Fun Things To Do During Lockdown
Hello again, in this blog I will be providing you with a list of fun things to do during lockdown, that I am hoping to complete myself, to hopefully maximise my positivity levels during this stressful time. Similar to my last blog post, I am hoping that anyone reading this is inspired to complete at least 1 and I hope the activities bring you the same happiness that they bring me. Hope you enjoy the post!
1. Games
I absolutely love playing board games, or games of any kind, mainly because I am quite a competitive person. However, it also gives you and your household the chance to do something fun together that you would never usually get the time to do. For younger children, they can gain a lot of valuable skills from playing group games, even if they think it's just for fun. They can gain skills like teamwork, learning how to win or lose gracefully, patience, strategy, focus and communication, to name a few. You could also play online or on your Wii/Playstation/Xbox. Playing a game is a fun way to pass the time and relax, whether that is on your own or with others.
2. Themed Nights
This is an idea that was recommended to me by a family member, and I couldn't resist including it in this blog post as it is something that my family and I are definitely going to try! You can do it as many times a week as you want, planning a night dedicated to a different theme. You could do a night dedicated to a different country; where you eat a French starter, main and dessert and possibly watch a French film. Or a wine and cheese tasting night? A tapas or buffet night? Or a specific movie themed night, where you have popcorn and nachos?
3. Pamper
Everyone needs a little pamper at some point during lockdown. We've all got a bit more time on our hands, so why not treat yourself while treating your body at the same time? There are many products that you could use to enhance the at-home pampering experience, like buying/wearing a glam nail polish colour, using a face mask and/or hair mask, or you could even invest in an overnight face oil, leaving your skin refreshed in the morning.
4. Scrapbook
I love doing crafty activities, but never usually have the time to finish anything. Scrapbooking is something that I've wanted to do for myself for so many years but have never got round to it. I've made a scrapbook for my boyfriend and one for my sister aswell in the past, but I would love to have a scrapbook filled with my favourite memories or achievements that I am most proud of. YouTubers Syd and Ell made an entertaining video explaining the idea behind their own personal scrapbooks and how they decorate theirs. There are plenty of online retailers like Lalalab and FreePrints, where you can purchase print versions of the photos from your phone, and they are reasonable in pricing. I find that it is a relaxing task, as my full focus is on creating a visually appealing and sentimental book, and you will be proud once you look back at the final finished piece.
5. Discover new films/series
Do you ever sit down to watch a film with family, and no one can agree on what film to watch? Then, since so much time has passed because you were looking for too long, you all give up and just watch something that's on the telly instead? Well, that has happened to my family and I many times, we all have such different film tastes! So, we decided to write a variety of different genres of films on pieces of paper, which we folded and put into a box. Every night that we wanted to watch a film, we would pick a random genre out of the box and make sure that we only stuck to that genre, narrowing our search. There are so many series that I have been able to begin that were on my to-watch list; Narcos, Ozark Season 2, RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race etc.
6. Connect with family
You may already be in lockdown with your family, but there are also other relatives that you may have that would love to hear from you. The elderly; any grandparents, aunts or uncles that are vulnerable would feel extremely lonely at this point, having spent so much time isolated from the outside world. Family members who are pregnant would be extremely scared during this time, as not only are they dealing with the emotional rollercoaster of pregnancy, but also with all of the added risks of potentially being in a hospital at this time. I have made care packages for my grandparents, which included a newspaper, magazine, crossword book, colouring book, colouring pencils, pens, a notepad and a cake. I wanted to cheer them up and give them things that they would enjoy and things to keep their mind active. If there is any way that you could FaceTime relatives, or even just give them a call or text, to check on them and see if they need any essential items that they are not able to get for themselves.
7. Connect with friends
There are many ways to get into contact with friends; calling, texting, FaceTiming and video calling on HouseParty or Zoom. You can also create a NetflixParty conversation, where you watch a Netflix film/series at the same time as the other person, and there is also a chat bar on the side so you can discuss the film or just catch up while it's playing. Pictured to the right is a quiz that my friend arranged recently.
8. Sims
I have always loved Sims, ever since I can remember, so this is something that I find fun to do that is barely productive at all, but totally worth it! You can create your own Sim, build your own house, start your own virtual family and much much more. There are many expansion packs that you can add onto it aswell, with different furniture packs, outfits, gameplay and activities. Whenever I stop the game, I'm always shocked by how much time I've spent on it, as the time flies by!
9. Discover new YT channels
There are many amazing YouTubers out there to discover, from gaming channels, to beauty and lifestyle and many more. I have compiled a list on a previous blog post of my favourite YouTubers so far, channels that I have loved for a while and some that are new discoveries. YouTube has helped me with a variety of different tasks; learning new recipes, workout routines, makeup tips, life advice, fashion tips, career advice, and the list goes on. I would definitely try and support up and coming channels, as I love discovering someone at the very beginning of their career and watching their channel grow, it gives you a greater understanding of that specific YouTubers brand and personality.
