Staycation ideas: How to plan the best staycation ever

Are you thinking about planning a vacation at home, and need staycation ideas?

Look, I love to travel, and I’m excited to share my love of exploration of this world with my kids. But it’s not always, or even often, practical to bring the whole family to some far-flung destination. Often, it makes sense to spend time off from work and school at home. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be boring! I think everyone should consider taking a staycation this summer – here’s why, how to structure it, and tons of ideas of what to do on your staycation. Be sure to get to the end where we discuss how to make your staycation feel special.

Why plan a staycation 

Cost savings over a vacation

Cost savings is the #1 reason people consider taking a staycation. According to Bankrate, most people who don’t plan to travel this year say it’s because they can’t afford it. Lodging usually amounts for 40% of travel costs, and airfare averages $378 per domestic flight and international $1,217 per person right now. By using your PTO days and/or the kids’ summer break for a staycation instead, you can save all of that.

By avoiding travel, you can also save on costs ranging from car rentals, gas, public transportation, rideshares, airport parking, passport renewals, hidden resort fees, travel insurance, foreign transaction fees, currency exchange, roaming charges on cell phones, wifi costs, etc. etc. With all your normal comforts of home accessible, you’ll probably also save on unnecessary purchases like neck pillows, replacement phone chargers, overpriced airport snacks, new luggage, souvenirs, and new clothes.

So the savings are real. You can determine a reasonable budget for activities and food and have a memorable time based out of your home, instead. 

But of course, just because cost leads you away from traveling far from home, doesn’t mean that saving money is the only benefit of taking a staycation instead this year. 

Staycations are less stressful than travel

Travel is stressful for a lot of people – especially parents! When you take a staycation instead, you can avoid a whole lot of it.

For example, you don’t need to think about packing at all, besides a day bag. No mid-road-trip stops at the store because a kid is barefoot and you packed them zero shoes (ask me why I mention this…), no playing car tetris, no trying to figure out how much your kid can carry in their backpack on the plane, and no frantic repacking after you weigh your luggage on the bathroom scale.

I also find a whole lot of stress relieved by sleeping at home. Whether in hotels or rental homes, there’s always something funky about travel sleeping arrangements with kids, whether it’s more people sharing a room than usual, loud noises, ambient light, weird temperatures, or uncomfortable beds. And nothing puts a damper on a day of vacation that waking up exhausted.

You’ll also be on your own timeline and in generally familiar environments, with less stress around navigation, the language barriers you can find when traveling internationally, and general uncertainty. All of these can allow your brain to rest more than traveling does.

Staycations are less likely to get you sick

On a related note, you can reduce the likelihood that your family gets sick by taking a staycation rather than traveling. Of course, there’s always a chance you’ll get sick any day of the year, but when taking a staycation, you’ll avoid most environments out of the ordinary. That should be a relief, because travel-related illness is common. 

When traveling, you encounter more infectious diseases, particularly at airports and on planes, where 10% of surfaces may carry germs for a respiratory virus, and you can’t avoid fellow passengers even if they’re sick. To make it worse, your immune system is less ready to fight these bugs due to unusual sleep routines, dehydration, a typically poorer diet, and warmer/colder/drier/wetter climates than you’re used to.

Note: this is why I personally choose to still mask when traveling by air…but it’s more comfortable not to have to bother! 

Staycations better optimize your fun time

When you take a staycation, your vacation starts the instant you’re finished with work or school. You don’t need to spend precious time-off hours and family time getting to your destination, which means more time for relaxing and fun. This is especially helpful when you don’t have much time off, or when family members’ schedules don’t completely align.

Staycations let you do things you never seem to have time for

Are there parks, museums, and fun activities near you that you have never found a chance to check out? A staycation is your chance! I keep a list of family outing ideas near me in Notion – you can copy my template here – and use it to decide what to do on any given free day. I use filters so I can easily select indoor ideas, outdoor ideas, free ideas, ideas within a certain driving distance, etc. 

