20 Things to do while social distancing
Are you looking for ways to keep you and your family entertained during this time of self-isolation and social distancing? Well, we've found some great ideas you should try. As you do, share your awesome photos with us using #abc11 and #abc11together. We'd love to see how you are beating the boredom of being stuck at home.
Ready?
1. Dance, Dance, Dance
Put on your favorite old dance tunes, turn your living room into a dance hall, and go crazy! (Just make sure the neighbors aren't sleeping.) If you are really in the mood, pull out those hardly worn dress-up clothes from the back of the closet and put together an outrageous, never-to -be-seen-in-public outfit (though we REALLY want to see those). Figure out a couple of unusual dance steps and name them after yourself, of course!
2. Paint Something
Take a risk and paint a wall an unusual color. If you don't have a wall available, think of a piece of furniture that would benefit from a new paint job. Surrounding yourself with and playing with color can be very uplifting. Live dangerously and paint a chair turquoise!
3. A New Hobby
Go ahead, take up that new hobby you've been thinking about. Find online classes, clubs, and books that cover your interests. Commit to doing whatever it takes to start actively pursuing your new hobby.
4. Order in the House
This is the moment of organizational truth. Attack your medicine cabinet, music collection, spice cabinet, or any location in a state of anarchy. It's so gratifying to clean up or alphabetize a chaotic nook or cranny. It's organizational therapy.
5. Life History
Write a list of fifty good things that have happened in your life, from finding your lost turtle in the second grade to the name of the person who first said you had a beautiful smile. Nothing is too small or insignificant to remember and record. It's nice to remember how meaningful little thing are.
6. Update your Address Book
Ferret out all the half-complete address books you have in different places and consolidate them in a new, clean, updated book or app. Make note of the friends or relatives you've lost touch with and call them up to say hello.
7. Festival of Animation
Watch the animated movie you loved best as a child. Invite your family or housemates to bring their favorite's and have an animated movie festival. Serve popcorn and your favorite snacks.
8. Magnify your Life
Borrow, or dig out your old magnifying glass and take a walk in your neighborhood or your own backyard. Stop and examine things you usually walk right past. Slow down and take a close look at the world around you. It's fascinating. Checking out the details can sometimes put larger things into perspective.
9. Favorite Music Mix
Sort through all your old albums, CD's, or MP3's and make a playlist of your favorite music. You could make an easy-listening playlist and one to dance-till-you-drop. Then copy them and share with your friends.
10. Ice Cream in Bed
Pick a junky novel, get a pint of your favorite ice cream (or some sugar free self-indulgence), and allow yourself an afternoon of sheer, unforgivable, guilt-free, slothful decadence.
11. Rearrange Your Furniture
Move your bed by a window to get a morning breeze. Move the furniture around to see how you like it or do whatever you can to let the sun in and brighten up your space. Wanna shop? Order that bookshelf, filing cabinet, or magazine basket you've been wanting, so you don't have to keep tripping over your own piles of stuff. Make your space a place you love.
12. Funny Photos
Find those old trip photos you still haven't put in an album yet and create an adventure scrapbook. Paste them onto pages and write captions of the memories each picture evokes or add funny thought bubbles. Binders make good scrapbooks as you can keep adding to them.
13. Time for Change
If you've been procrastinating about something at home, change the pattern. Whatever the project, take the next step necessary to complete it. It'll feel good to finally take care of something you've been putting off. And you will make your home more comfortable for yourself.
14. Finger Paint
Yes, indulge that artist within! Lay down big sheets of paper, put on an old shirt, roll up those sleeves and get into it. Proudly autograph your artwork and let us see it! Then tape it to the fridge or use it as handmade wrapping paper for a future personalized gift.
15. Sing the Blues
In the tradition of a blues or country song, make up a mournful, self-indulgent, woe-is-me ballad about yourself. Sing it with the appropriate twang. If you can, enlist a couple of other wanna-be musicians in the house to improvise on kitchen pots and rubber band instruments with you.
16. Fun-O-Dex
Take a stack of 3x5 cards and write down something you enjoy doing on each card. You could write phone numbers of friends, a list of movies, recipes, places, people, whatever. This is your fun-o-dex. Keep it handy in a kitchen drawer and add to it as you think of more things. Look through it when you need to be reminded of what you love to do.
17. Costume Dinner
Invite your housemates to a dinner, brunch, or dessert with a theme that will require costumes. For example, a "Let them eat cake" dessert party would inspire Marie Antoinette-era costumes. The more spontaneous the event, the more thrown together and improvisational the costumes.
18. Walk and Talk
Put on your walking shoes and get a little fresh air. Head anywhere for a nice, long walk. While you're walking, say hi to the people you pass (at a distance, of course). Even if you don't feel friendly, be friendly, it might persuade you to come out of your funk.
19. Bubble Bath
Get into a bubble bath (finally, you can use those bath salts or bombs you were given as a gift), paint your toenails a color that you've never dared to try before, and eat strawberries, or cheese doodles while singing show tunes until the water gets cold. (P.S. You don't need to share these photos).
20. Chicken Soup
Make a big pot of chicken soup. It's comfort food and simple to make. There are numerous recipes to choose from online and it's always best the second day.
(adapted from Lynn Gordons 52 series cards)
