KATY, Texas – If all your family summer vacation plans have been canceled, we’ve got a fun idea for you. Clint and Linsey Stuckey of Katy, Texas came up with a unique staycation that their family could cherish for many years to come. With the help of their four kids Hayley, Colin, Sydney and Keaton, the local family created their very own backyard jungle cruise and captured it all on video to share a little joy and inspiration to other families in quarantine.
“We wanted something that would bond the kids - something creative for the kids to do, where they could learn besides just routine school work,” said Linsey.
After the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Stuckeys, like many families, adapted to life at home, which included e-learning, remote work and cancellations of many extracurricular activities and social engagements. After adjusting to their new routines, the started to look for way to help them stay busy and positive.
“Even though I felt overwhelmed at home, there were so many outside obligations that we didn’t have,” said Linsey. “I wanted to have them remember this as being a positive thing.”
Inspired by their love of all things Disney, the Stuckeys came up with the idea to make their very own backyard jungle cruise production. The video was shot on an iPhone and edited by Clint who enjoys video editing in his free time.
The Stuckeys say that even though this project took a lot of effort and had many bloopers, completing it together as a family was a true labor of love. At the time of publishing, the video had nearly 30,000 views on YouTube, but the family is less interested in gaining likes than they are about gaining memories to last a lifetime.
“I think we all learned from this experience,” said Linsey. “It taught us to be a little more close together and a little more appreciative for the things that we have.”
For the full interview, watch the video above.