Planning a Stay-cation
Summer vacation is upon us. As amazing as a family getaway sounds, that may not always be in the cards. Why not plan your own “stay-cation” this year instead? Here are five family fun ideas to help you enjoy spending time with one another without blowing the budget.
Create your own water park. Set up your kiddie pool, the slip ‘n slide, sprinklers and even water guns to create a one of a kind obstacle course. Make sure that mom and dad get in the fun too – after all how often can the kids get by with shooting their parents with water pistols without getting in trouble? Be sure to make some popsicles or sundaes because it isn't a water park without frozen treats!
Bring the ballpark home. If baseball tickets are out of your budget, why not bring the baseball game to your home? Don your favorite team's apparel; cook up all of the baseball park fixins' such as hot dogs, nachos and soft drinks and turn on the tube. Root for your team from the comfort of your sofa and think about how great it will be to not fight traffic when the game is over.
Camp out in your own backyard. Pitch a tent in the backyard. Dig out the fire pit (or use a flashlight teepee) and share ghost stories. Make s ’mores and then try to catch fireflies before turning in for the night.
Cool Whip Painting. Take a container of cool whip and divide into four bowls. Tint each one with some food color. Pull out paintbrushes (bought specifically for this project) and let kids "paint" on paper plates. Just make sure that you’re wearing old shirts and then plan on an immediate dip in the bathtub for cleanup.
Go on a treasure hunt. Pick up a special treat for your child such as M&Ms or Smarties. Set up a treasure hunt to provide clues to help your children track down the secret treasure. If your children are younger, you can draw pictures and/or riddles to help them easily find the location of the next clue.
Just be creative when it comes to planning ways to have fun this summer. Nothing says that you have to plan an elaborate trip. As long as you do it as a family, you’re bound to make some great memories that can last a life time.
