Free Forms of Entertainment at Home

Who says we can't have fun at home? 

1. Read - read physical copies of books, online books, articles, comics. I strongly believe that the key to enjoying reading is to just read whatever you find interesting. It can be fiction or non-fiction, and it can be any genre. If you can't go to a bookshop in person these days, or if you just prefer soft copies, it's incredibly easy to get e-books as well. And if you just don't like the act of reading, maybe you can try audio books. 

2. Watch TV or try out some online streaming platform - get a trial if you don't have one yet, or if you don't think it's worth getting long-term. You can get a Netflix trial one month, an Amazon Prime trial the next. If you like them, you can subscribe. This way you'll at least have something to do during the quarantine when you probably have the most time. Plus, these platforms allow multiple users to use it simultaneously so this could actually be used by the whole family. And of course, there's always YouTube as well! Now, since this is something I regularly do anyway, I try to mix it up some days by going all out with popcorn and drinks and having an online Netflix Party!

3. Put it down on paper - draw, paint, color, write. So many of us don't do these enough. Some of us may think we just don't have the time (which, for the majority of us, is not really an excuse these days), or that we have simply outgrown them. But the benefits of these activities are not just limited to children - as evidenced by the boom in adult coloring books lately for one. Activities such as these allow you to express your creativity, focus on the task at hand, and forget your daily worries in a way which can be incredibly therapeutic. 

4. Play cards or board games with family. Games are a great way to bond, and they can help make things more interesting as it brings out the competitive side in everyone. Even if you may not otherwise have that much in common with your much older or younger family members, these games can give you something to bond over. 

5. Play online games - PlayStation, computer games, apps, Facebook games. There are many online games you can play. You can even play them with friends and family if they are multi-player games so you get to socialize at the same time.

6. Cook or bake. Try new recipes and new cuisines. Now that it's harder to eat out, it's a good time to work on your cooking and baking skills. It's one of the skills that you can put to use time and again and that's absolutely worth your time. Or if you are sick of cooking, maybe it's time to teach someone else in the house how to cook, so that they can take over some days.

7.  Reconnect with people. Talk to family, reconnect with old friends, and use your free time to work on the relationships in your life. Too often, we get caught up with work and stuff, and find that there just doesn't seem to be enough time. Well, chances are that you do have the time now (and if you don't, you should learn how to make time). Because if this pandemic has taught us anything, it's to value the relationships we have with our loved ones. 

8. Get moving (at home). If you have exercise equipment at home you can use those. Or you can try watching videos online and following along. There are various videos on YouTube as well, that can be done with little to no equipment. Now of course, this is a list that says 'entertainment', and exercising may not exactly sound too fun. But exercising doesn't have to feel like a chore. Just do whatever you enjoy. It could be walking, running, doing yoga, or even dancing. 

9. Take part in a photography challenge . You can even do this with other people and turn it into a competition!