Fun Spring Break Staycation Ideas

You’ve heard the term “staycation” before, and we’ve talked about some ideas for vacationing without leaving your general area. Sometimes, though, you might not be able to spend much money at all on your kids’ spring break. Even a day trip or a visit to a local museum might break the bank. If that’s your situation this spring, don’t worry: we have plenty of tips for making your kids’ week off from school special without spending much money at all. All of these ideas can be done on the cheap or, in some cases, for free:

 

• Travel to a Distant Land Without Leaving Home

 

Part of the fun of travel is learning about other cultures. While most of us can’t just pack up and head off to South America or Africa for a week at a time, we can all give our kids an exotic staycation experience. Before spring break starts, think about what region you’d like to transform your home into. Some easier ones to implement might be Mexico, China or France, simply because you are probably already familiar with some cultural differences, but anything goes! If you want to visit Egypt, Iceland or the Fiji Islands, go for it! When you do your weekly grocery shopping, plan on making a few regional specialties (a quick Google search or a cookbook from the library will provide you with hundreds of recipes to try). Borrow from the library some CDs filled with music of the land you’re “visiting,” along with books which focus on your chosen country. Learn a few words from the country’s primary language, and practice them with your kids.

 

• Take a Cue From Vacation Bible School

 

While you don’t have to integrate religious education into your staycation, ask around to see if you have a friend who has volunteered in a Vacation Bible School at her church. These are usually planned on an extremely small budget, and can be easily replicated at home. This would be especially fun if several families joined in. Generally, kids move from station to station, working on crafts, singing songs, having snacks and hearing stories. You could base this on any type of theme you desire, from literature characters, to historical time periods, to science-based activities. If several families are involved, you could each take a turn hosting.

 

• Have a Fix-Up Spruce-Up Party

 

Spring break is a great time to complete some spring cleaning! While your kids probably won’t jump up and down over this, you could choose a few fun projects to complete with them. If their bedrooms could use fresh paint, they’d probably enjoy helping to roll on a new coat. They also might enjoy decluttering with the intent of having a yard sale… particularly if they’re allowed to spend any money that they make from selling their own treasures!

With a bit of forethought, you can make the kids’ spring break special, even if you choose to stay home. And, just think about all of the money you’re saving for the next big trip!

What are your favorite things to do on staycations? Are you staying home for this year’s spring break?