Home sweet holiday

Good reasons to get out of the house
Find close-to-home activities.
• Try the zoo, bowling, art museums, nature walks, local amusement parks, water parks, movies or a local children's play.
• Go to the library and get info on free local events (puppet shows, concerts in the park and story hours).
• Visit the local historical society or natural history museum and find out if dinosaurs lived in your "backyard" millions of years ago.
• You may want to check out local parenting publications ahead of time and make a list of special events that cost little or nothing.

Plan a day trip.
• Check out a neighbouring town you've never visited.
• Head to the local mountains, lake or beach
• Drive to the nearest train station and take a morning ride to the nearest town for lunch (have the kids buy a postcard and mail it to themselves, or to Grandma).

Don't forget souvenirs
Give each child souvenir money. Then, as you go to the train station, the natural history museum, or the zoo, keep an eye out for train whistles, arrowheads, animal books, toy dinosaurs, etc.

Make your own family vacation souvenir. Make or buy a kite. Then create a special tail using markers or fabric paints on strips of white cloth. Have family members decorate the kite and add their names (be sure to add the vacation date to the tail). Consider making a new kite during every at-home vacation as a fun way to preserve your kids' artwork and to remember special times.