Barely out of confinement, we enter the summer vacation period. We all feel the need to find our families who live far away, to enjoy our friends or simply to have more time for ourselves and our family. But, without constraint, without being locked up at home. There are many who, like us, decide not to go far this summer but rather to enjoy “home”. But what activities can we choose for our family vacation this summer?
There are lots of possibilities, simple yet very fun. Here is a list of 25 activities that we hope will inspire you.
#1 Have a water fight
When the temperatures rise there is nothing more pleasant than cooling off. Get out your squirt guns or hook up the garden hose (water balloons are another possibility but plastic isn’t the planet’s best friend…) and have fun!
#2 Have a family picnic
Prepare simple things to eat like wraps, a savory cake, savory waffles or even a salad and go on the road (for recipe ideas it’s over here ). Plan a family walk in the woods or any other nearby place and enjoy a break to eat your picnic. Kids love it!
#3 Camp in the garden
No need to go far to camp. Set up a tent in your garden and spend one or more nights in a tent. Kids will love that feeling of family vacation and adventure without having to travel far.
#4 Discover your city
What if you set out to explore your city as if it were an unknown destination? Go to the tourist center of your city to choose the places to visit or the activities to do with your family. You can find on this site tips for a local guide who presents the city to you from another perspective.
In Namur, we have the possibility of kayaking, Stand Up Paddle and mini-cruises on the Meuse. We can also hike on the citadel side or in the woods.
#5 Gardener
Many of us have launched our own vegetable garden during confinement. As gardening is an anti-stress activity , let’s continue this activity also during the summer holidays and share moments with the family. It is an inexpensive activity and it recharges the batteries well.
#6 Declutter
It’s not just the garden that we can take care of. It is even more important to take good care of our home to feel good there . We have all been able to feel the need for a pleasant home to live in during this very special period of confinement. What if you take advantage of this summer to declutter your house in order to make it a haven of peace? You do not know how to do it ? Go here to find our complete method!
# 7 Redesign your house
Sometimes the house is quite cluttered but we need a breath of fresh air. And if you take advantage of the family holidays to redevelop your house? Think together about the function of each room and how you could adapt the house to better suit your needs? Change the furniture in the living room, transform the guest room which is never used into a playroom or even dedicate the little used office (did you work during all the confinement on the dining table?) to another function ? With little effort you can transform your home and make it more functional!
# 8 Museum visit
Another activity to do on a family vacation is visiting a museum. Talk as a family to see which museum interests whom and decide together where to go. Don’t forget that many museums are free on the first Sunday of the month. The list of participating museums in Belgium can be found here . In France, some museums in Paris participate in it and you also have free museums for those under 26 .
#9 Family picking
During the holidays, we generally have more “family” time available. What if we used this time to go picking? A great way to introduce children to different fruits and vegetables and teach them when and how they grow. For France, you will find the nearest pick-up locations here . For Belgium, go to this site .
Nothing prevents you from going on an adventure and looking for berries in your surroundings!
#10 Fly a kite
Take the time this summer to take a walk in the fields and fly a kite with your children. It’s a great activity to do together. If you fancy, you can even make the kite yourself. The internet is full of tutorials.
#11 Write Postcards
Just because you’re not going far away this summer for family vacations, doesn’t mean you can’t write postcards. Today it is so easy and common to use WhatsApp or other messaging app. Sending/receiving postcards has therefore once again become a rare pleasure. Treat your loved ones, they will love it!
#12 Observing the (shooting) stars
Stargazing is a simple, inexpensive activity that’s perfect for a warm summer evening . It can also be perfectly combined with camping in the garden. Make yourself comfortable in your garden or in a park if you live in an apartment and look at the stars. It is also a fun way to teach the constellations to children.