Junior's Favourite Insta Dads

To celebrate Father’s Day, we've rounded up our favourite, cockle-warming insta-dads of all time. If you like a few dad jokes, tear jerking dedications or just the most heart-melting photos to gaze at, these are the accounts that get all the love heart eyes from us.

Name: John Legend

Insta handle: @johnlegend

Why we love him: This Daddy has a permanent smile on his face and who wouldn’t if they were married to Chrissie Teigen? We love his proud papa pics of his two gorgeous kids and the fact that he never takes himself too seriously. One of the coolest singers in the world and he still changes nappies and poses like a toddler in the playroom.

Best Insta Quote: “Luna had a Disneyland birthday today! (As far as she knows, her birthday is today. Don't tell her it's Sunday please. Daddy has to work on Sunday. Thank you.)”

Name: Gregory Stanton

Insta handle: @london_dad

Why we love him: This feed is full of beautiful black and white candid snaps accompanied by musings on relationships and parenting that really touch the heart. We’d also like to take this opportunity to say, you look great with a beard Greg. Greg is also a judge for this years Junior Design Awards too.

Best Quote: “Word up to all you mamas. Pregnancy is beautiful. It's beautiful to us men in so many ways. The growing of our children, the sacrifice you make for us and our children, the transformation that your body goes through. And I know that I can't be the only one that finds their pregnant partner incredibly sexy. I love to see her body change and I love every stretch mark - each one a reminder that she carried our babies.”

Name: Jamie Day

Insta handle: @adayinthelifedad

Why we love him: This guy is funny. Silly, funny and good at puns. That would be enough for us but other credentials include more than a passing resemblance to David Beckham and also a more serious thoughtful side, with a focus on men’s mental health. His hugely successful Podcast, Man Talk aims to normalise the conversation around topics like depression, grief and anxiety.

Insta Quote: 2 COOL 4 SCHOOL (until today that is). After a nasty tummy bug, it’s back to school for Edie. Now I’ve just got her poorly brother to dump in front of Netflix all day. TYPO! I meant ‘look after all day’. Definitely a typo.”

Name: Matt Farquharson

Insta handle: @papa_pukka

Why we love him: Expressive eyebrows are key here. Whether they’re emoting dismay, put upon father or unparalleled joy, they work at least 80% harder than other people’s eyebrows. As well as making us laugh, Matt is the co-author of the hugely successful Parenting the Shit Out of Life with his wife, Mother Pukka, AKA Anna Whitehouse, and has a new book in the pipeline. He is also a writer and Podcaster surveying relationships, parenthood and social norms with a perceptive, wry eye.

Insta Quote: “Taking up running as part of my 'Try and Die a Bit Later (for the kids)' health plan. Pretty sure I'm gonna be a natural. #health#motivation #menincaps

Name: Sergei Urban

Insta handle: @thedadlab

Why we love him: Stuck for something to do with the kids? Want to give them something educational, fun and engaging to occupy them for half an hour? This man is your salvation. From making a ghoulish Halloween breakfast to creating ice age dinosaur eggs that kids can hack into, he has endless tricks up his sleeve. With a hands on approach to parenting his two sons, this man is nothing short of inspiring. Sergei is also a Junior Design Awards judge again this year and we can confirm he is great company IRL too!

Insta Quote: “When we compare our kids' childhood with ours, we often talk about the influence of technology, but other things have changed too. I feel that today's dads are more engaged with children than dads years ago when I was a child. At kids dedicated to dads. All dads I know are not afraid of changing diapers and are great at it (: This just shows me that dads stepped up their child-raising game and that change will benefit not only children but the whole family and the entire community. How engaged is the father of your children?”

Name: Justin

Insta handle: @alldadstalk

Why we love him: This is one enthusiastic daddy who takes his kids on all manner of adventures and travels. Tree houses, ski slopes, restaurants… Nothing seems to faze this man! We love his mix of posts on inspiring kids’ activities, gadgets and toys as well as his firm eco stance, looking at recycling and making the planet a better place for future generations.

Insta Quote: Lately I was thinking a lot about my dad and today I remembered something he once told me: ‘It’s not your job to be everything to everyone’. ? so I’ve picked up a couple of kiddos and decided to only be their everything for a little while ?

