You don’t have to travel far to feel like you explored new territory or made lasting memories this summer. Create your own vacation at home with these 10 staycation ideas for families.
1. Have an alphabet-theme day
Try to do something for every letter of the alphabet! Use online resources to help you complete your goal (for example, visit a virtual zoo for “z”). If that seems too complicated, pick one letter (maybe your last name) and try that for the day. Make jam wearing jeans while jumping and playing Jenga anyone? Bonus points if you complete the challenge in alphabetical order.
2. Host a family game night
Spend the day in your comfiest PJs playing your favorite games. Introduce your littles to classic games you enjoyed as a child while they teach you a thing or two about Fortnite! You can find many games including even time-honored ones such as The Game of Life and Monopoly as apps, so you don’t need to splurge on buying physical game boards if you don’t want to.
3. Go on a tropical “vacation”
You can easily bring the tropics to your backyard by laying down beach towels, setting up a hammock, making fruit drinks and playing some Jimmy Buffet tunes. Get some Vitamin D while you read the latest pick from Reese Witherspoon’s book club, while your kids devour a new Dog Man title. Littles will love creating an island breeze fans and a spray bottle of water. After taking an afternoon siesta, dine alfresco under the patio lights on fish tacos, jerk chicken or other tropical dishes.
4. Plan a backyard camping adventure
Work together to set up camp including a tent, hammock, chairs and other camping gear, then play favorite yard games including Hide & Seek and Cornhole. For dinner (and dessert!), build a campfire to roast hot dogs and S’mores over. Sing campfire songs like “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” and “A Camping We Will Go (sang to the tune of the “The Farmer in the Dell”), or maybe your own favorite family tunes. End the night by telling campfire or ghost stories and using a night sky app like SkyView Lite to identify planets and constellations. If you prefer to be closer to creature comforts like the bathroom, consider setting up a tent or fort indoors!RELATED: 25 Fun Backyard Activities for Families
5. Create a DIY carnival
Begin this staycation by playing carnival games from ring toss to sack races (pillowcases work great for this). This is the perfect time to use up those leftover birthday balloons and create game boards with the endless Amazon delivery boxes. Search DIY backyard carnival games on Pinterest for a great place to start! Print out your own prize tickets and have the kids trade them in for things like movie nights, choose their own dinner and more. Download fair music (search county fair/carnival on Pandora, Spotify or other streaming services), and spend the day eating your favorite fair food from cotton candy and corn dogs.
6. Make a drive-in movie theater
Portable projectors are fairly reasonable these days—purchase your own, borrow one from a friend or find one at a rental location. Use large boxes to create and decorate cars for your little ones to sit it (that’ll give it a real drive-in feel!). Bean bag chairs, camp chairs or patio furniture also make for perfect seating. Grab blankets or sleeping bags to maximize the coziness. Choose movies with a classic summer theme—we’re fans of The Sandlot or Jaws—or go for a Disney marathon. Dine and snack on treats that fit the movie theme like gummy sharks for Jaws, hot dogs for The Sandlot and Dole Whip for your Disney favorites.
7. Hold your own Olympics
Get ready for the Tokyo Summer Olympics at home. Begin by creating an Olympic mascot (think your child’s prized stuffed animal), country uniforms and a list of events. Don’t skip the opening ceremonies where each country will be represented by marching with their designated homemade flag! Some easy events to hold are relay races, the 50-yard dash and the long jump. Pool noodles turned into Olympic rings can be used for a number of events like a javelin throw, bean bag toss and obstacle course. With a little creativity, you can make a friendly day of competition complete with handmade (or store-bought) medals and a closing ceremony.
8. Channel your inner Sherlock Holmes for a day of mystery
Grab the magnifying glasses and go on a backyard scavenger hunt (search backyard scavenger hunt on Pinterest for some great pre-made printable ones!). Another option: Download the Clue game app or get out the board game if you have it. Clue Jr. and Outfoxed are great for younger players. If you are feeling extra creative, consider holding a mystery party at home. A simple search of children’s mystery party games on Pinterest will give you lots of ideas. Turn off the lights and end the day watching Scooby-Doo, Holes or The Goonies.
9. Play tourist in your town
How much do you really know about the history of your own town? Begin with a Google search to learn more. What is the town’s motto? When people say your town’s name, what do they think of? Walk around town to look for significant monuments or statues. You can also spend time at your area’s history museum or go online to learn more. Snap photos at various locations to commemorate your trip. You can also take a family vote about who has the best pizza in town by ordering some from each restaurant!
10. Go on a virtual vacation
Spin a globe or use a blindfold and place a pushpin randomly on a map to see where you should travel to. After you’ve selected a location, make a travel plan of where you’d like to go, what you’d like to see and what you’d need to pack. Then, take a virtual visit to your location with the power of technology! Watch a Broadway show (we vote Hamilton or Newsies on Disney+), and dine on some NY-style pizza for a “trip” to New York City. If Africa is where you land, head to The Great Courses to experience an African safari at home. Or throw on your hiking boots and take a virtual tour of the Grand Canyon. The sky’s the limit on where you can visit.
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Adventures With My Little Ray 