How to make lockdown more fun!
Although the saying ‘If you are bored, you are boring’ does not apply during lockdown, it might just have a ring of truth about it. Life under lockdown does not have to be boring.
You can either focus on those things you – and the rest of the family – never get the chance to do in a ‘normal’ day/week or you can make it fun for everyone by implementing some of the ideas below.
- Change your morning routine
If the household wakes up and all they can think of is a long day with nothing to look forward to, change the way everyone starts their day.
Make every third day a crazy day – have dessert for breakfast, dress up as if you are going out, brush your teeth with your left (or right, if you are left-handed) arm and/or sing a favourite song together.
Then – blame it on cabin fever due to being confined to your home for so long! - Get ready for all fun and games!
Laughter is the best medicine!
Haul out the board games, look for a pack of cards. Don’t waste energy on being competitive – play for fun.
Test your general knowledge with Trivial Pursuit, have a giggle over a game of Pictionary or double up with laughter over Charades or Actionary.
You could even have a karaoke night – even if no-one in the family can hold a note. Hold thumbs that you don’t get complaints from the neighbours!
- A chore does not have to be a bore
Now is hardly the time to wriggle out of chores. With everyone in the house under lockdown there is more to do.
Make chores fun by listening to a podcast – each family member gets a turn to choose what is listened to – whilst cleaning the kitchen, tidying rooms, washing dishes or whatever needs to be done. You could even practice some dance steps while sweeping!
Practice multitasking and watch a motivational TED talk whilst performing chores. As it is, one particular study found that just 2.5% of people are able to multitask effectively. You could become one of the very few, if, indeed, this study is reliable. - Have a themed – food or movie – night
Choose a country or a style of cooking. Plan a 3-course dinner or various smaller dishes all served at once.
Task different family members with cooking, laying the table according to the chosen theme or reading up on the country/cooking style so that they can enlighten everyone else.
Improvise if you don’t have all the ingredients. Teach those who can’t cook how to do so.
Or: Choose a topic, country or actor for a themed movie night. Get popcorn or biltong bites ready, snuggle on the couch and allow yourself to be transported to another world.
- Arrange a virtual House Party
A few apps allow you to virtually get together for a chat, a meal or a discussion.
In this way you can ‘meet’ with friends and family members far away or you can indulge in seeing new faces for a couple of hours.
Look at the following apps: Zoom and House Party.
