Staying Healthy ·Feb 01, 2021

25 Things to Do When You’re Stuck at Home

While many people across the globe are dealing with a range of challenges, some individuals are struggling with boredom in their homes. Here are 25 things that you can do at home, either by yourself, with your teen, little kids, or your partner:

10 Things You Can Do When You’re Alone at Home

1. Work on your goals.

This is the perfect time to catch up with your self and look into your dreams and ambitions. Maybe before the forced community quarantine, you were always rushing, busy with work and many other activities.

Use this downtime to look back at your journey, savor your accomplishments, and plan ahead. Maybe you’ve been wanting to have a healthier lifestyle but haven’t really committed to it. Writing it down and detailing the actual steps you’re going to take to accomplish this goal will help make it a reality.

2. Exercise.

Now is the best time to get into the habit of exercising daily. Not only does it help you to control weight and reduce your risk of heart diseases, but it also helps to improve your mood and mental health.

3. Learn a new skill.

Whether it’s a new language or a skill that you need for promotion at work, knowledge is always valuable. Maybe you want to be more tech-savvy and learn about the different tools for time- or project-management. On the other hand, maybe it’s about time you used the oven that’s just sitting there in your home and learn about baking.

4. Cook something new.

With some restaurants closing, your food options may now be limited. Don’t let that stop you from enjoying a sumptuous meal. With unlimited resources online and (seemingly unlimited) time, you can cook one for yourself. It’s time to reconnect with your inner chef. Here are some delicious and nutritious recipes that you might want to try.

5. Read.

Go into a journey in another time and place while in the comfort of your home. Only a book can help you do that. Whether it’s an ebook or a physical book, reading can help reduce stress, enhance your memory, and expand your knowledge.

6. Call family and friends.

Reconnecting with your family and friends online is a must during these times. After all, we are social beings. Everything becomes more bearable when you know that you’re not the only one going through the same situation.

7. Start a hobby (or reconnect with your old ones).

You can do DIY projects, learn how to do calligraphy or make a journal of your travel adventures. The possibilities are endless. If you’re into crafts, you can do origami (the art of paper folding) or knitting. Want to do something more creative? Write a book or do watercolor paintings. Maybe you used to play a musical instrument but wasn’t able to for a long time. Now is the best time to start playing again.

8. Declutter your Home.

As you sanitize your home, you might come across things that you feel are valuable but haven’t really been using. Old clothes that you haven’t worn and books that you haven’t read for years. It may be time — like what’s always said in a famous animated movie — to let it go.

9. Pamper yourself.

Indulging in a long, warm bath can do wonders for your mind and spirit. Fill your place with your favorite scent and feel your mood revived and uplifted.

10. Meditate or Pray.

Connecting with a Greater Being (however you conceive him/her to be) can remind you while a lot of things are out of our control, everything will be well, in time.

5 Things You Can Do With Little Kids

1. Play Hide and Seek (and other fun indoor games).

Fun games like hide and seek, Simon says and treasure hunts keep the kids interested and, best of all, occupied. It not only keeps them away from gadgets, but it also stimulates their mind.

2. Dance and Sing Songs.

Listening and singing along to upbeat music can brighten your child’s mood and lessen anxiety. This is especially helpful during these times when the negative news seems to outnumber the positive ones.

Dancing is not just a great way to bond with your kids, it also helps them (and you) to have better coordination, agility, and flexibility. You can watch and learn the steps of a popular dance on youtube, or create your own. The most important thing is to move and have fun.

3. Draw and Paint.

Unleash your child’s creativity by letting him draw a self-portrait or a favorite scene. Drawing can develop fine-motor skills, especially if your child is starting to learn how to write.

Another opportunity to get creative, you can paint in different ways, not just with paper and brush. You can use let your kids use their hands and fingers, a sponge, or even strings.

4. Make a Collage.

You can make a collage out of ordinary things like old photos of your vacation trips, and old magazines. But you can also make a collage out of seeds, leaves, and flowers. You can even make a paper mosaic out of colored papers and cereal boxes.

5. Do Clay-Art.

Clay is another material that can spark your child’s creativity. Pinch it, roll it out and twist into coils or flatten it and cut apart. You can also use popsicle sticks, toothpicks, and cookie cutters to make it more interesting.

5 Things to Do With Teens

1. Join them for an epic battle (in a videogame, of course.)

Nothing makes your teen happier than to see his mom or dad joining him in a video game play-off — and losing miserably. While too much is not recommended, a little time spent playing video games can improve problem-solving and strategy skills.

2. Play board games.

Going old-school can be fun too. Playing board games is an effective way to bond not only with your teen but with the rest of the family as well. Boardgames such as Cashflow 101 and Monopoly can also be effective tools for teaching financial literacy and strategy. Classic games like Chess and Mastermind (although built for only two players) can sharpen analytical skills.

3. Tour a museum online.

You can tour the British Museum in London or the Guggenheim Museum in New York virtually and ask your teen to compare them. You can also ask your teen to write about what they learned from the tour.

4. Learn a new language.

Technology makes it so easy to learn a new language now. Free language tutorial apps like Duolingo can help you and your teen learn multiple languages in a simple and upbeat learning environment.

5. Start a gratitude journal.

An attitude of gratitude helps to see the silver lining in a cloudy sky. When you ask your teen to list ten things that he is grateful for, he will see beyond gloom and doom in the news.

5 Things to Do With Your Partner

1. Have a home movie date.

Online movie streaming services such as Netflix, make watching movies and TV shows possible at the convenience of your home. Maybe you missed some blockbusters because you were both too busy and didn’t have time to watch. Well, now you do.

2. Make a memory book.

Making a journal of your most treasured moments can be a great way to reminisce about them. They might be about vacation trips you made together or milestones in your relationship.

3. Do a home project together.

Whether it be as simple as improving a cabinet or repainting a room, a DIY home project can be a great way to see how well you work together. It may present some challenges but if you plan it well, encourage each other, and accept that things may not go as smoothly as planned, you’ll both be proud of what you have accomplished together.

4. Jam and share your music online with the community.

If you’re a musical pair, you can host a watch party on Facebook and invite your friends so that your songs can uplift their spirits. Who knows, you might be the next famous act.

5. Create a bucket list.

Writing down your goals as a couple can help strengthen your bond and give you both something to look forward to. As the saying goes, when your destination is clear, it’s highly probable that you’ll get there.

Conclusion

Staying at home allows you to slow down, reconnect with yourself, your partner and your kids, while the world is trying to heal itself. Instead of looking at it as something that limits you, make the most out of this experience and be grateful for the things that matter most: your health and your relationships.