Copyright Avemario
Come February every year, parents begin scrambling to figure out summer plans and get their kids registered for camp before spots fill up. It seems to be a popular topic of conversation among parents and for months I get asked:
“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.
What is a Staycation Summer?
BONUS: 2-Page Printable with the 40 Staycation Summer Activities & a Blanket Summer Bucket List to Fill Out with Your Kids. Happy Summer!
Download Your Printables Here
STAYCATION SUMMER ACTIVITIES
1) Go for a Hike – Whether it’s a trail walk or big hike, get out in nature!
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??
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Summer can be a very busy time, but take time out to enjoy your kids and spend time with them. I love the great ideas you have come up with. There are so many things going on within our city, state and the areas around us that we can take advantage of! Thanks for your thoughts!
So glad you liked the ideas, we’re already breaking into the list and it’s our third day of summer break 🙂