Once we try out a new destination, it often becomes part of our regular rotation, year-round! By taking the time to focus on being tourists in our city, we become ever-more-knowledgeable locals who know the perfect activity for every weather, group, and mood. 

Involve friends & family

When you stay close to home, you can include friends and family in parts of your staycation, without having to commit to being travel buddies. Line up a day off, dinner, or weekend plans with friends – it can make your time off feel less lonely and build community. 

How to structure your staycation

So you’ve decided to take a staycation. What should that look like? There’s no one right answer, since it depends on how much time off you have and what you’re hoping to get out of it. 

Here are a few ideas for how to structure your staycation: 

1. Alternate “doing” days with “relaxing” days – you can pick a few key outings for your staycation – maybe the local waterpark, a concert, and the children’s museum – and alternate those higher-energy days with quiet days spent at home. Use this list of 101 free and cheap things to do at home for inspiration on those days.
2. Think “beach day” – instead, you could make every day look like a beach day. To me, a beach day typically starts with a leisurely breakfast, followed by packing up to leave the house for a few hours. If you’re not at the beach, though, you can use this to check out a park, go to the local pool, etc. Bring a picnic or come home in time for lunch. Then spend the afternoon on something relaxing like reading or watching a movie. Cap off your day by going out to dinner.
3. Set aside time for home projects – some people will be repelled by this idea, and if that’s you, then simply ignore this option. However, others will find it satisfying to use their mind and hands to accomplish a project you’ve been putting off, particularly while you and your partner both have the time to work on it together. Sometimes when my kids leave on a Saturday morning to go to grandma and grandpa’s for a sleepover, my husband and I race to see who can cross more items off the home to-do list before our 6 PM dinner reservation.
4. Have each person plan a day – this works great with kids who are old enough to take on some of the planning. You can give them a menu of options to select from, or leave it open-ended with a budget. You might be surprised by what they come up with!
5. Have a theme for each day -– you can choose a theme for each day to tie together outings, activities at home, and meals. For example, my daughter wants a “bunnies” day, so we might go check out the local petting zoo, stop by the library to pick up books about bunnies, and come home to make a carrot cake. Your themes could include things like:
   • Water day
   • Sports day
   • Chef day
   • Day camping
   • Art day
   • Home olympics
   • Spa day
   • Adventures and contests
   • Volunteering or doing good
   • Nature day
   • Animals day or pick specific animals like the bunnies
   • History day
   • Local foods
   • Fantasy or sci fi
   • Music day
   • A specific country or culture

Staycation ideas: what to do on your staycation

Okay, so what should you actually do on your staycation? If it’s ideas you need…I’ve got you covered!

Ultimate relaxation staycation ideas

Depending on the ages of your kids, “ultimate relaxation” may or may not actually be in reach, but here are some ideas to let go and find at least a little bit of peace on your staycation.

1. Read-a-thon – honestly, my dream day. Find or create somewhere cozy and read as much as you can in a day. Include read-alouds for the kids, and switch to audiobooks when your voice gets tired. Be sure to have snacks on hand. Switch it up by spending some time reading outside and some in a blanket fort.
2. Spa day – you could do the “treat yourself” version and actually go to a spa, or DIY at home with homemade face masks, body scrubs, hair treatments, and painting your nails. Wear robes and play soothing music. My 5-year-old loved when I made her cucumber water and put glowsticks in the tub with a bath bomb.
3. Home movie theater – make popcorn and other snacks and get cozy with a movie, or several. Think about whether you can set up seating in a different place in the house from usual, or sit on the floor with pillows instead of on the couch, etc.
4. Pool or pool-like day – if you belong to a pool, plan a full day there, including bringing a picnic or ordering pizza. If not, get a day pass to a nearby pool or simply set up outside in the sun, perhaps with a sprinkler or water table for the kids, and soak up some rays. With appropriate SPF, as always. Make frozen drinks if you’re so inclined. 
5. Screen-free do-nothing day – of course, you can always include screens in your do-nothing day. But it’s good for kids and grownups alike to cut the cord and spend time staring at clouds, doodling, playing board games or doing puzzles, napping, and the main event: eating snacks.

