How to Entertain at Home in the Time of COVID

If you’ve been staying at home lately, congratulations: you’re most likely saving a lot of money on entertainment costs. The flip side is you may be getting bored. Below, we’ve compiled some creative ways to stay entertained at home.

For Kids

Decorate their room. This can be a fun activity for them and an opportunity for them to clean! Redecorating can be as simple as rearranging furniture to creating new artwork for their rooms or repurposing old toys into decorations. They may even get adventurous and try to sew their own curtains or build and decorate their own storage boxes.

Put them in charge of one meal a week. Rather than making this activity seem like a chore, encourage them to make it fun by coming up with menus and themes. They can even learn some skills by budgeting for their meal and helping you shop for the ingredients. If they are old enough to cook, they can be in charge of preparation as well.

Kids-only movie marathon. Have your kids pick several of their favorite movies or movies they want to see and then set the videos up to watch. They can make popcorn and drinks, or even turn the living room into a kid-friendly fort for the night.

Start a business. Help your child figure out what skills or interests they have and how to turn that into a small business. Make them responsible for making flyers for marketing, budgeting for expenses, and creating the product or performing the service. As their business grows, they will become more motivated (and occupied).

For Adults

Take a virtual tour of museums, aquariums, national parks, or other attractions. Virtual tours are generally free or offered for donations, and it’s a great way to explore venues you would normally not see. With virtual tours, you can explore international attractions from your own home – without the cost.

Learn a new hobby. There are so many free tutorials online now to learn anything from music to arts and crafts, home improvement, automotive repair, etc. This is a great way to learn a new hobby, without the cost of an in-person class.

Join a club. Clubs can be a great (and free or low-cost ways) to enjoy something you love (like books, board games, puzzles, movies, etc.) and socialize. Many clubs are now operating virtually through video calling or group chats.

For the Whole Family

Research your family tree, history, or culture. There are many online tools to help you research your family’s ancestry and culture. You can also encourage your kids to ask relatives for family stories. Help your kids put together a family tree, history scrapbook, or even create their own family crest.

Plant and tend a family garden. Gardening is a great way to relax and spend time together. There are many vegetables, fruits, and flowers that you can grow no matter what season. You can even create an indoor garden to save space or avoid bad weather. Each member of your family can have their own section to pick whatever they want to grow and be responsible for (with your help).

Hold a Family Spirit Week. Like in school, you and your kids can come up with themed ideas for each day of your spirit week. The themes can be silly (wacky hair, PJ day, 70’s clothes, etc.) or family-oriented (favorite family vacation, dress in traditional cultural garb). Anything goes! Invite family and friends to join your spirit week and share photos.

Make a family time capsule. Find a box and have each family member pick a few items that are special to them to place in the time capsule. Then, either bury the capsule for someone to find in the future or put it away with a reminder to pull it out in the far future and go through again with your family.

Source: Balance Financial Fitness