How to Plan an Educational Staycation Your Kids Will Love

The pros of homeschooling may outweigh the cons, but the day-to-day can become monotonous (as with any schooling). Your family may be ready to spend some time away from your house, or at least use your home in a different way than usual.

Fortunately, there are simple ways to mix up your routine without compromising your children’s education. Below, we show you how to plan an educational staycation that will keep your kids engaged and happy!

Improve Your Living Environment

First, your home must be a healthy environment for homeschooling and living. Look for ways to promote calm and overall wellness in your home so that you can make the most of your staycations and everyday lives.

For example, you could add air-purifying house plants to your space and keep your window treatments drawn during the day to let in more sunlight. You could also invest in an essential oil diffuser to lift the atmosphere and promote rest. Furthermore, creating a decluttering and organizing routine will help you reduce stress and foster the health and well-being of your entire household.

When seeking out home products to improve your home health, be sure to read unbiased reviews online. You may want to add a humidifier to your home for your new plants but are paralyzed by choice from all the options available. A good review guide will help you differentiate between your various options and make a good purchasing decision.

Start Planning

As with a typical vacation, Nurture Life notes that you will need to establish a plan for your staycation. Take time to plan out the details with your kids, and write down all of your options on pieces of paper. Then, put the pieces in a hat and allow each family member to draw one until your staycation is planned.

Consider all of the activities and places in and near your hometown. You may even create a list of everything you can think of to use in the future. Remember, this is all about prioritizing time with your kids, so be intentional about planning activities and following through to ensure that the time is preserved. Creating these experiences can be a shared activity that everyone can get on board with.

Settle on a Budget

You wouldn’t plan a vacation out of town without creating a budget. You shouldn’t do that with your staycation either!

Determine how much money you can spend on your educational staycation so that you can establish daily limits and know what kind of cash you are working with. Without a plan, you could easily blow through your budget within days.

Use Your Backyard

Who says you have to be in a classroom to learn? You can turn your backyard into an academic haven with minimal preparation.

For example, The Artful Parent points out that you could have your kids tackle an art project while enjoying the benefits of nature. You could arrange a science experiment with water, plants, or other outdoor elements. Or, you could send your children on a plant identification assignment.

Your staycation activities don’t have to end when the sun goes down. Consider setting up tents in your backyard for the ultimate camping experience. You can stargaze, roast marshmallows, and tell stories until the kids drift off to the Land of Nod.

To make your backyard campout the best it can be, prepare a fire pit and find a local provider to deliver firewood. This can be especially helpful if you don’t have any downed limbs nearby to process for burning. Keep in mind, however, that firewood prices will depend heavily on the time of year and availability.

Seek Out History Near and Far

Most cities in the United States have a rich history, and there may be some excellent learning activities in your area that your kids have not experienced yet. Whether it’s a museum, statue, house, or anything else, you might be surprised what you will find! Contact the local tourist office to learn about any historic sites or structures where you could take your children for a fun history lesson.

If you’re looking to combine fun and learning, Maritime Museum Louisiana brings Louisiana’s maritime history to life with interactive exhibits, programs, and field trips!

Reading books on history topics is another wonderful way to get kids interested in history, and it’s as close as the bookshelf at home. Check out the exciting historical fiction novels by author Mercedes Rochelle and start your kids’ collection!

Unplug from Electronics

Your educational staycation is the ideal opportunity to unplug from technology. As you engage in activities, leave the phones, tablets, TVs, social media, and news to the side. Embrace nature and human interaction, and your entire staycation will be a richer experience.

Conclusion

If you and your kids are ready to mix up your homeschool routine, planning an educational staycation is the way to do it. Remember to make healthy changes to your home, prioritize your children even if you're busy, and start planning out the details and budget of your staycation. Also, think of activities you can organize in the backyard, look for local historic sites, and seek out interesting virtual tours online to get the most from your experience. Above all, remember to enjoy each other and keep an open mind about any learning opportunities you haven’t thought of yet!