Kick Stay-At-Home Boredom to the Curb: Creative Ideas to Try During Lockdown
By Jessica Merkel
As the opening up of select US states and cities begins, some of us are going to be at home for a bit longer while riding out the curve in our community. As such, you may find that you still have some extra time on your hands that you don’t know how to spend.
There are plenty of ways to use your extra time productively, like getting creative with materials around the house, picking up new hobbies and so forth.
With the kids:
- A primary concern for parents right now is schooling from home during this pandemic. Use your creativity to keep things interesting for both you and the kids. Dedicate a space for the kids to do their schoolwork, and decorate with items to make them feel the most comfortable: a chair, a table, laptop/tablet, pencil and paper and a light source. Keep some other crafty materials around, too, so the space feels fun and so you can use it later for other crafts. Perhaps you can add a plant in the area for some air circulation, too. The bottom line is, comfort is key!
- Arts and crafts are a perfect go-to pastime, especially if you have young ones. Find some materials around the house and put them into some kind of crafting set up for the kids. Some materials you could gather are extra paper scraps you have lying around, cardboard boxes, old jars, egg cartons, toilet paper or paper towel rolls, shoe boxes or even some paper plates. Then, gather smaller materials to use for embellishment like string, feathers, old magazines or whatever else you have lying around.
- Make a fort with the kids using furniture, pillows and blankets for an indoor camping feel. Set up a way to watch a movie, grab some snacks and spend quality time together in your new space.
- Try planting some seeds in the garden. If you have an area in the garden where you could grow some fruits or veggies, take seeds from whatever you have in the kitchen and plant them outdoors. Get the kids involved as an easy way to spend quality time and help them feel accomplished! Give them a mini science lesson, too by teaching them about taking care of the plants – watering, sunlight, etc. – and check in on them often with the kids so they can watch the process.
- Making bread has been a popular activity during quarantine, so why not join the club? This is an excellent activity for the kids as well because they can learn about measurements and a little bit of baking science. Plus, they’ll probably love to play with the dough! Then, you can enjoy the final product as part of a family meal.
Aside from arts and crafts and activities with the kids, there are some ways to fulfill your own creativity:
- Rearrange some furniture. Re-imagine your living spaces.
- Start to learn a new language or instrument.
- Cook something new, or try out a recipe you’ve wanted to give a shot.
- Find new podcasts, books, or movies to get into.
- Maintain positivity by writing down things you are grateful for, short-term and long-term goals and accomplishments that make you proud.
- Try out a new hobby you might be interested in developing: knitting, dancing, singing, writing, making music, cooking, gardening, etc.
This time is full of uncertainty, but there are several ways to keep yourself and those around you entertained, creative and happy. Take advantage of the time you have right now and try out some new things!
Most of all, take care of yourself and those around you by staying inside (if possible) and maintaining a clean living space.
For the latest on COVID-19, please visit the Newman Regional Health COVID-19 Resource Page