As the summer holidays loom, many of us are gearing up for unplanned staycations. While there’s been quite a lot of good news lately, with pandemic restrictions lifting on a weekly basis, travel is still something of a sticking point. And that’s leaving quite a few of us with the prospect of yet more time at home. This needn’t be a bad thing though. Even after lockdown, time at home with the family can be magical. The challenge is to find ways to make it so. And with this in mind, staycation boxes are becoming big business. But you don’t have to spend a fortune paying someone else to make one for you.

How to Make a Staycation Box

Staycation boxes can be great for all members of the family. You can personalise them, giving individuals their own special box of goodies. Or make a giant one for all members of the family to dip into and share. They’re also a great idea for sending to friends or family members who might be staycationing alone. All you need is a box, and some awesome stuff to put in it.

Entertainment

The scourge of the family holiday is boredom. It makes kids into monsters and adults antsy. So, entertainment is an essential aspect of any good staycation box. Books and magazines are always a good idea. Crafting projects can be great for all ages. A surprise movie subscription service can be wonderful for downtime. And if you’re making a box for your children, it’s nice to select a mix of things that they can do on their own and things that you can do together. You might not automatically consider them, but more traditional toys like giant jigsaw puzzles or Lego kits can be a great focal point that you can keep going back to together.

Sweet treats and snacks

No holiday is complete without a sufficient supply of treat food, so stock up on their favourites. Small sweet hampers, like the Swizzels Personalised Letterbox Hamper, can be a lovely option for a small staycation box. Or, if you’re looking for something that will last longer and the whole family can share, a 3kg Swizzels Party Pack makes a great choice. You could even order personalised sweets to make sure that everyone gets the treats that are due to them. Add in some other snacks and they’ll have their own little hoard to see them through the holiday.

Something special

For most people, holidays involve a little bit of extravagance. Even if it’s just treating the kids to a new bucket and spade, a kite and candy floss. So, if you can, find a treat that the recipient will love to make their staycation box really special. It doesn’t have to cost the earth. For grownups try some craft beer, a bath pamper kit or a ‘free pass’ for some alone time and a two-hour break from the kids. For children, well, you know your children better than anyone else. So, you know what they’ll love within your budget. If they collect Hatchimals or Siku toy vehicles, they make a really affordable option. But something totally different, like a water sprinkler ring for the garden, can also be a really fun choice that can be used throughout the summer.

Tokens

For a final and really affordable bit of fun, include some ‘tokens’ that can be cashed in throughout the staycation. Make them simple, but valuable to the recipient. We’ve already mentioned the free pass for parents, but try giving kids tokens: one late night, the pudding of their choice, their choice of film for movie night, or whatever might trigger their imagination.

Staying at home with the family for the summer might feel a little daunting, especially following the long weeks of lockdown. But a staycation can be really special if you approach it with a bit of positivity. And staycation boxes are a fun way to kick off your home holiday with style.