Staycation outing ideas

Alright, I got antsy just writing those ideas. Time to get on the move! Take time on your staycation to be a tourist in your hometown, or visit perennial neighborhood favorites. Here are some outing ideas for a summer staycation:

6. Go to a museum – depending on your area, this is worth an entire article on its own. Make sure you check out history, science, art, children’s, local, and other specialized museums. When my kids and I visit the larger museums near us that we know we’ll visit again, I have them each pick one “must see” exhibit. By doing that, we don’t feel pressured to see it all, and take our time enjoying the exhibits we picked. 
7. Check out an aquarium – enjoy a visit to see underwater creatures. Make sure to look for special events here, like animal feedings and film screenings. Check for discounts in advance.
8. Go out to eat – But mix it up from your usual routine. Visit the closest restaurant to your home that you’ve never been to. Made a reservation at a coveted spot you’ve never made time for. Find a “kids eat free” deal. Go for an experiential restaurant with interactive or DIY cooking. Made a rating card to compare all the pizza spots in town.
9. Go see a play or other live performance – whether at a popular venue, community theater, or your local high school, try something new for your family.
10. Go to a concert – it doesn’t have to be the $100+ tickets to the big name in town! Free concert series are common in my area. Or try a classical concert, community orchestra, or smaller venue. Near me, many wineries have small concerts on weekends.
11. Enjoy high tea – for maximum enjoyment, I recommend dressing up fancy for the occasion. Have tea and scones or sandwiches at a tea shop near you.
12. Play at an indoor playground, if your kids are of the right age. Beat the heat from the outdoor playgrounds. Tip: once they’re old enough not to need a grown-up crawling up the tubes with them, this is a great place to sit back and zone out while they play. It’s a good activity on those days when the kids have energy to burn, but you don’t.
13. Go to the mall. Play in the play place, walk around, try on clothes, and have some ice cream. (If you’re my husband, get very tempted by an art store’s last-chance going-out-of-business sale, only to find it’s still in business on your next visit months later.)
14. Go to the library – a perennial favorite! Take time to browse and to sit and read books. Check websites and calendars for storytimes, events, lectures, play groups, etc. Mix it up and visit different libraries in your area, too!
15. Hang out at a brewery – I don’t know about near you, but around me, breweries have learned to cater to the family set, often with play areas for the kids and specialty sodas, food trucks, and live music to keep everyone entertained while you sit back and sip a brew.
16. Go to a sporting event – go check out your city’s teams. Or, this is another area to consider whether there are minor league games you could enjoy. See if you can find any discounted tickets, too.
17. Visit a nature center – don’t sleep on nature centers. The ones near me are like mini versions of the things we love about libraries and museums, and they’re all free…and we often have them all to ourselves. We like to see animals, color, play with toys and puzzles, read books, do nature-focused activities, and ask lots of questions about animals to the endlessly-patient volunteers and staff.
18. Go to the movies – I’ll leave it up to you as to whether you’ll purchase snacks or smuggle your own in. Or, visit a theater with in-seat dining to combine the dinner-and-a-movie steps.
19. Make or paint your own pottery – you’ll use the artistic sides of your brains, and you may even end up with some lasting keepsakes.
20. Play laser tag – I’ll leave it up to you whether you’ll team up as a family or go competitive against each other. 
21. Visit a maker space or lab near you – this is one that I haven’t actually done yet with my family, but have been meaning to. Depending on the space, you may need to sign up in advance.
22. Go to an art show or exhibit – check out a venue or art style that’s new to you.
23. Go axe throwing – find a new kind of fun! This is best if your kids are a bit older – the closest venue to me allows kids ages 10 and older to participate with an adult. 
24. Go to an archery range — I love archery because I can feel athletic without, like, running, and bring out my inner Katniss Everdeen. Check whether your venue provides equipment or you need to provide your own, and look into introductory lessons. There may be both indoor and outdoor options near you.
