We can’t always afford to go on vacation every year so I always try to come up with some staycation ideas for families that everyone in my household would love to do. It’s a great way to spend quality time together without going over budget.
This post was sponsored by Nabisco as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own
We are lucky to live in a big city so it always seems that there is something new to do, especially during the summer. If you live in a more rural area, you can still find some great opportunities, but you may have to drive a little farther.
Consider turning it into a weekend getaway if it is in the budget.
Here are a few mini staycation ideas that my family loves to do together. I hope you can use some of these tips to keep everyone in your family happy all summer long.
Mini Staycation Ideas
If you want some staycation ideas for families that keep you closer to home, look no farther than your own backyard.
Backyard Camping:
Set up a tent in the backyard and have a camping experience without having to leave your house. Kids love doing this and I love that I can easily walk into my own home to use the bathroom!
Get some supplies to roast marshmallows or make smores and the kids will have a blast.
I’ll even hang a white sheet from the fence and use a projector to play a movie. I make sure to also stop by Walmart to stock up on some yummy snacks that we can munch on during the movie.
My daughter loves Sour Patch Kids so that is her go to movie candy. I always make sure to have some on hand whenever we are watching a movie at home.
Pool/Playground:
My daughter’s favorite place to be during the summer is at the neighborhood pool. She would spend the entire summer there if I would let her.
If you don’t have a pool at your home, you could always check out community centers or the local YMCA to join. Their fees are very affordable!
We also make use of the local playground as a way for her to get out all of her energy! If it is too hot outside, sometimes we will go to an inflatable playground, like Monkey Joe’s, or if you have older kids you could take them to a trampoline park.
No matter what your favorite staycation ideas for families are, make sure you have plenty of yummy snacks for you and the kids.
I like to grab NABISCO products from Walmart like: Family Size RITZ Crackers, Family Size OREO Cookies, and Sour Patch Kids for us to snack on. They are easy to just throw in my pool bag in case we get hungry.
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Use these staycation ideas for families to keep the boredom to a minimum while the kids are out of school. Make sure to stock up on your favorite NABISCO products and share your photo to win some great prizes!
Summer Staycation Ideas for Families
I love making a little summer bucket list of all of the activities we would like to do as a family while school is out. It’s a great way to get an idea of what everyone wants to do so you can plan it all out at the beginning of the summer.
We will usually do one new thing a week and on the other days of the week, hit the neighborhood pool or have play dates.
Just find a schedule that works for your family so you don’t get burnt out too quickly.
Local Attractions:
One of my favorite ways to save on fun family activities is to get season passes to our favorite local attractions. We have an aquarium, water park, and an amusement park close by so I buy season passes to each of them at the beginning of the summer.
My family loves it and we can go whenever we want and stay all day or just for a few hours.
Make use of your state or city’s tourist center or website. They have tons of budget friendly ideas you can try: hiking trails, museums, botanical gardens, zoos, etc.
Fairs and Festivals:
I love all of the local fairs and festivals that go on during the spring and summer months. We have a local berry festival that is so much fun for the kids.
Do a quick Google search for your town’s events to see when you can take everyone for a fun day at the fair.
You can read more here about how to save on attractions and sightseeing.
Movie Theater:
Heading to the movies is such a great way to get everyone out of the summer heat. I know it can be expensive to go to the movie theater but I use these tricks to see the latest movies for free and it really helps us stick to a budget without sacrificing fun.
We just took my 4 year old to her very first movie experience this summer and she loved it! There are so many great movies that come out during the summer and a lot of theaters offer special kid movies for $1 on certain days during the summer.
Check your local theater’s website to see what specials offers they may have.
I know that everyone likes to do something different but these are my favorite staycation ideas for families. Let us know in the comments what you like to do when you have a mini staycation.
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