Isolation Activities

[AlaskaGirl]

Greetings,
With the need for social distancing, many of us can no longer participate in group activities. I thought it would be nice to share a few ideas for activities we can do while in isolation. Please share your ideas!

Art and Crafts
Knit, crochet, needle work, spinning, weaving.
Basket making.
Beading.
Painting.

Paracord Creations
Zipper pulls and bracelets.

Household Improvement
Organize your spices and kitchen.
Organize your closets, attic, or garage.
Spring cleaning, only if you have enough cleaning supplies on hand.

Clear Your Clutter
Clothing, books, craft items, housewares, kitchen items, electronics, paperwork, etc.

Complete Tasks
Taxes.
Sort and organize your photos.
Organize your recipes.
Repair clothing.
Items you have been putting off.

Family Activities
Playing board games together.

Learn Something New
Language lessons.
Research something you want to learn.
Take an online lesson.

Relaxing Activities
Read a book.
Meditation.
Yoga.
Watch a movie.
Go for a walk, if permitted, but stay 6 feet from others.

Stay in Contact
Call, text, or email friends and family.
Use technology to video chat.

CAUTION
Power tools and ladders might best be avoided. Anything that can result in a trip to the emergency room should possibly be avoided or used with extreme caution at this time.

Please add to this list. Thank you and stay safe. elisa

[kathryn]

Thanks for stating this out, @AlaskaGirl

My BFFs group chat is working on a tongue-in-cheek “Apocalypse” mix tape ��

Fam & friends are holding a FaceTime happy hour this week since we can’t get together in person.

I’m also doing a bunch of the stuff you’ve listed above.

[Darcy]

Great list.

I'll add: inventory the fridge and pantry and come up with "recipe challenges" based on what's stocked..... (lentils + onions + black cumin + rice = sooo good!)

(This is a variation on a challenge I like to issue anyone I'm in the car with when we pass a grocery or convenience store marquee -- come up with a recipe that uses all the featured items.)

[Denises]

Participating in group activities can still happen, but differently. My sister's knitting group is now meeting via Skype instead of in a cafe. In Japan there is a new term, on-nomi, or online drinking, to describe an electronic happy hour.

[bunchgrass]

We just bought a recumbent bike for indoor cycling. The fitness center I use is closed until further notice.

[G42]

Just like with the online happy hour mentioned above, there are folks who are starting a streaming video all at the same time, so that they can text or call or whatever and react together. Likewise, if you have a good speaker phone or headset, you can cook dinner with friends remotely....

There's a lot of stuff that is normally behind a paywall that is free right now (education, exercise, yoga, etc) as online services try to help out. I'm in a mandatory Shelter in Place county, but I still did some free weights and body weight exercises at home and went out for a walk (6' away from anyone). My yoga mat is on the floor and I have videos cued up for the morning.

Now would be a good time to work on your family history/genealogy... do some online research, make a family tree. Have your kids (or you) call up your oldest relatives and interview them about what life was like when they were kids (record it!)... that is not only fun and interesting, but will help engage and cheer folks who might be feeling scared and isolated.

Depending on your age, health, risk level, etc., volunteer to get groceries for someone who can't (you can drop them off at the door); offer to babysit the kids of friends/family who have to go to work still (especially our medical & first responder friends)...

If you have a skill or profession you're willing to share and like to talk or teach, do a Skype or FaceTime with someone's kids as a 'substitute teacher' for an hour.


Having a routine will help. Get up and get dressed even if your 'commute' is to the living room. Exercise. Have a lunch hour and chat with friends or coworkers (text, phone, IM, email, whatever works). Do or learn something new. Definitely make an effort to reach out to others - it's good for you and for them. Limit how much time you're watching/reading/listening to the news. Schedule a time in the morning and maybe later in the day, but don't obsess and don't read it all right before you go to bed. Be kind and patient with yourself and everyone around you.

[backpack]

Remind everyone to support local businesses (many had to switch to delivery via online buying).

Late winter and early spring is usually the start of fundraising for local non-profit, but, many a trivia night have been cancelled, so donations, if possible, seem to be a good idea, right now. Gift certificates bought from local businesses can be given to be auctioned off remotely, or, used to buy items for the organization or their clients. This way, limited funds help both the small and local business and charity.

Consider making art and crafts, is a must to keep one's inner balance.

