Affordable Social Distancing Ideas for Long Weekends

Beat the Heat

Create a water wonderland in your own backyard. Set up a makeshift slip-and-slide with plastic sheeting or vinyl tarp, have a water balloon toss, or bust out the Super Soakers for a good old-fashioned squirt-gun fight.

Get Crafty

Fan of DIY projects? Pinterest is quarantine's BFF. Try your hand at tie-dying some old tee shirts, make a mobile or wind chime out of household objects or things you find around the yard, or give that old dresser in your bedroom a makeover with a new coat of paint and funky new knobs.

Backyard Olympics

Enjoy a day of family fun in the yard with stations of various lawn games such as corn hole or bocce ball. If you don't own lawn games, get creative and make your own! Try DIY mini-bowling, giant tic-tac-toe, or if you're feeling ambitious - build your own ladder ball game.

Virtual Paint and Sip Night

Grab a canvas, some paint, your favorite libations, and hop on a video call with your friends for a socially-distanced paint and sip night. Bonus points if you and your friends all select the same image to paint, and then reveal your creations to each other at the end.

Camp Quarantine

If your family is missing the great outdoors, bring the fun of camping to your own backyard! Pitch a tent, set up your sleeping bags, and ditch your cellphones and electronics for a night under the stars. If you don't want to fully commit to a night of backyard camping, grab some marshmallows and have a s'mores night by a fire or over a grill. If you don't have a yard or camping gear, set up a fort of blankets and pillows in the living room (and you could even make microwave s'mores!)

Family Game Night

Bust out the board games and deck of cards. Have each person in your family pick their favorite game to play, or learn a new one together. If you don't have any board games or cards around the house, grab some paper and a pen to play charades, or check out some free game apps like Draw Something, HeadsUp!, or the Family Feud app.

Have a Picnic

Pack up your favorite foods and snacks, a picnic blanket, and enjoy a change of scenery with a picnic lunch or dinner. Whether it's just in your yard, or another safe and secluded space outdoors, it's fun to enjoy a nice meal while getting some fresh air.

Visit parks, trails, or beaches at the discretion of your counties' COVID-19 guidelines. Some parks and trails are open with certain limitations or social-distancing safety precautions.

See what is permitted in your area by visiting your county government website to review guidelines prior to visiting a public park or trail.