By Sarah Kaufman, www.manilla.com

Sarah Kaufman is the managing editor of the Manilla Blog and money-saving contributor from Manilla.com, the free and secure service that lets take control of their finances. Enter Manilla’s Get It Together Challenge for the chance to win $2,500 and shopping sprees to Ann Taylor, Pottery Barn and Sports Authority.
 
Spending time with your nieces and nephews comes in all shapes and sizes—sometimes, it’s a full weekend of planned events, but other times it’s just a quick hour or two on a busy weeknight. For those occasions when you’ve got your little ones for a full day, consider planning a “staycation”—a stay-at-home vacation right in your own town or neighborhood!
 
The benefits of planning a staycation are multifold: you save the money that you would have spent on an expensive vacation, you get fun activities of all kinds that will fit into your busy schedule, and your little ones get the qual-Auntie time they love.
 
Go on a local, low-budget adventure!

For a one-day occasion with your nieces and nephews, take advantage of what’s right in your neighborhood for the ultimate budget-friendly staycation. Kids rarely know the difference between outrageously expensive outings and much more wallet-friendly activities, so cash in on how easy to please they truly are.
 
-Check out the local zoo or aquarium for a few hours. Opt for an easy pizza lunch beforehand or dinner afterward to make mealtime simple and easy on the wallet.

-Look for local deals using daily deals sites, such as Groupon, LivingSocial, or Amazon Local Deals, which oftentimes offer amusement park or miniature golfing discounts.

-As the weather gets warmer, it’s the perfect time to check out an outdoor sporting event. Go to a major or minor league baseball game. If that’s too much of a hassle, you could instead go to a game at your local high school. (Your nieces and nephews will be just as excited!).

-Check the schedule at your local gym to see when it’s family day. Many sporting facilities will have classes and activities that are fun for the whole family.

-Explore a nearby neighborhood in your town where you haven’t been before. Try a new park, shopping district or movie theater.

Keep their minds active with simple games and activities!

Traveling to and from these staycation activities gives you and your little ones a chance to catch up or even be productive together.

-Listen to storytelling podcasts to get their imaginations flowing.

-Play music on the radio or play car games like the License Plate game or Spell Out. To play Spell Out, one player calls out a word; the second player says the first letter of that word, and then all of the people in the car take turns saying the letters of the word until it’s completely spelled out. It’s fun and it encourages your nieces and nephews to get their brains going and improve their spelling skills.

Photo: imagerymajestic
Published: April 15, 2013