• Children are often the biggest motivator – give dads the opportunity to do something with or for their children.
  
  
• Plan for long term commitment – and don’t get hung up on numbers, word of mouth will help if you are successful.
  
  
• Know your background – be persistent, creative, patient and sensitive in the recruitment of fathers, as it can be challenging and time-consuming.
  
  
• Not all dads are the same – their life histories, experiences, situations and expectations will be varied so try not to lump them all under the same label.
  
  
• Timing – as dads may be more likely to be at work during school time, think about when they might be available – early mornings, evenings or weekends perhaps.
  
  
• Consult them – ask fathers for their advice on factors such as content, design, publicity, recruitment, themes, timing and venue.
  
  
• Use a dad-friendly hook – sport is a great place to start, particularly football, even more so if there is a reward like a ground tour at the end of it. Your local club may be able to help. ICT is also very popular.
  
  
• They like to do something not talk about it – use activities as part of the sessions: quizzes, interactive games, workshops, internet, puzzles, and visits from celebrity authors, poets, dramatists and storytellers - anything that mixes reading with doing something.
  
  
• It’s not just books - consider what reading materials fathers will enjoy, including subjects such as sports, travel and sci-fi, as well as other non-fiction, websites and newspapers.
  
  

Engaging dads with reading with their children (pdf) - an article by Adrienne Burgess from Fathers Direct (now the Fatherhood Institute), on tips for engaging dads in reading with their children.

Reading for pleasure: ideas to inspire dads and males carers of children (pdf) - a publication by the Vital Link with tips and case studies.