Staycation vacations

Summer is the perfect time to get out and enjoy the outdoors and spend some time with the whole family. Luckily, you don't have to travel far (or at all) to create an active and memorable vacation – a real bonus in today's economy. The opportunities abound to walk, dance, play and stay active. Kids should be getting 90 minutes of activity every day, so try these ideas to keep your kids heart healthy − without them even realizing it.

An activity a day
It may take a little research to plan out a week full of fun activities. Start by talking to your kids. They may have been to the zoo 15 times, but that might still be the first place they'll want to visit. For new ideas, check newspapers, listen to the radio or go to your municipality's website to find out about local festivals and events. Also, consider travelling a couple of hours to check out new family hotspots you might never have taken the time to see before. Here are some other ideas that can be found in almost any town or city.

1. Go wild at the zoo. The zoo offers the opportunity to do lots of walking and learning. Call ahead to find out about special events or consider going to a zoo in a nearby town if you feel like you've been to the nearest one too many times.
2. Make it a colonial day. There are probably some great heritage sites in your town or in nearby cities. Some are more like amusement parks, while others might feel more like museum. Find out if they have backstories (like ghost tales) or activities to keep the kids entertained.
3. Get creative in the kitchen. At home or at a local cooking school, get the family together to learn how to make some new, healthy foods. If you usually make Italian at home, try new dishes from India, Ethiopia or Mexico for a change. Try one of the Foundation's recipes from around the world.
4. Swim for it. If your kids love water, local pools are inexpensive and a fun way to spend a few hours – and give your kids much needed physical activity. Travel a bit farther to one with a slide or a bigger sundeck – or find out if you have a wave pool within a short driving distance.
5. Bowl or putt the day away. These are great ways to keep your kids active and laughing. Bowling and glow-in-the dark mini-putt are also good activities for rainy days.
6. Amuse yourself at an amusement park. Amusement parks and local fairs are a great chance to try some exhilarating days and walk in the sunshine. Try to eat a healthy meal before you head out and pack some snacks so you're less tempted to chow down on overpriced and unhealthy snack foods.
7. Take a trip to the farm (or the market). Help your kids learn about healthy, delicious, local food by taking a day to go berry picking or head out to a farmer's market. Bring along a picnic lunch and after washing your fresh-picked produce, make it part of the meal.
8. Turn your backyard into a campsite. Plan an overnight camping trip in the backyard (or your neighbour's) to save yourself the gas and time of heading out to the country. There's also the bonus of having flush toilets just steps away. Play the same games you would if you went camping and take the bikes out on an exploratory journey as a family.
9. Book a one-day hotel stay. Some local hotels have great amenities such as tennis or squash courts, swimming pools and more. If there's one that sounds really fun, book one night and use the two days to teach your kids a new sport, have some fun in the pool and leave the stress of cooking and cleaning behind.
10. Make it a community day. Most community centres offer drop-in opportunities to play badminton, basketball, tennis, soccer, volleyball, ball hockey or pool aerobics. Search online or check your phonebook for community centres nearby and call to find out what's going on.

Tips for a successful staycation
Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your weeks or days of fun to make sure this feels like a real holiday.