40 Fun Activities for an Awesome Staycation Summer

“What camps are your kids signed up for?”

“Have you registered yet?”

“Were you able to get into this, and that, or this?”

Summer camps are (outrageously) expensive and even if I hadn’t already decided to forgo for a slow staycation summer, I wouldn’t be able to afford them anyways.

 

2) Ride Public Transportation – Do you have a lightrail system, trolley or train nearby you can ride?

3) Create a Faux Vacation Day with fruity drinks, leis, an inflatable pool, tropical music and festive decorations

4) Picnic at the Park – Spend breakfast or lunch at the park and then hit the playground to burn pent-up energy. Try a new park every week to sustain the excitement.

5) Play Dress-Up with Your Kids – Throw on Costumes, your Wedding Dress even and have fun!

6) A Day Built Around Water – Sprinklers, Pool, Water Balloons, and Squirt Guns

7) Plan a Slip ‘N Slide Day with Neighborhood Kids and also turn on the Sprinklers

8) Spa Day at Home – Paint Nails, Curl Hair, Face Masks, Massages, Foot Soaks… the whole spa experience!

9) Go to the Local Fair or Carnival for the day

10) Spend a Night in a Hotel – be sure to visit the hotel pool!

11) Go Rollerskating / Inline Skating at a Skating Rink

12) Host a Lemonade Stand – You can also offer Cookies and Snacks

13) Build and Hand Out Kindness Bags 

14) Put Together a Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt

15) Movie Day with Popcorn at Home – Set up Sleeping Bags, Couch Cushions, Blankets, Inflatable Mattresses and Close the Blinds for the Full Movie Watching Experience.

16) Arrange a Block Party BBQ and Block off the Street and Let Kids Ride Bikes, Roller Skate and Have Running Races

17) Head to an Indoor Ice Skating Rink

18) Host a Campout at Home Complete with Hot Dogs and S’mores

19) Visit a Stream/Lake/Ocean to Explore and Get Wet!

20) Go Bowling (or bumper bowling)

21) Miniature Golfing

22) Visit a Local Bounce / Trampoline Park

23) Go Apple/Berry Picking

24) Plan for a Pool Day – is There a Pool nearby With Special Slides or a Lazy River?

25) Visit Local Amusements (Zoo, Aquarium, Museum)

26) Art Day full of Textiles, Recycled Goods, Painting and Different Mediums

27) Cooking Day – Kid’s Choice of one Thing to Make

28) Bumper Cars / Bumper Boats

29) Go for a Bike Ride

30) Visit a Petting Zoo or if You Have Older Kids, Consider Horseback Riding

31) Plan a Kayaking / Paddle Boating out at a Nearby Park or Lake

32) Random Act of Kindness Day – Choose an Activity and Surprise Others with Kindness

33) Take in a Special Movie at the Theatres or a Drive-In Theatre

34) Make Friendship Bracelets, String Bead Necklaces & Macaroni Noodle Necklaces

35) Tie Dye Day – Tie Die Shirts, shorts, bandanas, etc.

36) Paint Pottery

37) Make a Bird Craft Feeder and Wind Chimes from Recylced Cans

38) Board Game Day – Play Classic Board Games like Chutes & Ladders, Monopoly, Twister, and Battleship

39) One-Day Road Trip – Pull Out Your Map and Find Someplace within 1 or 2-Hour Drive you can Visit in the Same Day

40) Kid’s Choice for the Day – What do They Want to do??