25. Go to a science center or planetarium near you – check their websites for special events and see if you can find a coupon before you purchase tickets.
26. Tour a factory – learn how it’s made, whatever “it” is near you. Ask lots of questions and try some samples.
27. Go to an escape room – my husband and I recently brought my 5- and 7-year-olds to solve an escape room with us, and we had a blast! They loved combing the room for clues and helping us think of creative ways to solve the puzzles. 
28. Go to a bookstore – I highly recommend setting a budget or number of books each family member can purchase in advance. Make sure to check out special events at your bookstore, too.
29. Learn to play a new game at a tabletop/board game store – check out family-friendly events to learn a new board or tabletop game.
30. Go to a thrift store – this is a good opportunity to find something you can bring back for more fun at home, like puzzles. Remember to set a budget or number of items in advance for each family member.
31. Have a chocolate tasting at a sweets shop or chocolatier near you. (There’s apparently a chocolate factory two miles from my house I’ve never visited. Taking the kids ASAP.)
32. Visit a cat cafe or animal shelter and enjoy some snuggles from furry friends. For cat cafes, be sure to check age restrictions. And discuss with your children in advance whether you are considering cat adoption or just enjoying their company for an hour or two.
33. Visit an indoor adventure spot, like go-karting, golfing, or indoor skydiving for big thrills!
34. Visit a fire station – I was surprised to learn that the closest fire station to me has open hours every day. Others may have an open house day once a month or special events, fire safety presentations, and tours.
35. Go for a hike – depending on your climate, you can go hiking almost any weekend of the year. There are so many beautiful trails, whether to a mountain peak, a river, or simply through the woods. A staycation is a great time to make it to a trail you’ve been meaning to try.
36. Go for a bike ride – whether around the neighborhood or exploring somewhere new.
37. Go to the beach – most kids love the beach. Bring your favorite picnic and snacks and enjoy. Don’t count out beach days when it’s too cool to swim. Those have been some of our favorites. 
38. Go mudding in a creek with your rain boots on. I mean, mentally prepare yourself for the cleanup afterward, but kids love exploring water, so I think it’s worth it. Bring one bag for treasures you find and another for collecting trash.
39. Have a picnic – the most flexible activity on the list. You can make your own fancy sandwiches and salads, or grab takeout pizza on your way. Picnic somewhere with a beautiful vista or simply a park you haven’t visited in a while. Remember to bring balls, frisbees, kites, and bug spray!
40. Check your area’s parks and rec for events. Try something new! For example, we recently participated in a small group search for insect life by the side of a lake with a park ranger and had a blast.
41. Go to the zoo – ask everyone in advance what one animal they want to see and make sure you get to that one, even if you don’t have time to see everything. Check for events or ranger talks you could attend while you’re there. Consider bringing a picnic and making a day of your visit.
42. Visit a farm – depending on the farm near you, there may be opportunities to feed anything from cows to goats to alpacas. Some farms have kids’ play areas and even live music events to extend your visit.
43. Go to a theme park – a big one, and a perennial favorite! Before you buy your tickets, check for discounts from coupon aggregators such as on Entertainment.com. Wear your sunscreen!
44. Go to the farmer’s market and check out the local vendors. Give everyone a job, such as picking a new vegetable you’ve never tried, and brainstorm recipes together. This is another spot where you may find food trucks and live music to make more of a day out of your visit. 
45. Go fruit picking – summer fruits include peaches and blackberries. Yum!
46. Go flower picking and make your own bouquet. Enjoy a picnic while you’re at it. 
47. Go to a festival or fair – check out summer festivals, art fairs, chocolate festivals, food tasting events, parades – whatever your area has to offer!
48. Go to a car, boat, or RV show and explore the exhibits. Come ready with those curious-child questions to ask and learn.
49. Find an outdoor movie screening to attend – these can be a fun way to enjoy the outdoors after the sun goes down while relaxing and munching on popcorn.
