25+ Fun Family Staycation Activities - Mom Endeavors (2024)

• Sara @MomEndeavors
• February 8, 2016

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It’s NO secret that we’re BIG fans of family travel! But, a family staycation can be such a great option too! We just recently shared some staycation planning tips to get you started as part of a sponsored series with Frigo® Cheese Heads®! Once you’ve got a general plan for your staycation, you can work on planning activities! This list of 25+ fun activity ideas is sure to give you some inspiration for your family staycation.

Fun Family Staycation Activity Ideas:

At home

• Family game night. Get out the favorite board games and have some game-playing fun!

• Put together a BIG puzzle! Clear off the dining room table and work on a 1,000+ piece puzzle. It can be an ongoing activity throughout the staycation and you’ll have something fun completed when you’re done.
• Bake together. Get the whole family involved in a fun baking project! You can have fun in the kitchen together and then have a tasty treat afterward!
• Plan a themed family movie night! Pick a favorite family movie (or a new one you haven’t seen) and set up a whole fun themed night around it. You can make the food themed to the movie as well as some activities!
• Picnic in the living room (or the backyard). For a fun change of pace, have a picnic on the living room floor (maybe while watching a movie or playing some games)!
• Make some special fun snacks. Kids love cute creative foods! So take a little extra time and whip up something fun. We’ve got a great list of staycation snacks here!
• Pajama Day. Have a quiet, lazy day in your jammies. Read books, watch movies, take a big family nap and enjoy a quiet day!
• Build a giant living room fort. Pile up pillows, grab all the blankets and get the furniture involved. Bring in flashlights to read some books together inside the fort.
• Camp in the backyard. Set up a tent and sleep out under the stars in your own backyard. Unlike real camping, you can still get a shower first thing in the morning! 😉
• Make a family painting! Buy a large canvas and put out some different paints. Work together to complete a family painting that you can hang in the house as a fun memory.
• Family Chalk Drawings. Head outside and get creative together by coloring your driveway or back patio in family art work. I don’t normally leave sidewalk chalk out for my kids, so this would be a HUGE treat for them!

Build It!!

Family DIY projects can be a GREAT way to have some fun together and then you have a completed projected at the end. There are some fabulous DIY games and projects that are perfect for doing with the kids! Here’s fun list of DIY projects to get you started:

• Family Ring Toss
• DIY Ladder Golf (Kid Safe)
• Water Blaster Sprinklers
• Pretend Backyard Fishing Pond
• Kiddie Car Wash
• Easy Bird Feeders
• Simple DIY Tree Swing

Around Your City

Our favorite way to staycation is to “vacation” and play tourists in our own home city! So, here are some activities to consider around town!

• Stay at a local resort. This really makes things feel like you are going on vacation. Look for a family-friendly place with activities for the kids! If you plan your staycation during the off-season you can often snag special deals!
• Visit a local zoo or aquarium.
• Plan a trip to a local museum.
• Buy tickets for a special concert or show!
• Have a park picnic.
• Visit a local waterpark or amusem*nt park.
• Plan a day trip to a local lake, river, or beach!
• Go on a family hike!
• Try a new restaurant

For a list of specific ideas in YOUR city (or a city nearby), be sure to check out this list of staycation ideas in 50+ US Cities!

What are your favorite family activities during a staycation?

You could also add vacation planning to your list of staycation ideas, especially if you were planning a family trip to Hawaii!!!! With the Frigo® Cheese Heads® Unforgettable String Break promotion you could be WIN a trip there! Who doesn’t want a trip to Hawaii?! So click the image below to get details!! Disclosure: This staycation post was created in connection with my agreement as a contributor to Saputo Cheese USA Inc. However all opinions and ideas are entirely my own.