20 Things to Do During the Quarantine

Staying at home can be a great relief from the busy world, but eventually, that relief wears off and only boredom is left in its place. During the weeks and months of quarantine ahead, keep yourself active, entertained, and motivated. Here is a list of twenty things to do during the quarantine that will get you through.

1. Stay active. Create an at-home gym in your living room or basement. There are thousands of great YouTube channels that provide all levels of workouts you can do from home.
2. Complete a puzzle. Find a complicated puzzle with as many pieces as you can. Put it together with your kids or significant other. Once it’s finished, you can even frame it and hang it on your wall.
3. Stay in touch. The isolation involved with a quarantine like this one can add unwelcome stress. Keep in touch with your family and friends with a phone call or FaceTime. Google Hangouts is a great way to video chat with multiple people at a time.
4. Write down your experience. Start a journal or a blog to document life during a quarantine. Share your ideas of what you’re doing now and what you’d like to do once the social distancing is over.
5. Learn a new language. Download the Duolingo app on your phone and practice every day. The app boasts over 30 languages that you can learn in quick lessons a few minutes a day.
6. Make a fort. Keep yourself and your kids entertained with a giant fort in your living room. Plug in your laptop and stream movies for hours. Don’t forget extra blankets, popcorn, and pillows!
7. Take e-tours. Many places are offering free virtual tours during this time. Visit places like the Louvre, the Grand Canyon, the Cincinatti Zoo, and Yellowstone National Park.
8. Do some spring cleaning. Since you’re stuck at home, you might as well make the most of it. Get to the spring cleaning chores you’ve been putting off. You can even purge your closet and donate items you no longer love.
9. Catch up on podcasts. There are hours of entertainment waiting for you in the form of a podcast. You can listen to these whether you’re cleaning, cooking, or lounging. A great one for both kids and adults: Stuff You Should Know.
10. Spend time outside. As long as you stay away from crowds, it’s important to get out of the house. Take a walk, ride your bike, or go camping in your backyard.
11. Plan a vacation. You’ve got the time to plan your dream vacation. Where would you go? What attractions would you want see? What foods would you want to try? Plan it all out so that at the end of the quarantine, you can schedule it!
12. Watch every single Tom Hanks movie. As one of the first movie stars to contract the Coronavirus, Tom Hanks can use our support right now. Maybe watching all of his movies won’t cure him, but it will cure your boredom.
13. Try the Couch to 5k program. This program is practically designed for a quarantine. Take baby steps and train yourself up from a short walk to a 5k race in no time. It will get you out of the house and active with a great goal in mind.
14. Look over your budget. Being stuck at home means you’re likely spending less money on shopping and eating out. Now is a great time to reevaluate your budget. It’s also a good opportunity to look into refinancing your home – it could save you hundreds every month.
15. Binge watch some TV. Many streaming services are offering discounted or free subscriptions. Disney+ is even releasing movies ahead of schedule. Some great shows to binge include The Great British Baking Show, Next in Fashion, Love is Blind, Parks and Recreation, and Downton Abbey.
16. Perform some science projects. Are your kids stuck at home, too? Get them interested in learning with some at-home science projects! Some great ones include making slime, a volcano, and crystals.
17. Try your hand at board games. Whether you’re a big fan of Clue or Monopoly or you want to try something a little harder like Settlers of Catan, it’s a great time to plan a family game night!
18. Livestream puppies. Explore.org has hundreds of livestreams you can view from all parts of the world. It’s a good opportunity to see animals you may never see in person - and in their own habitats, too. The best livestreams are still the ones with puppies, though, like this one from the Guide Dogs of America nursery.
19. Start a hobby. Are you looking for something a little more productive than watching livestreams or playing a board game? You can always start a new hobby. Take up knitting, woodworking, painting, or baking!
20. Take an online class. Free Code Camp has hundreds of free online courses you can take. These classes are hosted by Ivy League schools and can cover topics ranging from English Literature to math and engineering. Take a look and learn something new!