At-Home Entertainment Ideas!

March 26, 2020

Due to Governor Polis’ urgent call for social distancing, events have been cancelled and Coloradoans are staying home as much as possible. Therefore, the weekly Events Blog for Southshore will temporarily shift its focus from a community events calendar to a proactive community forum about things to do in the times of COVID-19. Check in here for weekly suggestions about things to do with your kids, new ways of interacting socially, uplifting videos, and hopeful anecdotes. It’s important to remember we are still a community, and we’re not cancelling THAT!

THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS

We’ve compiled a list of suggestions for great ways to become more engaged with your children while you are all together at home, and in some cases, isolated from activities and other people.

Start by actively playing with the kids, then as they catch on, they will be able to continue on their own, freeing up some time for you to do some work.

Imaginative play

Even if creativity is not one of your strong suits and you don’t have the slightest idea how to make up a story, you might be surprised how uplifting imaginative play is for you as well as your kids. The Real Play website gives 10 imaginative play suggestions — including these funny finger puppets — and we will walk you through some ways to get started, as well.

Have a Tea Party!

If you are sorely missing getting together with your friends for coffee, let your young children share in the experience at home. Make some coffee-shop inspired muffins, brew some coffee or tea (you can use hot water poured over fruit, then strained, for the kids’ “tea”), let the kids set the table as fancy as possible, and then sit down together for afternoon tea.

Make Up a Musical or Create an Air-Band

These activities are great for tweens and teens when they finally tire of their screens. Start with a dramatic song (like Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody) and make up a story with invented characters that come from the story in the song. Dress up like the characters and act out the song while it’s playing.

Or put on rock-n-roll outfits (complete with dramatic makeup) and be the coolest air-band ever! Mix it up with songs from different decades and the costumes will change considerably. If you’ve got a member of the family who loves to record things on a smartphone, you can even make a music video!

THINGS TO DO OUTSIDE

How incredibly lucky we are to live in a place where we can walk out in nature without coming in close contact with other people. Take the kids, your dog, or your partner on some long hikes to alleviate stress and yes, actually have a good time.

Just be sure to keep a distance of six to 10 feet from any other hikers you may encounter.

Go on a Photo Scavenger Hunt

The Creativity Workshop offers this engaging activity to immerse you in the world. Using the camera on your smart phone, go out for a walk and capture the following photo opportunities:

1. Spirals in nature.

2. A dinosaur in a man-made object.

3. A very interesting door or window.

4. Male and/or female raindrops.

5. An animal in a cloud.

6. A reflection of yourself in a window.

7. Fruits you can arrange to make a human portrait.

8. A person who looks like s/he belongs in another century.

9. Two inanimate objects that appear to be in love.

10. Ocean waves in a forest of trees.

11. A close up of crumbs, arranged at your discretion.

Identify Bird Songs

Despite the upside-down feel of the world right now, it’s still spring, and all of nature is coming to life again. Give yourself something to think about that doesn’t involve the pandemic: learn which birds are making those beautiful sounds all around you.

There are several apps available that help you identify the bird song you’re hearing in nature in real time.  All About Birds reviews a number of apps you can purchase and download on your smartphone. The easiest, most game-like app is Chirp ($3.99), which lets you record the birdsong then upload it to the database to find the match.

Teach Your Dog a New Trick

The World Heath Organization website states they do not believe that dogs and cats can get the COVID-19 virus from humans or transmit it, leading some comedians to speculate that dogs are the ones behind this outbreak—they get to have their humans home all day long!

If you need relief from the endless news cycles, why not teach your dog a new trick? Roll over is real showstopper!

THINGS TO DO ONLINE

Limit the amount of time you are watching the news for coronavirus updates. Set a schedule (first thing in the morning and an after-dinner update) and stick to it. Do not have the TV on all day with people talking about COVID-19. Instead, use technology to substitute for events you were looking forward to attending but temporarily can’t.

Take in a TED Talk

TED Talks are “ideas worth spreading”—entertaining, uplifting, and informative discussions about a wide range of topics. Were you looking forward to attending the talk about Women’s Suffrage at the library but it was postponed?

Go to Ted.com and enter the keywords in their search bar or browse a wide range of topics. Chances are you’ll find something inspiring!

Lighten the load

It’s long been said “laughter is the best medicine” and Twitter is the perfect medium to deliver a good dose. Check out these 35 Tweets About Parenting In The Age Of Coronavirus from Huff Post for a little levity. Even if you don’t have children or they’ve long since left home and have families of their own, these tweets will put a smile on your face.

Play Inspiring Music

This remedy is straight from a bored sixteen-year-old who didn’t get to go anywhere for Spring Break: Blast K’naan’s Wavin’ Flag at top volume—we dare you not to sing along! Then peruse the Top Ten Best Rock Anthems Ever and play them all.

Everybody knows that music is a mood-altering medium and can lift your spirits in the time it takes to sing Don’t Stop Believin‘!

Streaming Suggestions

If there is a silver lining to this situation, it’s the fact that Netflix, Amazon, and Disney are fully functional. Check out these entertaining options for your family’s screen time. For kids, the series Show Dogs (Amazon Prime) is a canine detective story with some adorable pups! For Star Wars fans, The Mandalorian (Disney Plus) really is all it’s hyped up to be.

And if you’re looking for a stylish, sophisticated comedy about 1950s American culture through the eyes of an unlikely female comedian, check out The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime) from the creators of The Gilbert Girls.This one has three seasons going, so you can watch and watch and watch!

If this does not seem like a great time to be spending money on subscriptions, Mile High on the Cheap lists some ways to stream some of the paid movie and TV platforms for free. These are free month-long trials that you need to sign up for and then cancel before any money is charged (don’t forget!) or you can choose to keep the ones you love as a subscription.

Showtime offers a free trial period for new customers only if you sign up before May 3. Entertainment Weekly has a tip: Penny Dreadful: City of Angels premieres Sunday, April 26, which will also mark the series finale of Homeland. Plan your 30 days accordingly!

If you’re a horror fan, Shudder is AMC’s platform dedicated to horror, thriller, and supernatural films, which is offering a free 7-day trial period. However, if you use the promo code SHUTIN you should get 30 days.

Indie film fans will be pleased to hear that the Sundance Channel is offering a free 30-day trial subscription just in time to watch The Other Boleyn Girl and shows like The Restaurant. There’s also The Little Drummer Girl, Oscar-nominee Florence Pugh’s TV series with Alexander Skarsgaard, as well as A Discovery of Witches, the television adaptation of the acclaimed fantasy book trilogy.

Go on a Virtual Date

If you met the guy or gal of your dreams right before this pandemic began, you are especially not loving the concept of social distancing. But instead of fretting about not being able to get together, why not go on a virtual date?

A story from the BBC describes this sweet and romantic idea: when the object of one young man’s affection told him via text message that she wished they could meet for a drink, he sent her a bottle of wine and they spent three hours on a video chat getting to know each other. He even had the same wine at his place so they were sharing the same experience. 

Let the Symphony Fill You With Joy!

If you are missing a Colorado Symphony concert you were looking forward to, they’ve brought the music to you! Check out this virtual concert of all the musicians alone, together.

 

Sharing Things To Do at Home in Southshore!

In these challenging times, we need to share ideas from family and friends on ways to stay busy at home. The family-friendly community of Southshore offers nearby natural space where you can enjoy some much-needed outdoor time. Look online at the beautiful model homes from Richmond American Homes, Toll Brothers, and Taylor Morrison, and picture yourself in your very own dream house! With ranch and two-story models available, new homes are priced from the upper $400s to the $700s.