Staycation Ideas
Go camping (in the backyard?).
If your family loves the outdoors, go camping nearby. You could go camping in your own backyard. That way you’re just a hop away if you forget something. At night study the sky. Download the Sky Map App and study planets, stars, and constellations. Frugal Mom Eh has some creative ideas for backyard camping, as well.
Go on a bike ride around your city or on a nearby trail.
Going on a family bike ride is another awesome day activity.
Picnic in the Backyard
Set up a Picnic Lunch in the backyard
Lawn Games. Deepen relationships and get to know those you already know so well. Have a picnic. Bring dinner conversation cards to start discussion and help you get to know your child and/or spouse better.
Play outdoor games.
Enjoy fun outdoor games as part of your family staycation activities! Some of our favorite outdoor games are croquet, badminton, Frisbee and ultimate Frisbee (disc golf), sand volleyball, ring toss, bean bag toss, tag, three-legged and other races, and more!
Build a clubhouse or a tree house.
If you are up to a bit of a challenge, then building a clubhouse or tree house for your kiddos could be an amazing staycation idea! Not only will the kids have the end result for countless hours of fun, but even more important than that is the bonding you could do as a family as you build your clubhouse or tree house. You’ll build and strengthen your family relationship right alongside your awesome play structure!
Enjoy a movie under the stars.
Many communities offer movies at the park during the summer. Or host your own in your backyard!Backyard Movie Theater
Pop some popcorn, plop together some pillows, put up a tent, string some lights… whatever it takes to make the coolest at home movie theater in your yard. Follow this DIY Backyard Movie Screen (from Simply Sprout) or pick up an outdoor movie screen for your evening.
Build (or buy) a fire pit and roast hot dogs and s’mores.
Since the weather has warmed up this spring, we’ve already had a couple of hot dog and marshmallow roasts with friends. Our kids love the roasting. Find camping recipes and make everything without using your kitchen. Two recipes we recommend are Camping Hot Dogs and Campfire S’mores Cones.
Do a scavenger hunt.
You can find tons of ideas for scavenger hunts on Pinterest or Google! If you have a larger family, you might even let the older kids help with the planning and preparing!
Play board games or card games.
After a day of hard core staycation fun, relax after dinner with your favorite board game or card game. Or buy a new one or two (check your local thrift stores; just make sure the games have all the pieces!) to try out! You’ll likely find some new family favorites! Spend one or more evenings as part of your staycation playing fun family games.
Prepare a meal you’ve never had before.
As a variation of the staycation idea just above, why not look through cookbooks or search on Pinterest to find a meal your family has never had before? And then spend an hour making it together. Each person could be put in charge of a different part of the meal, or you could team up and work on different dishes together.
Have your own friendly cooking or dessert competition.
If you want to make the stakes a little higher, you could even turn your meal preparation into a friendly competition, with a fun prize for the winner! See who makes the best main course, or have a dessert competition instead if you would prefer!
Add in the Science
During the week, have a day at home. Add in as many five minute science experiments as you can. The kids will have fun while learning. Some of these ideas will be a good reason to get outside on a nice day.
Go Geocaching
This activity is so fun, it will fill your day! Geocaching is the act of hunting for and finding a hidden objects using GPS coordinates. Download the app and find hidden “treasure” in your town’s area. Learn more about how to geocache as a family on Frugal Mom, Eh.
Arts & Crafts Day
Host and arts and crafts day – arts and crafts all day long. Take a look at some of these ideas – upcycled cereal box crafts, paint chip crafts, and rainy day activities. You also could pick up a craft supply set for a bunch of resources to help you get creative.
Travel Abroad
Travel abroad and never leave home aka armchair travel. Choose a country you have wanted to travel to. Eat food, plan activities, listen to music, watch a movie. Pick up a DVD from the library or perhaps watch something on Amazon Prime of the area you are visiting for the day. Rick Steves has some great movies. Live, Life and Learning has a free printable passport you can use for your adventure with the kids.
Memories
Tired of keepsakes piling up. Get Marie Kondo inspired and get organized. Make a memory or keepsake box with the kids. This can be organized by school year or can not have filed folders and just be a place you toss in old lovies, concert tickets, photos, and more. A Bowl Full of Lemons can help you get started.
Go Geocaching
This activity is so fun, it will fill your day! Geocaching is the act of hunting for and finding a hidden objects using GPS coordinates. Download the app and find hidden “treasure” in your town’s area. Learn more about how to geocache as a family on Frugal Mom, Eh.
My Town Rocks
Paint rocks to “hide” around your town and surrounding area to spread joy and brighten people’s day. More ideas on My Town Rocks.