Name: The Rock

Insta handle: @therock

Why we love him: This man is an Athena poster brought to life. His ripped physique cradling his gorgeous babies is something we’ll never tire of seeing. Apart from being THE ROCK and dishing out motivational and inspirational straight talk, this man says the loveliest things about his family that make us want to melt and laugh in equal measure – no mean feat when you’re holding a phone.

Insta Quote: Happy Mama’s Day to my incredible woman @laurenhashianofficial who’s the anchor of our blessed family. I always say, if you got a good mom then you have real shot at life to becoming a good human being. As a father and man, I find the greatest peace and gratitude in knowing our baby girls here, Jazzy & Tia have this incredible woman’s motherly love. These little nuggets have a real shot. Daddy’s bringing the tequila home so get ready cuz we gonna make some more babies tonight ?HMDB x

Name: David Beckham

Insta Handle: @davidbeckham

Why we love him: Let us count the ways… DB is the original and best insta dad giving us a window into his beautiful life with his stunning family. Glimpses of swimming pools, lux interiors, fashion and football keep us hooked but not as much as the natural and candid snaps of David with his four kids. We love the fact that he’s so, so proud of his family and isn’t afraid to show it.

Insta Quote: The moments I share with my children are incredibly special. Whether that's laughing together when they tell me things about their day on the drive home from school, reading one of their favourite books to them at bedtime or spending time together on holiday. Through my work with UNICEF I've met so many inspiring dads around the world. Dads who want to ensure their children have the best start in life and will do anything to give them the support and love they need even when faced with huge challenges. Join me in supporting @unicef and share your super dad moment in a photo or video this Father's Day using #EarlyMomentsMatter

Name: Nigel

Insta handle: @notsofunnydad

Why we love him: Another fan of the pun, this dad writes seriously not so funny captions that are actually…really funny. We love his madcap photographs which are a mix of silly set-ups and spontaneous family moments. A liberal dash of grown-up humour makes him extremely relatable and likeable.

Insta Quote: - DAD n. -
1. father, guardian, protector, carer, friend 2. teacher, mentor, coach, task master, listener 3. sports fanatic, mower man, king of corny jokes and crap facts, taxi, bank, part- time fun guy 4. tough on the outside, soft in the middle 5. best dad a kid could ask for.
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Name: Alex Galbally

Insta handle: @daddy_to_triplet_girls

Why we love him: This daddy is SO proud of his brood and it’s awe inspiring to see him embracing his four/soon to be five kids with such enthusiasm and aplomb. His adorable triplets are a sight to behold in their matching outfits and the rest of the family get all the love heart eyes from us too. It’s not all sugar and spice on this feed though. Alex is brilliantly down to earth, talks about the highs and lows of parenting and is honest about his own body image issues – something we seldom hear men discuss. Bravo.

Insta Quote: 1 week old here .... the whole first 3 months were a blur, in fact the whole last 2 years have been a blur! So many people I speak to say they don’t know how we did it and I honestly don’t know either! But if you have 1 baby or 3 it’s tough sometimes! Be kind to yourself ... I may come across a certain way and always happy ? but we just wanted to have a break and hide! But as long as you give it your all then that’s all you can do! I love being a dad and I can’t wait for number 5 and my new little boy to arrive! Anyone going through a tough time of it, don’t look at the things you didn’t do or couldn’t do! Look ? at how far you’ve come and how amazing you are!

Name: Joe Swash

Insta handle: @realjoeswashy

Why we love him: Watching our favourite Eastender move into TV presenting and then get together with our all time girl crush Stacey Solomon has propelled this daddy to the top of the insta-charts. The pregnancy and birth of his new son he shares with Stacey has been incredibly moving to watch not least because of how utterly and unabashedly overjoyed Joe has been. We might have cried when we read his birth announcement on insta. Joe and Stacey both have sons from previous relationships and we can’t wait to see this gorgeous tribe of boys growing up together.

Insta Quote: This morning. A lot earlier than planned I watched the love of my life, bring a new life into the world. We are overwhelmed, overjoyed and apprehensive of what’s to come. Mummy and baby are well and resting. We are so grateful for all of the love, support and positivity we’ve received over the last 8 months. I’m lost for words to describe how I’m feeling. So for now, I’m going to spend the next few days and the rest of my life falling more in love with these two humans. I didn’t think it possible but, today I witnessed the impossible. My partner, My love, my life, you are a super human. I am forever in awe. Joe X

Name: Honest Dad

Insta handle: @thehonestdad

Why we love him: This man has an eye for a great snap and his feed is a lovely mixture of candid childhood snaps, gorgeous family portraits and exciting travel adventures. As well as a window into his family's days on the beach, eating, cooking and generally getting messy, Honest Dad discusses mental health issues and works with Grassroots, a suicide prevention charity.

