at 10.30am and the Three Towns Dads Group is on Wednesdays at 6.30pm🚴
Glasgow: In Maryhill we have a playgroup on every Saturday at 10am🐝
Edinburgh: In Gorgie we run playgroups every Saturday and Sunday at 10am. On Tuesday evening at 7pm is our Dads and Dice group - a games night for Dads with or without their babies🌻
Dundee: Saturdays the Boomerang Centre 10am🥁
East Ayrshire: Join us in the Baby Sensory Room, My5s Football, Kilmarnock. Monday’s from 6pm🫧
You can sign up to come along to any of our groups: GroupSignUp and check the calendar to see it’s on: WhatsOn
Don’t forget our WhatsApp groups! If you’re not part of our community you can join here: WhatsApp
Trips
We’re hosting a Summer of Fun in Ayrshire for dads and kids!
Wednesday 1st July 3pm - A relaxed family afternoon at Dean Castle Country Park🌳🦙 We'll explore the beautiful woodland trails, visit the animal park to see deer, llamas and rare-breed sheep, and let the children enjoy the adventure playground. It's a great opportunity to get outdoors, meet other dads and families, and enjoy some quality time together. No booking required – just come along and join us!
Thursday 2nd July 2pm - Kick off the summer vibes with a relaxing stroll along Irvine Beach with the kids. We’re meeting outside Vanilla Joe’s, so you can even treat the family to some legendary ice cream after the walk!
Wednesday 8th July 3pm - An exciting visit to Kilmarnock Fire Station🚒🔥 This is a fantastic opportunity for dads and children to meet local firefighters, learn more about their important work and get a closer look at the fire engines and equipment. Children will have the chance to explore the station and ask plenty of questions along the way. Sign up here - East Ayrshire Fire Station Trip
Thursday 9th July 2pm – Come along and explore the beautiful scenery and fresh air at Lochshore Park. We’ll be gathering in the main car park before heading out for some great chats and family fun.
Wednesday 15th July 3pm -An afternoon of My5 Football in Kilmarnock, fun and family time⚽💛 Whether you're a regular player or haven't kicked a ball in years, everyone is welcome. We'll enjoy two hours on our own pitch before sitting down together for pizza and drinks. The focus is on having fun, getting active and spending quality time with your children. Sign up here - Dads & Kids Football
Thursday16th July 2.30pm - Fire Station Visit, Kilwinning The kids will love getting a closer look at a real fire station and meeting the local heroes! Meet us at the station—though if plans change, we'll head over to Eglinton Park for an outdoor adventure instead.Contact
Wednesday 22nd July 3pm -A fun afternoon of FootGolf at Caprington Golf Club ⛳⚽ Combining football and golf, FootGolf is easy to pick up and suitable for all abilities. We'll head around the course together, enjoying a relaxed and friendly challenge while spending time outdoors with other dads and families. Sign up here Dads & Kids FootGolf
Thursday 23rd July 2pm - Join us for an epic day out at the stunning, graffiti-covered Kelburn Castle. Meet the crew in the car park, and get ready for a brilliant day of exploring the grounds and trails.
Wednesday 29th July 3pm -A family visit to The Dick Institute🦖📚 We'll explore fascinating exhibits, discover local history and get up close to some incredible displays, including dinosaur fossils and unique collections. It's a great opportunity to learn something new while spending quality time together as a family. No booking required – just come along and join us!
Thursday 30th July 2pm - Troon Beach Walk, Troon Nothing beats a classic day at the coast to round out July. We're meeting at the Beach Play Park for plenty of seaside fun, sandcastle building, and great company.
Contact Ryan Ryan@dadsrock.org.uk or 07970441092 or use the link if there is oneto sign up.
Workshops
We run free workshops regularly in our different locations across Scotland. There are a range of topics that we cover and this month we will be running:
Dads Antenatal Edinburgh - Join us on Thursday 9th July from 7:00pm–8:00pm at Gorgie War Memorial Hall for our free Dads Antenatal Workshop. This relaxed, dads-only session offers practical advice and hands-on experience, including changing nappies and bathing a baby, while giving you the chance to meet other expectant dads and build confidence ahead of your little one's arrival👶💙
Dads Antenatal Online - Can't make it along to one of our in-person sessions? Join us on Wednesday 29th July from 7:00pm–8:00pm for our Online Dads Antenatal Workshop. This relaxed session is a great opportunity for expectant dads to learn practical skills, gain confidence ahead of their baby's arrival and connect with other dads-to-be from the comfort of home. You'll also hear real-life experiences and have the chance to ask questions in a friendly, supportive environment💻💙
Dads Antenatal North Ayrshire- Join us on Thursday 30th July from 6:30pm–7:30pm at Baby Bundles, Stevenston for our free Dads Antenatal Workshop. Designed for expectant dads, this friendly and informal session covers everything from labour and birth to baby care, safe sleeping, feeding, car seats and perinatal mental health. It's a great opportunity to build confidence, learn practical skills and meet other dads-to-be in a welcoming, judgement-free environment👶💙
Our workshops are free to attend but donations are always welcome! They are a great way to build confidence while spending quality time together.
You can find out more about all our workshops using the link here: Parenting Workshops
Other support
As always we’ll be providing one to one support in Edinburgh, Ayrshire, Tayside and Glasgow, as well as peer support for New Dads through our PS service
June Round-up
June was another fantastic month at Dads Rock, filled with memorable moments, exciting events and plenty of opportunities for dads and families to connect. We were especailly delighted to launch our first group in Kilmarnock with 8 families attending 🎉 Here's a look back at some of the highlights from the past month!
Dads Rock on BBC Morning Live📺
We were delighted to be featured on BBC Morning Live as part of their Father's Day programme! A huge thank you to the BBC for shining a light on the work we do, and an extra special thank you to Greg and our Tuesday Dads Group for representing Dads Rock so brilliantly. We're incredibly proud to share the importance of supporting dads and families with a wider audience 🙌
Ryan also got a feature on That’s Ayrshire TV (facebook link)
Celebrating Father's Day Together 💙👨👧👦
It was fantastic to celebrate Father's Day with so many dads, children and families at our events across Scotland. From BBQs and picnics to games, trips and time spent together, it was wonderful to see so many smiling faces enjoying the day. Thank you to everyone who came along and made this year's Father's Day celebrations so special - we loved celebrating with you!
A few shout outs to Fresh Food Direct, Brakes, Company Bakery, Black Ivy and Asda (Irvine) for their amazing support with food for our events 🙌
Thank You, Hays Recruitment! 🌿
A huge thank you to the amazing team from Hays Recruitment, who volunteered their time to help transform our outdoor space at Gorgie. It’s incredible what six dedicated volunteers can achieve in just one day! Thanks to their hard work, the grass and weeds are under control, and we can once again enjoy a welcoming outdoor area for our groups and families. We really appreciate your support! 💙
As you can see from the photo it looks amazing - you can see the jungle they cleared in the before photo below!
Below is a round up of June photos👇