10. Bake
Lastly, I would say that baking is very therapeutic, with the final result making my stomach extremely happy! I love taking time out of my day to bake something delicious that I can share with family and friends, to try out new recipes and to improve on a skill that I would class as useful. The picture that I have used is not something that I actually baked, it was just cooled after the mixture was created, but it's the only sugary treat that I've made so far during lockdown. I definitely hope to make more! :)
Thank you to everyone who has read through this blog post, I hope it was worth your time! I also hope that you can find something out of the suggestions above or something similar, that you find fun to do whilst stuck indoors. It's a very tragic and confusing time for everyone, so lets try to think of positive thoughts, keep calm, and carry on! :)
1. Games
I absolutely love playing board games, or games of any kind, mainly because I am quite a competitive person. However, it also gives you and your household the chance to do something fun together that you would never usually get the time to do. For younger children, they can gain a lot of valuable skills from playing group games, even if they think it's just for fun. They can gain skills like teamwork, learning how to win or lose gracefully, patience, strategy, focus and communication, to name a few. You could also play online or on your Wii/Playstation/Xbox. Playing a game is a fun way to pass the time and relax, whether that is on your own or with others.
2. Themed Nights
This is an idea that was recommended to me by a family member, and I couldn't resist including it in this blog post as it is something that my family and I are definitely going to try! You can do it as many times a week as you want, planning a night dedicated to a different theme. You could do a night dedicated to a different country; where you eat a French starter, main and dessert and possibly watch a French film. Or a wine and cheese tasting night? A tapas or buffet night? Or a specific movie themed night, where you have popcorn and nachos?
3. Pamper
Everyone needs a little pamper at some point during lockdown. We've all got a bit more time on our hands, so why not treat yourself while treating your body at the same time? There are many products that you could use to enhance the at-home pampering experience, like buying/wearing a glam nail polish colour, using a face mask and/or hair mask, or you could even invest in an overnight face oil, leaving your skin refreshed in the morning.
4. Scrapbook
I love doing crafty activities, but never usually have the time to finish anything. Scrapbooking is something that I've wanted to do for myself for so many years but have never got round to it. I've made a scrapbook for my boyfriend and one for my sister aswell in the past, but I would love to have a scrapbook filled with my favourite memories or achievements that I am most proud of. YouTubers Syd and Ell made an entertaining video explaining the idea behind their own personal scrapbooks and how they decorate theirs. There are plenty of online retailers like Lalalab and FreePrints, where you can purchase print versions of the photos from your phone, and they are reasonable in pricing. I find that it is a relaxing task, as my full focus is on creating a visually appealing and sentimental book, and you will be proud once you look back at the final finished piece.5. Discover new films/series
Do you ever sit down to watch a film with family, and no one can agree on what film to watch? Then, since so much time has passed because you were looking for too long, you all give up and just watch something that's on the telly instead? Well, that has happened to my family and I many times, we all have such different film tastes! So, we decided to write a variety of different genres of films on pieces of paper, which we folded and put into a box. Every night that we wanted to watch a film, we would pick a random genre out of the box and make sure that we only stuck to that genre, narrowing our search. There are so many series that I have been able to begin that were on my to-watch list; Narcos, Ozark Season 2, RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race etc.
6. Connect with family
You may already be in lockdown with your family, but there are also other relatives that you may have that would love to hear from you. The elderly; any grandparents, aunts or uncles that are vulnerable would feel extremely lonely at this point, having spent so much time isolated from the outside world. Family members who are pregnant would be extremely scared during this time, as not only are they dealing with the emotional rollercoaster of pregnancy, but also with all of the added risks of potentially being in a hospital at this time. I have made care packages for my grandparents, which included a newspaper, magazine, crossword book, colouring book, colouring pencils, pens, a notepad and a cake. I wanted to cheer them up and give them things that they would enjoy and things to keep their mind active. If there is any way that you could FaceTime relatives, or even just give them a call or text, to check on them and see if they need any essential items that they are not able to get for themselves.
7. Connect with friends
There are many ways to get into contact with friends; calling, texting, FaceTiming and video calling on HouseParty or Zoom. You can also create a NetflixParty conversation, where you watch a Netflix film/series at the same time as the other person, and there is also a chat bar on the side so you can discuss the film or just catch up while it's playing. Pictured to the right is a quiz that my friend arranged recently.
8. Sims
I have always loved Sims, ever since I can remember, so this is something that I find fun to do that is barely productive at all, but totally worth it! You can create your own Sim, build your own house, start your own virtual family and much much more. There are many expansion packs that you can add onto it aswell, with different furniture packs, outfits, gameplay and activities. Whenever I stop the game, I'm always shocked by how much time I've spent on it, as the time flies by!
9. Discover new YT channels
There are many amazing YouTubers out there to discover, from gaming channels, to beauty and lifestyle and many more. I have compiled a list on a previous blog post of my favourite YouTubers so far, channels that I have loved for a while and some that are new discoveries. YouTube has helped me with a variety of different tasks; learning new recipes, workout routines, makeup tips, life advice, fashion tips, career advice, and the list goes on. I would definitely try and support up and coming channels, as I love discovering someone at the very beginning of their career and watching their channel grow, it gives you a greater understanding of that specific YouTubers brand and personality.
10. BakeLastly, I would say that baking is very therapeutic, with the final result making my stomach extremely happy! I love taking time out of my day to bake something delicious that I can share with family and friends, to try out new recipes and to improve on a skill that I would class as useful. The picture that I have used is not something that I actually baked, it was just cooled after the mixture was created, but it's the only sugary treat that I've made so far during lockdown. I definitely hope to make more! :)
Thank you to everyone who has read through this blog post, I hope it was worth your time! I also hope that you can find something out of the suggestions above or something similar, that you find fun to do whilst stuck indoors. It's a very tragic and confusing time for everyone, so lets try to think of positive thoughts, keep calm, and carry on! :)
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