For most families vacations are synonymous with travel, for others it's the time to visit home and renew old ties. Parents and children are excited at the thought of travelling after a long haul of studies and work. Tour companies lure families with their promotions, children's camps spring up, theme parks offer great packages, all cashing in on the holiday spirit.

Consider staying home during this vacation. Get off the beaten track with a unique set of holiday activities with your children can be the kind of change you have been looking for. Involve your child in planning out the vacation. They not only feel important but also proud about having helped with the decision-making. Maya, a mother of two active pre teens, says, "My husband and I always ask our boys to suggest a plan to spend their vacation. They are so eager to help out in deciding what to do, plan a trip, go to their favourite game and so on. It not only becomes easier to monitor them but it also makes them enjoy their break a lot more." Here are some tips to enjoy a meaningful vacation while staying at home.

Outdoor fun

Get your friends and family together and spend a day or two exploring your own city or state. Check out sightseeing trips, boat rides, safaris or other organised tours conducted by tour agencies. If you are not in a mood for such trips, organise a trip to some place you have not seen. Sneha, a 12 year old says, "Last summer vacation, my cousins came to stay with us for a few days. They were visiting after almost three years. We did not have much time to go anywhere, but we visited the history museum, took a local boat ride, and tried out 6 gourmet festivals in town. We had done this before but after so long it was fun going over it all again."

For those looking for adventure, enrol your child in an adventure sports camp. You can organise one yourself with friends or take part in a camp organised by tour companies. Camps provide opportunities for children to build independence and new friendships and pursue interests.

Working for a cause

Encourage your children to work for a good cause. Get together with friends and help out at an orphanage or a special institute. Collect old clothes, medicines or other things from your friends and neighbours and donate them to a local old age home or volunteer to read out a story at a school for the blind. This way we can help create awareness among children for their counterparts who are less fortunate.

Gather children together for a Clean Neighbourhood Project. Encourage them to make posters and their own slogan against the use of plastic bags or planting more trees around the neighbourhood. Most local Residents Associations will only be too happy to help in the effort.

Staying indoors

If your child prefers to stay at home get them to read their favourite books. Help him get together with friends during the vacation to discuss their favourite books. Check with libraries and bookstores about children's clubs and reading programs.

If your children are at home when you are out to work, make sure they have access to enough reading material, and monitored computer access. Be in touch with other parents and allow children to stay in touch and visit their friends. When there is a lot of unsupervised time, money and peer pressure to 'have fun', it can sometimes lead to risky behaviours. If you are parents of teenagers, it is often a good idea to discuss rules and monitor how they spend their unsupervised time.