Practising responsible social distancing means spending a great deal of time together at home, maybe only leaving once a week or so for groceries or other necessities. This may sound like a recipe for boredom or even disaster but there is no reason not to make the most of the opportunity everyone has been forced into. Sharing activities not only passes the time in a positive way but it also helps people grow closer together. There are also many useful guides and articles online that can show you how to keep busy while in isolation at home. They include useful tips such as keeping in touch with your friends and family, keeping fit, and organising the perfect home office setup. Whether you are in lockdown with your partner, your children, or your parents, here are some fun activities that you can all enjoy at home together.
1. Exercising
Since everyone is stuck in their homes, it can be all too easy to neglect your workout routine. If you have someone else at home in the same position as you, then why not encourage each other to work out every day? By holding each other mutually accountable it is much easier to stick to a regular workout regime while you are stuck at home all day. There are also loads of exercises that require a partner so working out together lets you try new workout routines that were not previously practical. Strava and The London Fitness Guy are just some of the best at-home workouts and fitness apps that you can experiment with.
2. Playing Games
With new game releases and advanced technology, the rising popularity of online games is just getting better and better over the years. So, if you and your lockdown partner are both into gaming, there are loads of couch-co-op games that can be enjoyed together. Even once those are finished, there are plenty of ways to enjoy single-player experiences with someone else. You can take it in turns to control characters while the other person gets to make any story decisions. Why not compete against each other with Mario Kart? Or how about chilling out together while playing Animal Crossing? If you really want to know how to nail staying in, then you can even play games together in a virtual party with your other friends. Houseparty is an app where you can video chat with friends and also play trivia games and other games with each other.
3. Watching Movies
When it comes to movies there are loads of old favourites and plenty of titles we always wanted to watch but never had time to see. There are hundreds of titles to choose from on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video that can keep you entertained for hours! Take it in turns to share old favourites and wrap up together under a blanket with a nice large bowl of popcorn. If you have films in common that you both want to see, they should also be placed near the top of the list. Just remember to try and pace yourselves as you will have plenty of time and it is easy to burn-out if you watch too many films in a row.
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4. Cooking
If one of you traditionally cooks, this is a great opportunity to find new ways of spending time in the kitchen together. Complex recipes can be made more easily when there are two people tackling the preparation. You can even have a cooking competition together or even create your own at-home Come Dine With Me, MasterChef, or Great British Bake Off session! With the easter holidays coming up, there are many chocolatey recipes you can create at home, such as these 5 ingredient easter recipes for kids from BBC Good Food.
5. Tidying
Many people do not enjoy tidying but it is necessary and staying at home during this lockdown can be a great time to get some deep cleaning done. Make the task less daunting by splitting it up. Tackle one room per day together and once it is finished, reward yourselves with something fun like a film or a video game session. Sophie Hinchcliffe (@mrshinchhome ) has some great tips that can help you clean your home. Tidying the house together is a great activity to keep everyone occupied, productive, and free from arguments about who isn’t doing their share of the housework.