Insta Quote: “Fatherhood is both the best and hardest adventure I’ve had and I feel like I may never get the balance right.”

Name: Simon Hooper

Insta handle: @fatherofdaughters

Why we love him: With the best mop of hair in the business and epic insta captions that are super funny but really hit the nail on the head when it comes to the trials and tribulations of raising a herd of childerbeast, it’s little wonder that Simon has a devoted following. His book Forever Outnumbered, detailing life with wife Clemmie Hooper aka @motherofdaughters and their gaggle of girls is bound to be a huge hit.

Insta Quote: Did anyone else spend their mornings as a kid completely unsupervised, glued to the slow flicking pages of ceefax /Teletext before actual programmes like dappledown farm, Jason & the wheeled warriors & the racoons came on? If you did, then that meant you were up before 5.30am, usually the only one moving in a house of slumbering people & free from parental control, which felt liberating! Well it seems that Ottie & Delilah have my genes as, while I did my rather convincing impression of a morgue resident, they've took the opportunity engage silent mode (a mode I didn't know they had) & descended into the darkness of downstairs to start the day on their own. I don't know what they did this morning, but I ran down in cold sweat to lots of open drawers, a nappy on the stairs, a dog wee on the floor that resembled lake superior from space & 2 children under a sofa laughing hysterically while eating dry I guess they enjoyed their independence but now I'm terrified for tomorrow morning. Fyi if you don't know what ceefax is, then we can no longer be friends as you're too young.

Name: Robert

Insta handle: @thisfatherlife

Why we love him: This is one of those accounts that is equal parts style and substance with a mix of humour-filled posts about parenthood, gorgeous pictures of Robert’s two sons and more serious and reflective thoughts about issues of culture and ethnicity. Wander onto Roberts blog for more in-depth writings that are touching and illuminating as well as a great mix of reviews and ideas for days out with the kids.

Insta Quote: The future is certainly his. It's so important we empower these boys to pave their own way and be themselves. There are some unsettling, uncomfortable and tragic things happening in this world right now. But we must not forget these little ones still have to live in it and the beauty of this time is that opportunity to be yourself, make your mark and create your own world is so much bigger than it once was. The days of following the crowd and having one route are gone. We just have to guide and nurture them. Easy right? ?

Name: Giles

Insta handle: @youthedaddy

Why we love him: This guy puts the effervescent into parenthood and exudes sheer joy in every pic he shares of himself with his gorgeous kids. Definitely a tonic for anyone who wants some positive parenting inspo. We are also gearing up for watching his renovation project updates. Giles and his wife have just left the big smoke for the countryside and have bought a stunning fixer-upper. We can’t wait for regular DIY updates.

Insta Quote: I am so SO proud, amazed and grateful to @rosie.makes for being such an amazing mum to our two boys. For five days a week while I’m at work, she’s 100% in charge, juggling the demands of a breastfeeding baby and a testing toddler who constantly craves her attention. Making meals, battling against a never ending pile of laundry, and feeling guilty any time she’s forced to put Paw Patrol on the TV for a moment of calm. No breaks. No time to herself. No annual leave. It’s back breaking work...literally. And for five days a week, aside from the occasional supportive FaceTime from the office, I’m helpless to help. But just know boo that you are incredible. You are an amazing mother. And I appreciate every single thing you do ? #superwoman #loveyou

Name: Neil Patrick Harris

Insta handle: @nph

Why we love him: Er, Hello! Doogie Howser!? A Series of Unfortunate Events!? American Horror Story!? If that’s not enough for you, witnessing the refreshingly candid Neil and his husband Dave loving life and loving their kids even more on Instagram is a joy to behold. Their twins live a blissful life travelling to exotic places, eating delicious looking food (they make their own sushi) and wearing the most beautiful clothes, but you get the feeling they are anything but pampered and spoilt.

Insta Quote: Happy Fathers' Day from Daddy, Harper, Gideon and Papa. Being a parent is the single most challenging thing I've ever done/continue to do, but it's also far and away the greatest joy in my life. It has given me purpose, taught me patience, and expanded my heart. Thanks, @dbelicious, for taking the journey of two lifetimes with me. #grateful