How to Turn Your Yard in the Perfect Family-Friendly Staycation Destination

Last Updated on July 25, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford

While all of us love to travel, the fact of the matter is that it can sometimes be more stressful than relaxing, and especially if you travel with kids. While kids are still small, they have their certain routines and the level of comfort and familiarity they’re used to. However, while traveling or going on a vacation, some of these routines are bound to be broken or at least shifted, which can result in an unnecessarily stressful situation for everyone involved.

That’s why it’s always a great idea to stay home and bring your vacation to yourself if your kids are still too young to travel. And if you have a yard surrounding your home, what better way to use this space than to turn it into an ultimate staycation destination?

Here are just a few ideas you can use to turn your yard into something exotic and fun all of your family members can enjoy, no matter how young or old they may be.

Winter wonderland vibes

If you have room in your yard, the first thing you should consider is creating a tiny forest right on your property. You can plant a few Green Spurs and similar evergreen trees somewhere in your yard and easily create a whimsical backdrop for various winter activities. 

In case you have plenty of snow during winter, you can make small hills out of snow and have your kids slide down, build a snowman or even take some time to create a real igloo. 

What’s even more fun is having your kids help you decorate your yard for Christmas, by setting up outdoor decorations, such as the ones you can find at outdoornativitysets.com, and adding outdoor string lights for some additional flair. 

To make things even more fun, you can take your kids on a sort of a scavenger hunt on Christmas morning, and have them look for small presents you and your partner hid under the trees before the kids woke up.

Fall frolicking

Fall is the favorite season for so many people and for a good reason. Although moving towards the colder months, fall is still quite pleasant and enjoyable for spending time outdoors.

If you wish, you can collect all the fallen leaves and make leaf piles you and your kids can jump around and in. You can also create a fire pit – if you don’t already have one –  and roast some marshmallows in the evening, before it’s time for bed.

As Halloween draws closer, you can create a nice little hay maze where your kids can run around. Of course, you must not forget to assemble a small pumpkin patch as well, where your little ones can pick and choose their own pumpkins to carve. Needless to say, the carving part should be done by you or your partner, but at least have the kids come up with their own designs.

Summer spontaneous splashes

Summer vacations mostly boil down to spending time at the beach, enjoying the sun and going for a dip whenever you get too hot.  

Luckily, you can create the same vibe in your yard with just a few easy tricks.

First and foremost, make sure you create a sandbox where you kids can play in the sand, make sand castles and enjoy some old-school fun. This is arguably one of the best and easiest DIY projects, but make sure you also install a sandbox cover for when your kids are not using it, to prevent stray cats and other animals from using and contaminating it. 

Aside from the sandbox you, of course, need a pool. You can find amazing inflatable pools both kids and grown ups can use. Just make sure that the pool is properly secured when you’re not using it to prevent any unwanted accidents from happening. 

Additionally, you can even buy a smaller kiddie pool and have your younglings play there while you enjoy spending time in the parent-sized one. Top it all off with some comfortable lounging chairs and the unavoidable portable cooler, so that you can have your refreshments nice and cold – and most importantly within hand’s reach – whenever you get thirsty. 

Serene splendor in spring 

Last but not least, prepare your yard for a spring staycation by making room for tents, a campfire and all of the other camping essentials.

If your kids are too small, you don’t actually have to sleep in the tents overnight, but you can still have them set up throughout the day to get your younglings familiar with the concept.

If recreating a real camping site feels like a bit too much work, you can still make it a point to go for a picnic with your kids at least once a day. 

You can also invest in an outdoor projector and screen so that you can enjoy your favorite cartoons in the evenings, or you can simply use the side of your house for the same purpose. 

Finally, since spring days are warm yet gentle, you can also create a small football, basketball or even golf field in your yard and enjoy spending time with your kids while teaching them more about your favorite sports.

In the end

As you can see, while these ideas do require some planning and preparation, none of them are too expensive or overly complicated to make a reality. With just a bit of imagination, you can turn your yard into an awesome staycation destination everyone will look forward to visiting.

What’s best is that these ideas also work even if your kids are older and you can actually go on a real vacation. There’s no reason to put an end to fun only because your days off are over.

So, make sure you give these ideas a thought and see which ones of them are doable for you and your family. And, in case none of them work out for you, you can always come up with your own ideas and tailor your staycation to your personal liking and needs.