Things to do during lockdown

As events remain cancelled, venues sre still closed and we are once again working and staying at home, What’s there to do while stuck indoors? We’ve scoured the web and compiled 50 suggestions to help make the current lockdown a little more fun and interesting.

If you have have any more ideas do get in touch and let us know and we will add them to the list. 

1.  Join an online play reading group  - here is one to get your started https://dramatis.co.uk/plays-and-pinot/
    
2. Complete a jigsaw or puzzle: Puzzles are great for brain training and come in so many forms – how about a giant jigsaw, a Rubik’s Cube, wordsearch, sudoku or Crossword puzzle?
    
3. Donate to Food Banks – If you are able to help families struggling to get meals, there are charities and supermarkets where you can donate to food banks
    
4. Learn an instrument – If it doesn’t bother your neighbours why not play a few strings and strike a few chords
    
5. TikTok – create an exercise or dance routine on TikTok and shed those pounds 
    
6. Write – blogs, autobiographies, poetry. We all have a story to tell even if it’s just for our family! Just try it!
    
7. Box sets and movies – make a list of all the box sets you want to catch up on and really long movies and veg out on the sofa for a tvfest!
    
8. Learn a language – If you’ve always wanted to learn a new language, here’s your chance! Babble is a great app to start learning!
    
9. Family Fun – Turn your living room into a sleepover for the kids with all blankets, popcorn and movies.
    
10. Reading – it’s the most relaxing pass time and helps to slow the brain and reduce stress. Whatever you enjoy – read it cover to cove and review it on Facebook to inspire your friends
     
11. Indoor Aerobics – squeeze into that lycra and do a virtual class! Everyone’s offering them – there’s so many options to choose from
     
12. Learn a new skill – there are so many lessons on-line of weird and wonderful skills you can pick up, circus poi, belly dancing, baking, cooking, jewellery-making, knitting – you can target yourself with a new skill a week
     
13. Learn whilst teaching the kids – forgotten the difference between sin, cosine and tangent ? home school yourself whilst teaching the children!
     
14. Dance – whether its on the wi, karaoke or just whilst watching TV, dance to the tunes of your favourite decade and get those hips moving - do it whilst listening to V2 Radio !
     
15. Board Games – spend time with the family if you’re not self-isolating to play a board game for hours of fun and laughter!
     
16. Organise – have a spring clean! Spring is on the way after all - sort out a cupboard a day!
     
17. Cook something new – whether you dream to be Nadia or Gino show off your cooking skills with a new dish or culniary skill you’ve never tried
     
18. Video diaries – share great news via videos and Facebook with friends and family.
     
19. Help the most vulnerable – offer your assistance to someone who needs help shopping, cooking and cleaning.
     
20. Organise all your photos and memories into an album or a memory box if you find yourself finding cards and photo’s at the bottom of every draw
     
21. Video Calls – Use Skype, FaceTime, WhatsApp or zoom with your long-distance friends and family
     
22. Attempt things with your non-dominant hand, from writing to brushing your teeth. Prepare to be frustrated.
     
23. Meditation and mindfulness – there are amazing guided meditations on YouTube to follow by Louise Hay, Deepak Chopra, Ekhart Tohle and others so lie down with your eyes closed, palms up and while focusing on your breath whilst those soothing words slow down your thinking and calm your mind!
     
24. Pull out those smelly salts and candles and take a long bubble bath to soothe the day away.
     
25. Do an online pub quiz and invite family and friends too !
     
26.  Make a classic cocktail, from negronis to Manhattans and aperol spritzes. 
     
27. Adult Colouring books – so fashionable as a way to reax and concentrate adult painting books are just so much fun
     
28. Take time to reflect – What goals are you setting for yourself when we all get back to normality? What do you most wish to achieve in your life? What are you going to do less of? Get writing and make that change.
     
29. Learn Magic – show off your party skills when we all celebrate the end of lockdown by learning some magic tricks
     
30. Get Handy – fix those niggly things you put off every weekend – pull out the toolbox and get the house summer ready with your DIY skills
     
31. Pilates and Yoga – stretch those muscles and lengthen those limbs with a Pilates or Yoga workout
     
32. Old fashioned games – teach your kids old fashioned games lie hopscotch, cat’s cradle, battleships and others for hours of fam fun. 
     
33. Make a list of all the good points about your partner and read them aloud so that they know you appreciate them!
     
34. Clear your phone – go through your camera roll and delete downloads and images to give the phone some space again
     
35. Learn a new word and use it in a sentence each day
     
36. Money Saving Ideas – if you’re not making money, you can save money! review your finances and look at where you can save money, cut costs and refinance to save more money. 
     
37. Save food – freeze foods near their use by date so that you can pull them out to reduce your social interaction at supermarkets and local shops
     
38. Support local retail – Buy a gift cards from your favorite businesses to help keep them in business while we lockdown.
     
39. Bring out the Lego and have a family competition of building the most realistic structure
     
40. Review your diet – always feel you don’t have time to review your own eating habits to get more healthy? well write a food diary and create your own diet plan to start a new way of living whilst you have the chance!
     
41. Family Competitions – How about getting the family to have fun with cleaning competitions, Scrabble tournaments to teach new words, cooking competitions
     
42. What’s in that Garage stays in that Garage! Not now you could get ready for that next car boot sale by organising your old stuff and garage antiques!
     
43. Write your CV – have you been putting off writing that CV for your next job. Here’s your chance! There’s lots of resources on-line to make sure you shine when you finally apply for that dream job!
     
44. Clear up that computer – put your affairs in order on your PC by organising and filing documents into folders and subjects
     
45. If your tumble drier always chews up one sock and you have a drawer full of mismatches – rearrange your sock drawer – it will save hours in the long run
     
46. Create a list of countries you want to visit when the pandemic is over
     
47. Teach your pet new tricks – spend an hour teaching your dog new tricks for an hour of stress relief 
     
48. Rearrange your furniture to make it seem like your home is a totally different space. 
     
49. Learn card tricks – Practice shuffling playing cards and learning new card tricks like the proffessionals do ! Now that's magic!
     
50. Clear the garden – clean the garden and make it spring and summer ready for when we can finally enjoy a beer on the patio!
     
51. Catch up on snoozing – catch up on your zzzz’s by going to sleep early. Its good for your physical and mental wellbeing.