Taking a vacation during the summer is a great way to recharge, but it can also be costly especial in today’s economy. When it isn’t in your budget, have some fun at home with a “staycation”.
The idea is to play local tourist and do some fun activities in the area or city you live in. This is also a great way to support your local businesses. You might just be pleasantly surprised by how much fun it can be and how much your area has to offer. Best of all you get to come home and sleep in your own bed at the end of the day. Win, Win!
Find The Water
When it’s hot outside, there’s nothing better than dipping into a cool pool or lake or going for a swim in the ocean. Take a look at what options you have in your area. Go explore local lakes, rivers, and creeks that you can swim or wade in. If you’re living close enough to the beach, take a day trip to go swimming. I have great memories of tubing in the summer to cool off.
Finding local pools is another great option. Many cities have public pools that are surprisingly fun and underused. Of course, neighborhood pools are another fun option. If you don’t have one yourself, meet up with a friend who’s lucky enough to live in a neighborhood with a pool.
And don’t forget about having fun with water at home.
Water Fun In The Backyard
You can make this as simple or complicated as you’d like. If you have a kiddie pool or a big plastic tub sitting around, fill it up. Just sticking your feet in some cool water is a great way to cool off. Who needs a pool if you can sit in the shade with a good book and your feet in cool water? The kids will have just as much fun splashing around in a kiddie pool as they would if you were heading to the local pool or beach.
Turning on the sprinklers or the gardening hose is another great way to cool off in your own backyard. If you haven’t run through sprinklers in the past decade or so, I dare you to give it a try. It’s just as much fun at 35 as it was at 5. And frankly, you owe it to your kids to introduce them to this old-fashioned summer tradition.
Water guns are another fun way to play outside, get wet, and cool off. Head to your local dollar or superstore and pick up a few of them. Fill them up and let the games begin. Having big buckets of water sitting around the yard makes it easy to refill and keep playing. If you don’t feel like heading out to buy squirt guns, grab some plastic cups and use them to throw water at each other.
You can use the same buckets and plastic cups to set up some fun water races that involve getting the water from the bucket at one end of the yard to the other using the cups. It’s a great way to get the kids moving.
Water balloons are another fun option. Grab a pack (or two) of them at the dollar store while you’re there and head outside. Fill them up, divide the balloons and let the battle begin. Lots of giggles and screams are sure to be heard.
Get the kids to pick up all the little plastic pieces from the balloons before everyone heads inside. They can be dried off and ready for a bath or food by the time they are done. As an added bonus, all this running around outside will wear them out, which translates into a quiet evening and night for you.
Toward the end of summer keep an eye out for pricier water toys like larger pools, sprinklers, and slip-and-slides. You can pick them up for a great price, stick them in the closet and have them for next summer's water fun.
Dive Into History
How much do you know about the local history in your area? Make it a point to read up on it this summer and explore local historic places and museums. It’s fun for adults, but also a great educational experience for the kids. Encourage them to read up, explore, and maybe even create a project around your town's history.
Many cities and areas with a rich history offer various tours that you may not be aware of. It’s worth contacting your local tourist office to find out what you’ve been missing. If you can’t find anything in your town, expand your search and go on a few day trips.
Check Out The Calendar Of Events
Take a look at your local calendars of events. You’ll be surprised how much communities do during the summer months. There are often classes, concerts, movie showings, and even festivals you may not be aware of.
Between events, your city or county puts on various other events hosted by cultural centers, museums, and churches, for example. You’ll be sure to find quite a few things you may want to attend this summer.
Fun In The Back Yard
We already talked about water fun in the backyard. Don’t stop there. There are all sorts of fun things you can do right at home from dining al fresco to roasting marshmallows over the fire pit and even sleeping under the stars. Treat your home like a vacation spot, get everyone outside and have some fun.
Another fun option is turning your backyard into a “theater” for an evening family movie night. Grab an old sheet and set it up for your “screen”. Then set up a projector with a movie. Invite friends over, the more the merrier. Make popcorn, and have snacks, this is also a great time to roast marshmallows. Again, you can make this as simple or complicated as you’d like. Where we live there have been more than one movie night in the barn.
Explore A New Culture
Just because you’re staying home this summer doesn't mean you can’t dive into a new culture. It’s one of the biggest benefits of traveling abroad, but with a little effort and imagination, you can experience some of it right at home.
Pick a country or culture and dive in. Taste the food, listen to music, watch movies, and read books. Maybe even learn a little of the language and do it all as a family so you can interact and explore together.
By simply putting as much planning and effort into a staycation as you would any regular family vacation, you can have a fantastic experience this summer that will cost a fraction of a regular trip. No matter what you do make wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.
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