During lockdown we could all use some fun distractions to keep ourselves entertained over the coming weeks. We’ve compiled a list of fun activities to try during lockdown that are suitable for all ages – why not give some, if not all, a try!
1 – The home haircut
When will you ever go this long again without the skills of a talented hairdresser or barber. You’re struggling with not looking as groomed and smart as you usually do. There is one obvious solution…
Get your scissors, your clippers, your shaver or razor and have some fun. Try out a new style, get the kids involved (with supervision of course) get creative…because whilst the downside of the isolation is not seeing people for so long, this also makes it the perfect time for a Joe Exotic mullet…and if people don’t like it, just blame Carole Baskin.
~ Ben Cummins
2 – Plan for the future
Having so much time on our hands allows many of us the chance to reflect. What are your career aspirations, are you on track for these?
Travelling- where are you top five places you need to visit next?
Due to the circumstances we can’t make any rapid changes, but perfect planning can really help once this is all over.
In terms of careers, for example, if you were thinking another qualification may help, now is the time to research this and find out what you need to do, maybe even start the revision!
Travelling although seems a dream at the moment, may be possible sooner than you think. Many travel agents are still working and taking bookings into next year, you don’t need to book now but some simple online research for what you want, how much it is likely to cost means you can get saving now for when you can book and gives everyone something to look forward to!
~ Mercedes Osborne
3 – Get gardening!
Spring is springing and this is the perfect time to get out in the garden and get involved with nature. Why not try growing some vegetables or herbs to keep you going through the summer months (it beats waiting in the queue for the supermarket) – these can be easily grown in pots or window boxes so a large garden is not necessary.
Check out the Royal Horticultural Society’s Guide to Growing your own Vegetables (https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables) – you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to grow lots of produce and gardening also a great skill to teach little ones.
If growing vegetables isn’t your thing why not help our pollinator friends along this summer by planting some wildflowers; you can buy some great native wildflower kits online which are specifically designed to attract and feed pollinators. Once planted, why not sit out amongst your natural oasis and observe the different creatures that you can spot? Either alone or with the kids, this is a great activity that helps you reconnect with nature which is also good for our mental health.
~ Shannon Vavan
4 – Become a film aficionado
Now that you’ve got a couple of extra hours a day in lockdown as you aren’t commuting, why not put it to good use and become a film aficionado?
You could perhaps become an expert in a particular director’s work, working through the back catalogue of a certain filmmaker – perhaps Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Francis Ford Coppola, Kathryn Bigelow and Christopher Nolan.
Or you could look at the history of film perhaps starting back with the early cinema of Metropolis, Charlie Chaplin, Gone with the Wind and the Wizard of Oz, working through the darker years of the 60s and 70s with Chinatown, Mean Streets and the Godfather, then on to Star Wars, ET and Toy Story through to more modern films such as Avatar, La La Land and Inception.
Or maybe you just want to binge watch all 22 films in the Marvel serious or all 11 in the Star Wars franchise.
With the advent of streaming services it’s easy to catch up on the classics. Time to become an expert!
~ David Anthony
5 – Take a trip down memory lane
While on lockdown, I decided to dust off the old family photo albums and take a trip down memory lane. Once I started, there was no stopping me and the memories all came flooding back. Halcyon days and holidays, there was a real feel good factor to revisiting these happy times. I decided to select a few favourites (this was the hard part!) and order some cheap frames online. I have displayed them in my entrance room and get pleasure from seeing them each time I pass by. I’m starting on the pics in the Cloud next! This is a good way to personalise a room and helps to turn a new house into a home so if you are stuck at home with a few hours to spare I’d recommend this as a way to spend a few hours. Children can also get involved and learn a bit about the family history at the same time!
~ Angela Kerr