How to do a Family Staycation

A staycation is when you spend a vacation at home or on day trips instead of traveling away for a week or more. This means no searching for family vacation deals or family vacation packages. You can have fun and enjoy quality family time without visiting Disney or going on a cruise. Save money, avoid hassle and maximize your family's time! Children remember being with their family more than the places they have been. Your big picture should keep this in mind. Here are some ideas to help get you started.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Time off!
• Imagination

1. Ask the family what they want to do. Perhaps your children have something in mind you never thought of.

2. Have fun indoors. Try a game night with board games or video games. How about a movie marathon with popcorn and pizza!

3. Have fun outdoors. Try camping in your backyard. Backyard games are fun too: lasso golf, horse shoes, badminton, volleyball or even water games like slides or sprinklers.

4. Plan a family project. Consider building a tree house for the kids or planting a vegetable garden.

5. Plan a family day trip. Try taking in a game from a local sports team, visiting a local botanical garden, go hiking, visit a state park, visit a museum, or visit a zoo. You may even plan a family picnic or spend an evening bowling or at a skating rink.

6. Plan a family reunion at your home. Make it a bar-b-q event!

7. Check your local paper for any upcoming fairs or festivals.

8. Plan an evening alone. Do a romantic dinner at home! Order in, have wine and candles. Remember to turn off the TV and cell phones!

Tips & Warnings

• Tell friends and family you are on vacation.
• Refrain from doing household chores, unless it's your family project.
• Stay away from the office. Turn off that cell phone!
• This is a vacation - do not treat your whole week as a long weekend in front of the tv!