50. Play on a playground – search for favorite playgrounds in your area to try something new. Pro tip for parents: once your kids are big enough not to need shadowed on every piece of the equipment, keep camp chairs in your car to sit in at playgrounds with a lack of benches, and bring a thermos of coffee to sip.
51. Go to a splash pad or spray ground – same vein as a pool, but often free! Like above, bring your own chair, plus plenty of towels. A couple of plastic cups can extend playtime at a splash pad, and perhaps sidewalk chalk for when they want to switch things up. 
52. Play mini golf – keep it relaxed or get competitive!
53. Go geocaching – it’s like a treasure hunt, wherever you are. Learn more here.
54. Find historical sites near you – once you’ve visited any popular sites, try finding smaller niche sites. You’ll avoid crowds, and sometimes have staff or volunteers all to yourselves for kids to ask their burning questions. 
55. Go hunting for shells or rocks on a shore or in a park near you. Bring bags to put all your treasures in. Consider metal detecting and tide pooling as similar adventures. 
56. Go bird watching – Audubon has tips for beginning bird watching. You can do it almost anywhere! My 5-year-old and I have been enjoying the Merlin bird ID app.
57. Go foraging for mushrooms – depending on your confidence, you can get started with a mushroom identification book or app, or else find a guide or friend to take you out and identify the mushrooms in your area that are safe to eat. Here’s a guide for more mushroom safety.
58. Feed ducks at a pond – find ducks at a pond near you. Note that ducks should not be fed bread or crackers. Better options include cracked corn, oats, rice, birdseed, sliced grapes, frozen peas or corn, and chopped lettuce.
59. Visit a botanical garden – smell the flowers, wander, take photos, and enjoy. Take advantage of any children’s programs, butterfly houses, and events at the garden near you.
60. Take a boat tour or ferry ride – a boat tour may provide more directed diversion, but ferry rides can be less expensive and still allow you to experience the highlight: getting out on the water. City Experiences is a great resource to find boat tours, brunch cruises, and other experiences on the water in your hometown.
61. Go kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boating – get some exercise and explore from the perspective of the water. Some of my personal favorite childhood memories are out in a kayak.
62. Go tubing on a river – another way to take in the water, typically in a relaxed float. Wear sunscreen! Or make it an adventure and go white water rafting. 
63. Walk around a neighborhood you’ve never been to – pretend to be tourists, or pretend to be locals. Stroll and explore, and get an ice cream or coffee while you’re at it.
64. Take a walking tour…or a segway tour, or a bus tour – learn about your city from an expert. This could be a general tour, or a specialty tour like a ghost tour. 
65. Visit a university campus – campuses often have options even if you’re not a student. Check for tours, museums, libraries, archives, dining halls, gardens, and historical sites, plus any events that may be family-friendly. 
66. Tour caverns or caves – explore, learn about geology, and feel like you’re in another world.
67. Shop at a yard sale or flea market – look for something in particular, or browse and see what treasures you can find. With kids, I always recommend setting a budget or number of items they can get in advance.
68. Go on a ropes course, adventure course, or zip line – get some thrills and exercise. Parents shouldn’t hesitate to join in!
69. Visit a specialty grocery store with food from a certain country or culture. Search for snacks you haven’t tried before, and see if they offer any tastings. Look up recipes to try new foods for dinner, too.
70. Make a scavenger hunt – or print one you find online. It could be anything – particular cars you see; types of dogs; items to spot in nature; items of different colors; articles of clothing you see people wearing; items starting with different letters of the alphabet; etc. Walk (or even drive) around and check off the items on your list.
71. Play Pokemon Go – or a similar virtual reality game that gets your family out and exploring the real world. 
72. Play photographer – find a scenic spot and take photos of nature and of each other. If you need more picture-taking devices, consider a kids’ camera. 
73. Go “day camping” – set up camp with chairs around a fire pit at a park. Grill food and s’mores, throw a frisbee, run around, and enjoy sleeping in your own bed at the end of the day.

