Activities To Do At Home During Self-Isolation Coronavirus has impacted on all our lives, young and old. Knowing what activities to do at home during self-isolation each day will give you a sense of order. With schools shut and people being asked by the Government to stay at home, we are all experiencing unprecedented changes to our lives. Humans are naturally social creatures, but many people now find themselves alone, in self-isolation and claustrophobic. How can we look after our mental wellbeing and get through this tough period in our history? Creating new routines to our day is certainly a good starting point. Routines don’t have to be regimented, but still having a sense of ‘feeling in control’ of the situation will certainly be beneficial. So, because we care, we’d like to share with you a list of our ideas, things we are doing to help us get through this difficult time and we hope you find them useful:
1. Plan each day for everyone in the household
Give each person 3 or 4 tasks to complete, including household jobs, schoolwork, exercise etc, because when you cross things off a list you get a sense of achievement.
2. Communicate
Talk to each other (you are all going to be feeling anxious during this time, young and old alike). Chat to your friends and family regularly on the phone or using social media too, remember, you don’t have to feel alone.
3. Spring clean
It’s the right time of year for it and open the windows, get some fresh air through the house. Why not give yourself a decorating project? Pick a room and give it a spruce up with new artwork, soft furnishings and accessories!
4. Gardening
Activities to do at home during self-isolation can, of course, include the garden. If you are lucky enough to have a garden, get out there and spruce it up. Gardening is a great way to keep fit and you might be spending more time looking at it over the coming months. If you don’t have a garden, why not get some fresh potted herbs on your next trip out to the supermarket? Placing plants on your windowsills can help to give you a sense of wellbeing and as a result, you'll feel better.
5. Cookery
What a great feeling of satisfaction you get when sitting down to a meal you have created from scratch yourself. Dig out that old cookbook at the back of the cupboard for instance. Alternatively, there's a multitude of simple recipes online and what a life skill to teach to children too! Freshly prepared meals are generally healthier for you and often a lot more economical, as a result you'll save money, so get cooking!
6. Read
How many of us only have time to pick up a good book when we are on holiday? Now, however, we are home let’s take advantage and read more. Maybe you are helping your children with schoolwork, we have a selection of history books and memorabilia packs in our shop that make great teaching aids.
7. Gaming
Playing online games with friends is a great way to still feel connected. You could set up a family league table for playing computer games or indeed traditional board games for the duration of this self-isolation period and why not offer a prize for the ultimate champion at the end of it!
8. Watch TV
Steer clear of the news though, watching that constantly is too depressing! Binge watch box sets or settle down to watch a good film. We have a fantastic 100 Movies Bucket List scratch off poster, imagine the hours you could pass working your way through that!
9. Exercise
If you can go out, go for a walk run or cycle (but remember the social distance rule). To make it fun for children why not create a scavenger hunt, things they must see and cross off a list whilst out will make it into a good game. If you are stuck indoors there are some great online exercise programmes, like Joe Wicks’ P.E. sessions on YouTube. Exercising helps to enhance your mood and reduce stress levels, something we all need now!
10. Have Fun!
There are so many activities to do at home during self-isolation. Try developing new skills, like learning a new language, drawing, or writing. Keeping a diary is a great start, it helps to express your thoughts and emotions privately, again beneficial to your mental wellbeing. Why not try a jigsaw, we have a lovely selection of retro jigsaw puzzles here at Sweet and Nostalgic. Tackle jigsaws as a solo challenge or together as a family. Have a themed day at the house; a pyjama day, a pamper day or a pirate and princess day for the children. Above all, laugh, it really is the best medicine, to combat stress and anxiety and to keep families united during this difficult time.
We hope you find something in our list above to help you through these unimaginable times. From the Sweet and Nostalgic team, we wish you all well, keep safe and look after each other. X