Singing, “School’s out for the Summer,” but what do we do with our kids now? This is every mom’s thought, including how can you make the groceries you just bought last more than a day. You also think, “Laundry is sure to double by the end of the week.” Being a parent is even harder work because now you have to add ‘event planner’ to your mommy resume.
Honestly, giving your children the best summer filled with relaxation and fun does not have to cost a lot of money. You would be surprised that your younger children are very easy to please when it comes to activities. My advice would be to pick 5 top staycation ideas to keep your children entertained for the summer.
- Camping– Don’t get intimidated by this suggestion, camping comes in many forms nowadays. Try setting up a campsite right in your living room. You can buy a small tent or make one with blankets and sheets. Have a s’mores station and buy pizza. Don’t forget your favorite movie. If you are a little more adventurous, camp in your backyard or girl, just go full blown camping.
- Hotel with water amenities– For some reason, kids love hotels. I don’t think kids under 13 really care where the hotel is. My recommendation would be to go to the next city and find a really cool hotel…with a pool and spend a night or two. See if you can find a boutique hotel; they tend to be more interesting.
- Explore your city– Number two can be combined with this one also. But, I recently went to visit family in my hometown and realized it has developed a lot. So, I went to explore. My children and I found a gallery of handmade items from local artists. Get out and explore your own city and pretend to be a tourist.
- Day Camp– I get excited about camp. I’m still ‘that’ overprotective mother, so I find one-day camps for my kids, which they love. One-day camps a couple times during the summer are less expensive. For example, there are one-day art camps and sports camps. But if you are a little more relaxed than me, overnight camps or weekly camps are a great option too. And mom can staycation at home without the kids. A win for everybody.
- Outdoor adventure– If you live in a warmer climate, try hiking and water sports, like canoeing. Sometimes you can even find deals on places like Groupon and other coupon apps. My suggestion would be to go during the week if you can for a little less foot traffic. To make this a staycation, take turns with moms you know and trust to have sleepovers during the summer after your outdoor adventure.
Bonus: Just have a few sleepovers with your kid’s friends and create a theme.
The thing about this list is the suggestions can be your fall back plan when you can’t think of anything, or you can’t rotate them all summer. Remember the summers are made for fun and discoveries. It doesn’t matter your budget, just make sure your kids are having fun and are well fed, of course, and they will be happy. Be creative and they will never know any difference…trust me.
Do you have any tips for staycations for us moms?
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