Recent economic uncertainties have many of us watching our budgets carefully. However, if you’re ready to experience fun budget-friendly family activities, there are many things you can all do together to have fun without overspending.
Explore Your Town
How many parks are in your town? Do they have a picnic shelter? How many of them have a pool? Where can you go, right in your city, to enjoy a picnic under a bench or to grill out on the community cooking tools? Pack a kite, your bubble-blowing tools, all the swimsuits and toys for playing in the sand.
If you choose to stay at home, invest in easy to prepare picnic foods. Enjoy sandwiches, chips, and ice cream bars one meal a day. Stock up on family movies and allow everyone to pick a favorite every night for something different and fun. Pretend it’s a summer camp.
Take a Camping Trip
If you’ve never camped before, you can still find great VA state park campsites that don’t cost much. You can find rental tents that will allow you to enjoy the great outdoors without having to spend a great deal of money on gear that you may or may not need again.
Borrowing gear can be questionable, and buying gear may turn out to be a spending mistake if you end up not using it again. Instead, by renting a tent, you can enjoy top-of-the-line products without having to buy the best gear.
You can also try camping at home. If you have sleeping bags and a pop-up tent, let your kids sleep in the living room. Grill out on the patio and learn to cook simple foods, such as baked potatoes, in a solar oven.
Take a Class
Check out your local hardware stores and look for free classes for kids. Plan a special stop at a park on the way for a picnic lunch. You can easily make a day of these classes and enjoy the chance to sleep in your own bed.
Adults can have the same amount of fun as the kids. Sign up for stained glass or a glass-blowing class. Take a painting class or learn to quilt or crochet. Check with local senior centers for textile classes.
The folks with the ability to make many of these crafts are still with us. Talk with local coordinators at your nearest senior center to see if someone could help you learn a new skill or old art.
Study Local Facilities
Call up the nearest art or history museum and check their hours. Find out the admission fee, or see if you can go on the free museum days. Get your kids in on the act. If your local art museum has a free day and a children’s area, they will likely have the chance to bring home some art or something they’ve made.
Visit nearby thrift stores and look for large framed art that you can take apart. Once the frame is empty, let your child pick a spray paint color, lay the frame down on a piece of cardboard, and create a custom frame for your child’s artwork.
Learn a New Craft or Skill
It’s said that anyone who can read can cook, but if you’ve run out of time to try new recipes, put your staycation time to work and do a little baking with your family. Younger children can help you read off the ingredients, while older children help with the measuring.
Fractions are easier to understand when you have a tactile learning process at your disposal. Put older children to work measuring out 1/2 cup of flour. Allow younger children to gently blend dry ingredients as you mix up brownies, cookies, or cake.
Visit local thrift stores and look for old cookbooks, preferably those from old church fundraisers and community organizations. Not only do these cookbooks offer the best tried and true recipes, but you will usually have the ingredients necessary for many recipes on hand.
Conclusion
Vacations can be joyous and memorable without being expensive. Going to another state or a famous amusement park would be lovely, but it’s simply not always possible. A great staycation will allow your children to learn more about their region and enjoy time with family.