Community focused ideas

One great thing about a staycation is that it stays local and allows you to participate in or build community. Here are some ideas on how to incorporate that into your time off: 

74. Volunteer at a food pantry, soup kitchen, or other resource in your community and enjoy quality family time while giving back. Seek out websites that collect volunteer needs for your area to find unique opportunities, like animal care or cleaning up historical sites.
75. Volunteer to walk dogs at a shelter or humane society – be aware that some organizations will limit volunteers to ages 18 and older, so be sure to find out the age requirements for your shelter.
76. Visit an elderly relative or neighbor – consider bringing a newspaper or book to read to them, or a simple game to play with them. Or visit a nursing home and chat with someone new.
77. Bake cookies or brownies and deliver them to friends. 
78. Participate in a community cleanup – or simply pick up trash in your neighborhood or at a park. 
79. Find an organization near you that needs donation kits – such as hygiene kits for a homeless shelter. Go on a family shopping trip to find the items for the kits, assemble them, and then deliver to the organization. 
80. Host a field day – just like field day at school, host a field day at home that includes friends and family. Perhaps kids vs. adults? 

Fun at home ideas

There is plenty of fun to be had at home without ever leaving your house. This is actually a small selection of a larger list I created here.

81. Join the Use-Your-Stuff Summer Challenge – this challenge invites you to think about all the toys, craft supplies, games, sports equipment, self care items, etc. that you have in the house and aren’t using. Then, intentionally work through them with your kids and enjoy all the things you already have. Learn more here.
82. Have a glow-in-the-dark adventure – wear glow stick necklaces and bracelets and go for a walk in a familiar park or somewhere new. Night makes it a whole new adventure! Kids love being in charge of flashlights, too (but make sure you teach them not to shine in anyone’s eyes.)
83. Have a taste test — compare varieties of something you like to eat to find your favorite. My family likes to do this with different varieties of apples, but you could do anything from barbecue sauces to ice cream to cheese. You can simply taste them; make up a scorecard; or have a blind comparison.
84. Make something from scratch together that you’ve never tried to DIY before, like pizza, sushi, pasta, pickles, ice cream, hummus, peanut butter, etc.
85. Have a bonfire – tell stories or play games, sing songs, and of course make s’mores. If you don’t have a way to build a bonfire at home, you can still make s’mores using the broiler setting in your oven, a gas stovetop, or even the microwave.
86. Play classic games like hide and seek – no supplies needed! What other games can you think of. Simon Says? Advanced Rock Paper Scissors? Maybe your kids have learned some at daycare or school they’d like to teach you. And for the competitive, set up a tournament of different games.
87. Play word games that don’t need any supplies — For example, Stinky Pinky. This is a game where you make up rhyming pair riddles. It entertained my 5- and 7-year-olds in the car for an hour the other day. One person thinks of a pair of rhyming words. Then they give a clue for their words, avoiding using their secret words. For example, if the rhyming words are “look” and “book”, you might give the clue, “I say this in a library when I see the thing I want to read.” Or for “freeze” and “cheese” the clue could be “I accidentally got my cheddar too cold.” Some of my favorite clues are the ones my kids made up that don’t really make any sense. Or try twenty questions. Check out this list for more games that don’t need any supplies.
88. Play “Chopped” like the TV show – you can work together or break into teams. Start with a basket of ingredients and come up with a way to use those plus additional ingredients to make a dish.
89. Play board games – this would definitely be part of an ideal summer day at home for me! Play ones you already own or borrow from friends, neighbors, or the library. Learn some new card games, too.
90. Learn a new accent from a YouTube video – search “how to speak with a _______ accent” – guaranteed to annoy your friends! 
91. Go through cookbooks together and bookmark recipes you want to try. Then work through the recipes or plan them for throughout the year. To some this is sacrilege, but I like to take notes in my cookbooks about how the recipe turned out, any changes I’d make, etc. Honestly, my 5-year-old enjoys me just reading cookbooks out loud to her like a storybook.
92. Play with water – have a squirt gun or water balloon fight or jump through a sprinkler.
93. Make a stop motion movie – no joke, this entertained my kids for DAYS when we were stuck home sick last Thanksgiving. We set them up with one of our phones and Stop Motion Studio and they made several goofy movies with their toys.  
94. Make cards and mail them to friends and family. Everyone loves getting mail! 
95. Write a story. I’ll pull out my laptop and my 5-year-old will dictate to me. She LOVES when I read back her words to her, no matter how many times she has the My Little Pony characters eating cheese tortellini. (True story.)
96. Learn a dance – try searching YouTube for “dance tutorials for kids” or for a favorite song or artist.
97. Create and solve an escape room – We did a “real” escape room together as a family, and the kids LOVED it, even though most of the clues were too challenging for them. They were over the moon when my husband created a DIY one in the basement for them, which was essentially a scavenger hunt with little codes and clues they had to solve to find the next clue. Or, look up one of the many printable options you can find online.
98. Make up a play – this can be scripted or improv. Costumes and set highly encouraged. 
99. Make homemade popsicles starting with fruit or juice, and enjoy them outside. Or have a popsicle bath!
100. Learn some simple origami or even how to fold a fortune teller – my 7-year-old loves these. Here’s a good resource for simple origami patterns.
101. Have a fashion show – for maximum entertainment value, this could start with creating clothes out of materials from around the house, but it could also use dress-up items or clothes you already have. Then choose a runway (ours is a yoga mat), blast some music, and have them put on a show.
102. Do some science experiments that are too messy to keep indoors, like dropping Mentos in Coke or creating a baking soda and vinegar volcano.
103. Work on handmade Christmas presents – because you’re not going to get any less busy between summer and Christmas! 
104. Learn basic programming with Scratch, a free coding resource with a visual interface to create digital stories, games, and animations.
105. Paint a piece of furniture – give it some extra life or just have fun as a creative project. For many years I used a desk chair that my dad had let me decorate with leftover spray paint.
106. Create an obstacle course and do it over and over. Add challenges to it over time to incorporate different physical challenges and items from around the house. See how fast you can get. 
107. Paint rocks – keep them or leave them in a park for someone to find and bring a smile to their face.
108. Write a letter to a favorite author or other figure your child is familiar with. Tell them how much you love their work and ask a few questions. You never know if you’ll hear back.
109. Learn or make up a spy code and send messages to each other. Here are some simple ones.
110. Use cardboard boxes to create a play house, or on a smaller scale, a dollhouse – or whatever structure your kids’ imaginations can create.
111. Have a dance party – up the ante by getting some glow sticks from the dollar store and turning the lights out. My kids LOVE doing this, and it can honestly make an evening feel special!

