The top 50 skills you need to be a great dad

The top 50 '˜dad skills' have been revealed - but less than half of fathers reckon they have mastered them all.

Driving while distracted, keeping calm during family arguments, and fixing punctures topped the list of skills all dads should attain by the time their kids are teenagers.

Fathers should also know how to erect a tent, plaster holes in walls and set up a Wi-Fi network, according to the poll of 2,000 dads.

The chart also includes putting up bunk beds, flying kites and making a good bacon sarnie.

Other essential skills include fixing toys, replacing bike chains, tying ties and blowing up balloons.

Being handy remains a big part of being a dad, as removing toys from tough packaging, setting up TV’s, and building tricky playsets are all voted as key to being a good dad.

Unfortunately, the average dad reckons they’ve mastered just 46 per cent of the skills they’re meant to have learnt.

A spokesperson for Bob the Builder, which commissioned the poll, said: “The huge list of ‘dad skills’ show just how many roles dads have to fill in the upbringing of their children.

“They’re fixers, builders, comedians, sportsmen, the list is endless.

“It is interesting to see that the majority of the skills which were revealed in this study are ‘hands-on’, requiring dads to be good at mending, making and general DIY - while also keeping their cool and appearing unruffled.”

The study shows fathers are expected to be able to undo difficult knots, tie up shoe laces and set up new computer games.

Dads are required to have decent cooking skills - in addition to flipping pancakes, they should be able to serve up a decent fry-up and master the perfect barbeques.

As sports captain of the house, dads are relied upon to teach the children how to swim , play football and should have a mighty throw when playing ball games.

Taking good family photos, opening jars, setting up the paddling pool and building sandcastles are also key ‘dad skills’.

Interestingly, the average dad thinks it takes just under nine years to truly master their role in the house, and seven in 10 say men are now relied on more than ever before to help out and raise the children.