Family vacations sound like a great idea…
But sometimes when you have young kids planning time away from home can be a logistical nightmare. If you are looking for a break from the normal routine but are not quite ready to pack everyone into a car for a road trip, consider taking a “staycation.” Staying close to home and discovering your own city, or a city nearby, may be less stressful for you and far more enjoyable for the entire family. Here are a few ways you and your little ones can enjoy your time off together.
Discover the rich culture of both your city and those nearby. Is there an art gallery, museum, musical performance, or art fair taking place? Then put together a brown bag lunch and head out to experience all that there is to offer.
Visit your local library. Take the little ones to the library to get their own library cards and check out books. Also, check the library’s calendar to see if there are special arts and crafts days or story time programs available.
Have an indoor camping day. Give yourself and the kids permission to make a mess in the living room. Build the biggest blanket fort you can design and spend the day inside of it eating camp inspired foods, coloring and reading books.
Go to a movie. Spend the afternoon inside of an air-conditioned theater watching a family movie, enjoying popcorn and snacks.
Get a hotel room in a nearby city and pretend that you are a tourist. See all of the special attractions and hot spots. When you are done exploring the city, swim in the hotel pool and enjoy some quality time with one another.
Get out into nature. Grab a pair of comfortable shoes and get out to explore nature and hiking trails. Grab a plant or bird guidebook and learn about the nature that is indigenous to your city.
Explore local garage sales. Summertime is a great time to hit garage sales, especially if you have young children since clothing gets recycled quickly. If you are looking for next season’s apparel for your little one, it is a perfect time to upgrade wardrobes for little cost. You can even make a treasure hunt out of it, seeking specific items at each stop.
Plant a Garden. Go to the local gardening shop and grab some seeds to plant a family garden. The staff can help you pick out what will work best for you and your family. This is a great opportunity to educate the children about how food is grown.
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