Get started tracking your staycation ideas with the Family Summer Bucket List Notion Template. 

How to make a staycation special

I get it – you’re home, so a staycation loses some of the magic of travel. Here are a few tips to make your staycation feel special:

• Minimize housework – there is no escape from laundry and dishes (I wish I had better news), but see if you can spend your staycation in minimal-effort mode. Can you do laundry and cleaning the day before or first morning of your time off, so you’re set with clean clothes and a relatively tidy home for the rest? Can you use disposable plates and utensils when you wouldn’t normally? Hire a maid service with your travel savings? Spend as much time out and about as you can so you make less mess? Try to turn off that part of your brain for a week.
• Take photos – see the staycation as a memory-making opportunity, and try to take pictures the same way you would on a vacation. Pause, pose, and yes, make sure YOU are in the picture with your kids! 
• Do something mildly taboo – by this I mean, do something with your kids that’s typically against your household rules. What if you had dessert for dinner one night, or stayed up way past their bedtimes? Had a sleepover in the basement? Had a food fight or otherwise made a huge mess on purpose? Those are core memories you’re creating right there!
• Build a narrative – this goes back to the ideas of structure above. If you have a “story” around your staycation, it will be more memorable and feel more special. Is there one key goal or theme? It doesn’t have to be complicated – ”we spent the week treating our home like a resort” or “we spent the week being tourists in our city” is plenty to go on.

Whatever your staycation looks like, cheers to you and your family! I’d love to hear about it!