Why Leave... Vacation At Home!

With the rising gas prices and the increased cost of living... vacations may be out of the question this year!

Why leave when you can enjoy a relaxing time in your own town and backyard! Kids really don't care as much about where they spend time with you, but that they get your undivided attention.

Ask your kids... "if you were to spend time with me, what would you like to do?"
Make this a fun exploration.

Create a suggestion box that can sit on the kitchen counter for a few days. You will need:

• 1 Shoe Box


• Wrapping Paper


• Scissors


• Tape


• Writing Paper


• Pen/Pencil


• Yarn/Twine

Cut a hole in the lid of the shoe box that will allow for suggestions to be dropped in.

Wrap your box in any style of paper you might have in the home (any season of wrapping is fun). If you do not have wrapping paper on hand, take the under side of your grocers paper bags and have the kids decorate it before using it for your wrapping paper.

Take 5 sheets of paper and cute into quarter squares to be placed by the box for suggestions.

Use the end of the pen to punch a small hole into the upper corner of the box lid. Cut your yarn/twin into one 3 foot long string. Feed one end through the hole and make a large knot so that it will not slip back through. On the other end of the yarn/twin, secure your writing instrument.

Ask your kids to help create a poster board listing the ideas and pick the top three (you may start off the ideas on the poster with a few of your own at the start). You can use markers and crayons to decorate your poster board.

One Idea:
Make this week an adventure. If you have a tent, set it up in the backyard and pretend you are on a Safari. Find a tape/CD with music and animal noises that you would find on a safari and bring a portable player outside.

At night around the makeshift campfire, talk about your adventures from the days safari exploration. What animals did you see? What do you hope to see tomorrow?

If you have a small TV that can be brought into the outdoors... a safari video may be the added touch. You can go to your local library and check-out National Geographic movies, books and tapes/DVD's that will give you a realistic idea of your safari.

You can make a fire pit that does note require a flame.
Cut a square 1 1/2' X 1 1/2' out of the bottom of a 2'x2' box. Cut one side out of the box completely, leaving only three sides (this will assist in keeping your light cooler).

Purchases Red and Yellow Cellophane sheets long enough to cover your opening. Cut your sheets into 3 inch wide x 2 foot long strips.

Tape red and yellow sheets of cellophane across the opening alternating colors every 3 inches.

Place a flashlight at a safe distance under the cellophane to create the idea of a fire.
CAUTION: Never leave this unattended and check often for heat levels. Use your own judgement as to the length of time your make shift fire should stay lit as this site and Blog writer is not and shall not be held responsible for any harm that may occur. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Whatever you choose to do... the time spent together will not be forgotten.

I still remember that night my mom and dad slept outside with me in my playhouse. We had sandwiches, juice and cookies. Thinking about it today seems so simple, but the impact of knowing my parents cared that much has stuck with me through the years.


Enjoy your time together!