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This has been a challenging time and we’re right there with you.
Let’s take advantage of this downtime to learn a new skill, find a way to relax and decompress (as much as we can) and spend some quality time with family. It’s important to have things to look forward to throughout the day too, so making a loose schedule for the day will help things feel more normal.
Here are some ideas we have! Let us know in the comments below if you have any other fun ideas.
1. These hilarious and fun 30 second online workouts
Wakeout is this super fun, family-friendly online workout program that you can do from anywhere, in 30-second chunks and that everyone can do. You can choose from the location such as living room, bedroom, workplace, outside and then choose the type: relaxing, fun, energizing.
Pro-tip: check out the “Animal Movements” which includes crab walking, T-Rex stomping a ridiculous octopus walk and more. I promise you’ll have a really good laugh and getting up and moving a little bit will help your mental health too. Consider making it a regular thing! Every hour, do a 30-second wakeout to keep things “interesting”.
2. Live Yoga Classes with Lululemon
Lululemon is hosting amazing live yoga classes on their instagram that you can tune into and follow along. Try the restorative yoga class at 6pm today!
3. Oliver Jeffers Live Storytelling
The incredible and quirky childrens book artist and author, Oliver Jeffers is doing live storytelling on his instagram account that you can tune in to this week. This will be one you won’t want to miss. The schedule is below.
4. Indoor (or outdoor!) fort!
Build a fort! Blankets, chairs, pillows… and have a blanket fort movie night
5. Read
Take time to read for 30 minutes each day. Either aloud to each other, or alone, taking a small amount of time to read each day will calm/slow your brain down a bit and give you something else to focus on. Don’t have any books handy? Try downloading an e-book from the public library. (They even have kids ebooks and comic books)
6. Have a spa day
Take a bubble bath! Paint your nails! Try a new hairstyle! Or, my favourite option, make your own face masks!
7. Your own family bake-off
Bake a cupcake, sugar cookies or a cake and have fun decorating them!
8. Get outside for some fresh air
Be sure to get outside for at least 30 minutes each day to reconnect with the outside world, nature and get some fresh air. Go for a nature walk, a bike ride, or try an outdoor scavenger hunt!
9. Art-attack!
Remember the TV show art-attack? While they don’t air anymore, there are TONS of fun crafts you can do at home. Check out Pinterest for TONS of neat ideas!
10. Learn something new for free!
The public library is a magical gem. I can’t say enough amazing things about them. One of my favourite online resources is Lynda.com. With your public library card, you get free access to Lynda.com where you can learn SO many different fun things and take courses (all video based!) online! Learn how to play the ukulele, learn photoshop, sharpen your public speaking skills, and more! OR! Use Mango to learn a new language!
11. Take a moment the breathe
Mindfulness is a “new” (not so new) practice that we’re hearing more and more about, and the benefits are hard to ignore. Headspace is an amazing app that has a wide variety of course packs and single meditations you can do that are great for beginners to experts and cover things like anxiety, life changes, happiness and more. There’s also a kids friendly page!
If meditating isn’t your thing, they have eyes open mindful exercises like mindful walking, mindful cleaning, mindful eating and their newest addition – mindful movement. Short 10-minute mindful exercises you can follow along to.
12. Science Experiments!
Honestly, the baking soda and vinegar volcano never gets old.
Or check out these 100 fun science experiments/science fair projects for kids that can be done at home!
13. Colouring
Whether you’re a kid or an adult, colouring books are the perfect fun and relaxing activity. Don’t have any at home? Print some out for free!
As much as you can, try to unplug and give yourself dedicated internet/phone windows each day. It’s tempting to be on social media all day when we’re at home or checking in on the news. While it’s good to stay informed, taking a breath, unplugging for a while and focusing on the present will help, and everyone around you, relax a little and live a bit happier.
Take care of each other everyone.
