We all need our breaks from time to time. Vacations are a great way to spend quality time with loved ones, gather our thoughts, and return refreshed, and ready to take on all that life throws at us. It can be upsetting and even stressful when a vacation gets canceled—especially when your child is looking forward to it.
Ways to Take a Vacation Without Leaving Home
However, just because you’re staying home doesn’t mean you can’t have your refreshing getaway. If you had to cancel your trip because of the spread of COVID-19, consider replacing it with these ways to take a vacation without leaving home.
Have a Movie Night
Movie nights are an excellent way to spend family time and now is the perfect opportunity to have one. If you have to stay at the house all day, you might as well make it as cozy as possible. Deck out your living room with pillows and blankets.
You can turn off the overhead lights and use lamps or string lights to create a warm glow for your makeshift movie theater. Set out the snacks—making homemade popcorn can be an entertaining activity all on its own—and pile them together for your movie night.
Spend the Day Unplugged
The internet can be a valuable tool. Especially in times like these, when it allows us to work from home or talk to friends and family we can’t see in person. However, it’s essential to set our screens down.
Spend a day with all of your devices turned off—yes, even your cell phone—and have everyone else in the family do the same. When planning a vacation without leaving home, it’s important to fill the day with things that don’t require a screen.
Read a book, make a homecooked meal, go on a walk, or have a board game night. Break out the arts and crafts with your child and see what you can make without instructions; use your imagination.
The time you spend unplugged will help you take a break from all the news and notifications of the online world, allowing you to reset and come back with a clear mind.
Backyard Camping
Of course, social distancing doesn’t mean you have to spend all of your time indoors. One of the ways to take a vacation without leaving home is to get some fresh air and take a camping trip to your backyard.
Treat it like any outdoor vacation: pitch the tent or park the RV, roast marshmallows over an open fire (or the grill), and turn out as many lights as possible to see the stars. If you can’t go out and travel to your favorite park, you can find wonder by the cement fountain in your backyard or the hammock you have set up in your garden.
Plus, many of the best activities to do on an RV trip or camping trip can still happen in your backyard. The important part is spending time together in the great outdoors—no matter where that might be.
Vacation Without Leaving Home
While these times may be tough, it is the perfect time to reconnect and create family bonding moments. With these three ways to help your family vacation without leaving home, you’ll be sure to make positive memories in no time!