Talented people can set aside their creations, for example knit and/or crocheting some of the ethereal designs of cardigans on Knitty, and promote them in the virtual knitting community, so that made in the U.S.A or, your home country, pieces can be used in future summer and early fall events and celebrations.

If you know anything or want to learn about sewing, do so, I believe one of the major pattern company has released their vintage designs for free.
Vintage silhouettes can be adapted better to people of all sizes and we can finally end the horrid trend of disposable fashion.

I'd rather wear a local designed classic piece to match with my TB pieces than a cheap, destroyed after one wear, sack of potato with a celebrity's logo.

If you have any special skills that can be shared remotely, please do an online tutorial about it and promote it to everyone in your virtual social circle.

Parents are going to be really grateful for remote tutors.
You can also do online reading, especially if you speak multiple languages and can do voices.

Set up a native plant seed exchange for the future, in the meantime, exchange gift certificates to native plant nurseries. Set up a remote group in your state.

I'll be grateful for a list of really funny books, in the meantime, I'll watch Randy Rainbow and French slapstick comedies.


Keep in, remote, touch with as many people as possible and tell them you love them.

[xyppy]

I've been writing a list for each day of all the things I need to accomplish. This helps me keep focused on things I need to do. The focus on the tasks ensures I have less time to panic and read media. Some days the lists are really granular like eat breakfast, take vitamins, take shower. Other days I can get by with listing only bigger time consuming tasks. Every time I can cross off an item I feel a sense of accomplishment.

[xyppy]

Oh, oh, another thing...I'm going to flip my mattress. This is a good time to do that, too!

[nsh]

I am starting to homeschool my kindergartener and found it helpful to pick themes to structure the reading and math and writing. This week with St Patrick’s day- we chose myths, legends, and leprechauns. I created a Pinterest board (with her help) for extra ideas. For science we created “rainbow in a glass” using food dye and changing the density of water (with sugar). She wrote a story about a naughty leprechaun in her journal using inventing spelling, and we found books online about leprechauns. Next week we will have a spring themed week, and as the weather warms I hope we get to do more stuff in our backyard space.

Maybe people without kids could create their own theme weeks too- along with costumes, themed dishes, and indoor activities. I am picturing a Hawaii week where you create a paper lei, make cocktails or mock tails (food coloring in powdered lemonade!), indoor hula hoop competitions, and spam sushi!? Hah.

A couple cool free educational resources: GoNoodle is super for indoor recess, especially on snowy or rainy days. Even I break a serious sweat doing the dances and routines with her. They also have super mediations that are kid and adult friendly

BrainPop is doing a free month subscription and has cool videos for children on a variety of subjects. We love their phonics helps, functional math videos like telling time and learning money/coins, and their biographies of famous historical figures

Free YouTube videos of Yoga with Adrienne is amazing for adults.

Honestly though, I find myself stretched thin teaching digital Zoom classes for my college students and homeschooling my daughter (my husband is a professor too so we do get to switch off) but I am doing my very best to look at this moment with gratitude despite my exhaustion, fear for greater humanity, and worry for my elderly parents. My days seems to be focused on “giving” to others and I worry I will deplete my emotional and physical reserves over the next several months time so in little ways I try to fill my own bucket of energy.
Honestly, taking a 15 minute break checking the Tom Bihn Forums feels like a much needed dose of connection and fun.

Thanks for being here Forum friends.
Thanks for sharing your ideas.

One of my hopes is to learn how to use a sewing machine that I inherited from my grandmother several years ago but haven’t had the chance yet to learn. Now is a good time to start!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[melminimalist]

Vacuumed and cleaned out the car, then took it to get washed. It looked so good for 24 hours, then I went on a day hike on the black creek trail and its 3 miles of dirt road to reach the trail head.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Skirata44]

I've been playing way too many video games lately (Rimworld is one of those games where you blink and oops! 5 hours have passed) so today I decided to go for a hike in the woods by my house. Cut to an hour later, where some kids who go to the school I work at come across me covered in mud and using a random stick I found as a hiking pole. I wish I could say this is the first time that's happened to me, too...

[Walker]

Read each and everyone of the topics/threads on the Tom Bihn forum going as far back as you can .

[AlaskaGirl]

Read each and everyone of the topics/threads on the Tom Bihn forum going as far back as you can .

Greetings,
That's an ambitious task, but very rewarding. I did that when I joined the forum and it was so helpful! elisa

[Traveltech]

Can someone suggest a medium for reading a book and leading a craft to several families of kids in separate locations?