Let’s be honest, COVID has really wrecked our plans this past year for fun times spent outside the home with family and friends. Most of the things we love to do have been shut down or are only open in limited capacities. Concerts, museums, bars, indoor dining, and even libraries have been closed to the public. People have gotten very creative with how they spend their free time, and most of what we have to do for fun has taken place at home.
Thankfully, the world is starting to get back on track slowly but surely. Little by little, things have started to reopen, even if it is in a limited capacity. In the meantime, we still have to figure out how to keep ourselves occupied while sitting at home.
There is still a lot that needs to happen before we can meet up with friends at the bar or see our favorite artists live in concert. So while things may not be quite that exciting at home, there is still a lot you can do to pass the time and enjoy yourself!
This has been a very hard year for everyone, but we still need to look at the positives and move forward the best we can. And what better way to cheer yourself (and your besties or significant other) up by planning some great things you can do from the comfort of your own home? You’ve got to go with the flow and make your own fun. So if you are ready to bust your bad case of boredom and make the most out of not being able to go out, read on for a list of fun activities to do while staying at home.
Make Homemade Bread
If you have social media, you have probably seen the homemade bread craze that has taken the world by storm. People everywhere have tried their hand at making fresh, warm, and delicious bread from scratch. Who knew everyone had an inner baker? Honestly, it’s not that hard. Even those who are admittedly not-so-skilled in the kitchen have found great success with baking their own bread.
Besides the fact that it’s not nearly as hard or time-consuming as you might believe, you do not need many ingredients, and we’d bet you already have most of the ingredients you need in your pantry. To make a simple and basic bread, you will need bread flour, yeast, and salt. That’s it! You could also get creative and add cheeses, fruit, or nuts and make your variation of the recipe. Mastered homemade bread and ready to take it up a notch? Try your hand at homemade pretzels and cheese dip.
Bake Cookies
Who doesn’t love ooey, gooey, and delicious cookies? There are so many varieties of cookies you can make, and there are even recipes for every type of dietary preference such as gluten-free, vegan, and paleo. Personally, we love baking a batch of classic sugary and sweet chocolate chip cookies, but that’s just us. We also love digging into a spoonful (or two) of cookie dough. Yum!
Most recipes call for the same basic ingredients: sugar, butter, eggs, baking soda, flour, salt, and vanilla. These are all common pantry staples, so if a case of boredom strikes, you should be able to whip up a batch of cookies in no time. The fun part is deciding what you want to add in. You could swirl in some peanut butter, add chopped nuts, or go all out and add candy, pretzels, nuts, and anything else salty or sweet you have on hand.
Paint Your Own Masterpiece
Don’t worry—we aren’t talking about getting all the supplies from an art store and starting from scratch. If you are artistic, then you might be doing this already (and we are so jealous of your skills). For the rest of us who can barely draw stick figures, we are talking about using Paint Your Numbers to create a masterpiece of your own. It is easy and fun while also being a bit challenging and stimulating at the same time.
You simply upload your favorite image, and we turn it into a canvas with numbers that correspond to the paints we provide. You don’t need to be Picasso to make a piece of art that is Instagram-worthy! It is also a great gift idea for friends and family who need cheering up during these difficult times and want something different to do.
Host a Movie Night
Honestly, this is way better than going to the theater. Unlimited snacks (and no having to sneak them in a giant bag), cozy pillows and blankets, beer or wine, and your choice of movie. Or, make it a double feature and watch two movies from a series! If you live somewhere warm, you could even rent a screen (or use a gian white sheet) and and set up a really cool outdoor showing with twinkle lights, a concession stand, and chairs and blankets for everyone.
This is a great way to mix things up a bit and not do the same old Netflix-watching at home. Plus, it is so much fun to set everything up, buy the snacks, and invite people over. You could even make movie tickets for people to give you when they arrive for the showing!
Do a Puzzle or Play a Game
Challenge yourself a bit and don’t just choose a basic puzzle. Try and go for one that has at least a few hundred pieces. Set aside time each day to work on it, or try and get it done in one day for an extra challenge. You could even order a custom puzzle with a silly, cute image.
You can find boardgames and card games online for only a few dollars. You and your friends can pitch in and buy a few different games and have a game night! Make teams and set up different stations of games, or get a group card game going. There are lots of fun question card games to play as well, which can get the conversation (and laughter) going!
Conclusion
There is no denying it: it really stinks not being able to do everything we normally would be able to do for fun. We get it—you miss going out and doing the things you love with the people you love (anyone else dying for a girls’ weekend?). But being smart and staying safe has been more important, and thankfully many people did their part by staying home!
With that being said, it has been a struggle at times trying to figure out what to do and how to shake a bad case of boredom. You can only binge Netflix shows so many times before it starts to get a little old. Reading is great, too, but sometimes that can get tiring as well. You have to get creative to think of things to do besides reading and watching tv.
A great way to stimulate your brain, have fun, and pass the time is to order your own custom Paint Your Numbers. It is challenging enough that it will make you focus, but not so challenging to the point of getting frustrated. Painting all the numbers on the canvas takes time, so it will definitely help you take up a portion of your day. Plus, it can be a great activity for groups or couples to work on together.
After you unleash your inner artist, see how many of the activities on our list you can do. You can put everything on a list and see how quickly you can cross everything off. Feel free to add your own ideas, and get your friends in on it too! That way, it will feel like an accomplishment each time you do something, while also being really fun and enjoyable.
Sources:
https://www.todaysparent.com/family/activities/fun-things-to-do-at-home/
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-artisan-bread/
https://www.timeout.com/things-to-do/best-things-to-do-at-home-stuck-inside-bored