Fun Staycation/ Daycation Ideas

It’s March 2021 and you might be wondering if you’re living in the Twilight Zone. Are you having déjà vu of the Spring Break that never ends? Well, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of yet another week of Spring Break and no formal travel plans, we got you covered.

One idea we love is to play tourist in your own town. Trying things from a new perspective can make all the difference. You can even search up “Things To Do in {your city’s name}” and see what new things there are to do that you might have never done before. Or even research new restaurants to try out. The benefit of this option is that you get to try out museums, parks, landmarks, and historical places that you might have otherwise missed altogether if you had left your neck of the woods. AND you get to sleep in our own bed at night.

Getting outdoors is such a great reset. There are many state parks that can sell you a day pass, or you can consider getting a season pass and make plans to go on weekends and this summer! If you missed it, you can check out our blog post on Tips for Hiking with Kids for a list of ideas and gear. Did you know that exposure to Morning Sunlight profoundly affects Mood, health, and nighttime sleep?  

If you’re wanting to stay a little closer to home, consider making “theme days” for each day of your break to change up the routine and rhythm of your day. The idea for creating a theme day would include at least one activity, one craft, a snack, and one recipe or meal that goes with your theme. Bonus points if you want to include costumes and décor! A few ideas could include:

• Indoor camping trip (Roast marshmallows, set up tents in the house, have flashlights for book reading fun, etc.)
• Hawaiian night (Include some leis from the dollar store, some grilled pineapple or sweet teriyaki skewers, and end with pineapple upside down cake or ambrosia)
• Carnival night (include face painting, midway carnival games, and make candied apples)
• Olympics Day (you could color and decorate flags from various countries, take part in various competitions, keep a score board, try an exotic recipe from one of your countries represented)
• Water Day (put your swimsuits and sunscreen on, and have fun with all things water- sprinklers, slip and slide, water balloons, even in the bathtub!)
• Movie Day (pick a few faves and plan a fun craft, coloring activity, and snacks to correlate to it! Or let each family member pick a favorite movie each night.)

As you can see, we have fleshed out our indoor camping idea with fun treats, decorations, books, and activities. 

You can go back and forth indoors and outdoors. Have some bug collecting or scavenger hunts outside, and then come in for some treats. Go outside for an al fresco dinner and then end with s’mores in a skillet or even the oven. Run around outside with some games of chase or tag and then end with a few books or movie night. Gather supplies to make it fun-- lanterns, flashlights, water bottles,  blankets, books, and stuffed animals add a fun camping vibe to any living area. 

Whatever you do. Keep it simple. Plan to unplug and be present with your littles. The days are long but the years are short. With a little planning, you can ensure your time together this Spring can be fun filled for the whole family.