9 Fun Things to Do Instead of Read About Coronavirus

With Coronavirus news all over the internet, it feels overwhelming for all of us, particularly those of us stuck at home with depression or anxiety. Fortunately, if you know where to find them, there are a plethora of things to do. Here are our top 9 favorites.

1. Tour a museum- virtually

Not feeling like staying at home? No worries. These twelve museums  offer virtual tours available to the public. From Germany to Los Angeles, you can see it all, right from your own couch.

2. Try a new recipe

Maybe you love to cook, or maybe you’re a gourmet microwaver. Whatever your preferred method, there are thousands of recipes  available online for free. Running low on ingredients? No worries, SuperCook  has got you covered with an impressive search-by-ingredient feature. Bon Appetit!

3. Have an indoor picnic

Picnics are a great way to make your home feel a little less like, well, your home. Lay out a blanket and pull out that old picnic basket and make a meal that will remind you of sunshine filled days at the park, beach, or anywhere in between.

4. Do a blind contour drawing of your favorite celebrity

Blind contour drawings are great for a good laugh on a night in. Not only that, but blind contour drawings have been shown to increase hand eye coordination and stimulate the right side of your brain, which is responsible for memory and attention, some of the main symptoms of depression. Next time, maybe you’ll be able to draw that celebrity without a picture, too!

5. Rearrange your furniture

So maybe you can’t go anywhere, but why not make it feel like a new home? Rearranging furniture can help you declutter, destress, and feel refreshed- all while giving your home a brand-new look that you can show off to your mom the next time she comes to visit.

6. Journal

Outside is off limits, so why not write about what you’d do if you were out there. Journaling has been recommended for maintaining mental health for many years, and can be used to help sort through emotions and exercise your creativity. Imagine all the adventures you’d like to go on and maybe even develop a bucket list. Then, next time you go out, the world will be your oyster.

7. Rent a movie

Haven’t seen Frozen II yet, or craving a re-watch of Race to Witch Mountain? Thanks to technology, you don’t have to go out to buy it or even pay the price of a movie ticket! YouTube, Google, Amazon, VUDU and FandangoNOW all have movies available to rent for low prices. So, start the popcorn popper and make yourself at home… Oh wait, you already are.

8. Treat yourself to a self-care night

It doesn’t take a salon stylist or a day spa to treat yourself to a great night. Try some new “nail hacks ”, give yourself a facial with that face mask you bought who-knows-when, take a hot bath and turn your favorite tunes up. What’s better than a day to relax and refresh?

9. Learn a new skill

This New Years, you told yourself you wanted to learn how to crochet, but you just haven’t had the time. Now’s your chance! YouTube has tutorials for just about everything under the sun, or, if you want a more formal setting, Udemy  has low cost courses available for skills from basket weaving to floral arranging to programming. They even have a free course on how to crochet hats ! Now, to find where you put that yarn…

*Bonus* If you’re at home with family and want a night for all to enjoy, this one is for you!

10. Have a family murder mystery night

You’ve probably seen a few of your Facebook friends participate in one of these novel events or possibly participated in one yourself. You may have wondered how in the world it all came together. Groupon  makes it easy, with their printable murder mystery kits for only $6 apiece. So, grab your hat and best poker face and round up the family for a night nobody will forget. 

So now that you have a few ideas of what to do, enjoy! And if you have any spectacular ideas of your own, leave them in the comments below. You can find more ideas on activities to maintain positive mental health on our blog .