10 Activities To Keep Yourself Entertained Due To The Coronavirus
Thanks to the Coronavirus Pandemic, many people are limited in the activities they can do as many governments (local, state, and national) have ordered residents to “Shelter In Place”.
With these “Shelter In Place” orders, the only times that people are allowed outside of their homes for essential business only, which includes activities such as shopping for groceries, going to the bank, and receiving medical care, to name a few. As a result, many restaurants and bars, malls, concerts, sporting events, etc. are being canceled/postponed and/or shut down for the time being.
While being cooped up at home all day for the unforeseeable future sounds awful and dreadful, don’t panic! There are still a lot of fun activities that you can participate in to keep yourself entertained while cooped up at home as a result of the coronavirus.
Now, with all of that being said, listed below are 10 Activities To Keep Yourself Entertained Due To The Coronavirus:
1. Watch TV Shows and Movies on Netflix and Other Streaming Services:
Before the coronavirus pandemic broke out, watching TV Shows/Movies on Netflix or other streaming services was already one of the most popular activities that people loved to do outside of work/school. Now that we taking academic courses online and/or working from home for the unforeseeable future, use some of your free time from work/school tasks to relax and unwind by watching the TV Shows/Movies you have been dying to see!
2. Bake or Cook Something Special:
Just like with Activity #1, another one of the most popular activities and pastimes (inside or outside of the house) that people love to partake in is baking and cooking. With the “Shelter In Place” orders being made in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, one way to keep yourself entertained in the confinements of your home is to bake or cook something special.
Take the advantage for this possibly long period of time spent in your home to show off your culinary skills in the kitchen. There are many sweet and savory recipes out there to try out. Make a quick trip to the store or order the needed ingredients online (via AmazonFresh or any other grocery stores offering delivery services) so you can make something delicious.
3. Read Some Books:
Outside of the documents and reading materials you have to read for work/school, dedicate some of your free time to reading other books for pleasure. Of all the activities listed in this article, Activity #3 is the most engaging. Research has shown that reading books (not magazines and/or comic books), can help improve your mental and physical health.
Check out Barnes and Noble Online to see which book(s) you want to read and order. Click here to check out an article I previously wrote on which 15 classic books that every person should read at least once in their lifetime.
4. Make A Time Capsule:
Making a time capsule is perhaps one of the most creative and original ideas listed here for entertaining activities to do at home during the coronavirus. Find a shoe box to decorate and put items in.
While we don’t know how long this “Shelter In Place” will last or when the coronavirus pandemic will be over, put one item in this Time Capsule Box each day to remind you of the time you spent at home. This activity is even more fun if you get the rest of your family involved.
5. Exercise:
One of the most effective and stress-free activities to do at home is getting some daily exercise in. When it comes to exercising, there are many benefits, which include boosting your mood and energy levels, helping with weight loss, and protect your memory and thinking skills, to name a few. Another important benefit of exercising regularly is that it will help boost your immune system and keep your body functioning well. Research has shown that regular exercise reduces inflammation and supports infection-fighting cells.
While being cooped up at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, dedicate one hour a day to do some physical actives and get some exercise in! If your house has a home gym, you are all set with a wide range of exercise equipment to use. However, if your house doesn’t have a home gym, you can still get some exercise in with dumbbells, yoga, or some free at-home workout apps and videos, to name a few options.
If you need to get out of the house for a bit, jog around your neighborhood. However, make sure you follow the social distancing measures recommended by the government while you are outside!\
6. Play Hide and Seek:
Another one of the activities featured in this article that people of all ages will find entertaining is a good old game of hide and seek. One is never too old to play this popular childhood game. However, with the coronavirus pandemic in mind, hiders should make sure they keep the social distancing practices in mind when finding a good place to hide from the seeker.
7. Arts and Crafts Projects:
Another one of several entertaining activities from childhood featured in this article for people of all ages to do is making arts and crafts projects! Use the art supplies at your home (or if you don’t have any, pick up some from your local arts and crafts store) to create a masterpiece. Whether it’s painting a canvas, drawing and coloring pictures, or making bracelets, you can keep yourself entertained at home during the coronavirus pandemic by expressing your creative side in arts and crafts projects.
8. Spend Quality Time With Your Family:
For college students reading this article who are “sheltering in place” at your house, this is one of several activities you should definitely do. You’ve been away at college for months and take the advantage of this lengthy period of time at home to spend some quality time with your family. Whether it’s having in depth and meaningful conversations, cooking/baking something, watching Netflix, etc., it’ll be nice to catch up and spend some quality time with your parents and siblings.
9. Playing Games:
Another one of several activities featured in this article that people of all ages will enjoy is playing games! If you need a break from watching Netflix or other streaming services, technology, school work, or actual work, break out a game for you and the rest of your family to play! The types of games that you and your family can play range from board games to card games to puzzles.
Some of the most popular and entertaining games (of all types) to play include Monopoly, Candyland, Jenga, Twister, Go Fish, and Cards Against Humanity, to name a few.
10. Online Shopping:
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we cannot engage in popular activities outside of the house such as going shopping, hanging out at the mall, hitting up the movie theaters, and dining out many malls, until things get better. The only stores still open for the time being are food places (ones that are doing delivery and pick up orders).
While shopping venues and events are being shut down temporarily to avoid large crowds in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus, that doesn’t stop people from being able to shop online. Engage in some retail therapy and order clothes, jewelry, shoes, etc. from your favorite stores online. Pay attention to your social media accounts and email as many clothing stores are offering fantastic sales and deals online!
Which of these Activities do you plan on participating in to keep yourself entertained at home due to the Coronavirus? Be sure to let us know which activities down below in the comments section!
Featured Image Source: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129021829
I am currently a senior at The University of Miami. I will graduate in December 2021 with a major in Journalism and minor in Sports Administration.