After you’ve managed to tell the kids about your recent job layoff, now it’s time to break the news that
there may not be a vacation this year. Instead, introduce your family to the idea of having a Staycation.
The term has been used to define a time where one stays at home or takes day trips from their home to
local area attractions instead of taking a traditional vacation. Times are hard and Staycations have grown in popularity.
Staycations have become a perfect choice for many families dealing with the recent downturn of the economy.
If you're planning a Staycation, start with some of these ideas:
- Search the internet to find local “FREE” events in your area. (Art Fairs, Community events.)
- Find local restaurants where kids eat free and take the family out to eat.
- Rent a movie from the “in-store” video machine, its $1 to rent. Your kids haven’t seen
all of the great movies that you grew up with.
- Start the family garden that you’ve been planning. (Well, once the weather in Atlanta decides to really
become spring.)
- Have a field day. Rediscover freeze tag, red light, and other games you used to play as a kid. Our
variations make them more fun and secretly healthy for the whole family.
- Plan a TV night. Find something for everybody whether it its the usual sitcoms or made-for-TV movies,
this can be the perfect occasion for a no-fuss dinner and evening with family
- Refresh your space with paint. No need for an expensive makeover, use this time to put the family to
work. With the right color of paint you can transform a room into a great new space for the family.
- Go camping, in the backyard. The beauty of the backyard camping trip is that you can quickly end it if it rains or gets too cold.
- Eat great meals. Take this time to plan, chop, and grill…experiment. Approach your grocery store with a
plan to try some new recipes and enjoy a few feasts at home. Share the cleanup with the family, so that
the feeling of a vacation isn’t lost. After all, it's everyone's vacation.
One last thing, please don't forget to take photos of some of the special things you've done from
your home with your family. Just because you didn't travel hundreds of miles to Disney World, doesn't
mean that these times aren’t worth recording.