Plan Ahead For A Summer Staycation

With the economy still in the dumps and the price of gas still in the stratosphere, we are staying close to home this summer. However, that doesn't mean we can't have a summer vacation, right? I wanted to share some tips and family fun ideas that we are considering for our summer "vacation" to inspire you to take some downtime, relax and have some fun with your family.

Now, here are 5 ideas for Summer Staycation fun in your own backyard.

1. Build a Backyard Mini Golf Course. If your kids love mini golf or you want to encourage them to practice outside of their golf lessons, set up a course in your backyard or neighborhood. Here’s how.
2. Camp Close to Home. I am a huge fan of camping in the backyard. Why? I hate camping. However, the kids love it, so camping close to home keeps us all happy. We set up the tent in the backyard, grill out, roast the marshmallows, read comic books in the tent by flashlight, and play flashlight tag. But we get to use our own bathroom and at 11:30 p.m. I can go inside and sleep in my own bed. Win-win!
3. Create an Outdoor Movie Theater. Summer means blockbuster movies and what cooler way to watch favorite movies than outside? Remember the drive-in? I vividly remember going to the drive-in as a kid and I loved it. If you don’t have one near you, here's how to create that same experience in your backyard.
4. Go to the Beach or Create a Backyard Water Park. We are lucky enough to have beaches within driving distance. If you don’t want to drive, it’s easier than you think to create a fun water park in your backyard.
5. Organize a Neighborhood Olympics. I’m a firm believer that more people equals more fun. There are bound to be other friends and neighbors staying close to home this summer that would love to help you plan a little family fun. Stage your own Olympic Games in the yard to get everyone up and active. Take a look in your garage for bocce ball, baggo games, horseshoes, or obstacles for a relay race. Grab some prizes and snacks. Here’s a list of some easy, outdoor fun games for kids of all ages.

Now, some Summer Staycation planning tips.

• Turn off the phone. If you are planning on some downtime to enjoy the summer with your family, turn off your cell phone. Whether you are taking the day or the week off, mentally consider yourself gone and unreachable. Don't take that call from the office. Even if you are home, you are on vacation and deserve the time to relax and connect with your kids.
• Put it on the calendar. Pick the day or the week and then block it off. If you have it on the calendar as sacred vacation time, you won't double book or schedule "just one" doctor's appointment. You'll also create a sense of anticipation. You can count down the days with the kids for even more fun.
• No chores. If you are taking days off work to fix up the house, that's fine, but then it's not vacation. You don't want to disappoint the kids who thought you were going to have fun with them all week, only to watch you work on projects. Do your weekly chores ahead of time so you can play all week. Be present in your own vacation.
• Make a plan. Work with the kids to plan what you want to do on your vacation. Check the local kids' entertainment sites or Patch.com to see what’s going on the week of your vacation. When we go away for vacation we write down the things we don't want to miss as well as things we would like to get to if we have time. Do the same for your staycation. The kids will have fun checking off the activities as you do them and it helps mom and dad to plan with any tasks that need to be done like buying tickets, sending out invites, or getting supplies.

I’m sure you could add a lot more ideas to this list. Is a summer staycation in your plans? If so, what are you going to do for fun?

About this column: Sue Kirchner is the founder of ChocolateCakeClub.com, an e-boutique and the ChocolateCakeMoments.com blog. Sue and her family fun ideas have been featured on ABC WGN, and NBC. When she’s not working, she is CFO (Chief Fun Officer) for her family.