During this serious time of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need for eliminating social contact, many people have had to cancel their upcoming plans. This includes vacations, concerts, hands on activity classes, and so much more. We live in a fast paced society and look forward to these down times for rest and relaxation. A time to forget about all of the stress in our lives and just have fun. While having to cancel our plans, we don’t have to succumb to the sofa. I have put together a list of 10 activities to do while stuck at home.

Visit explore

explore (www.explore.org) is a multimedia organization that documents leaders around the world who have devoted their lives to extraordinary causes. Both educational and inspirational, explore creates a portal into the soul of humanity by championing the selfless acts of others. (explore)

explore features a wide range of topics—from animal rights, health and human services, and poverty to the environment, education, and spirituality. Delivered in short, digestible bites, explore films appeal to viewers of all ages, from children learning about other cultures for the first time to adults looking for a fresh perspective on the world around them. (explore)

You can watch an array of live cams. Just to name a few – African safari, dog shelters, cat sanctuaries, oceans, birds, bears, alligators, zen cams, and so much more. I don’t know how I am going to finish this article, because I can’t stop switching through all of the different live cams. FYI, if you don’t already know, I am a huge animal lover.

Visit NASA

Take a look at the International Space Station on UStream. This is a live video from the International Space Station which includes internal views when the crew is on-duty and Earth views at other times. https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/iss_ustream.html

You can also watch high definition views of Earth from the space station. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/iss-hdev-payload

Visit Scholastic Magazines

From the editors of Scholastic Classroom Magazines: Even when schools are closed, you can keep the learning going with these special cross-curricular journeys. Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a thrilling, meaningful story or video. Kids can do them on their own, with their families, or with their teachers. Just find your grade level and let the learning begin! classroommagazines.scholastic.com

Visit Josh Gad on Twitter (@joshgad)

Every night during the Coronavirus quarantines, actor Josh Gad will be reading children’s books at 7:30 PM/EST/4:30 PT

https://t.co/xVsFmqFdg6

— Josh Gad (@joshgad) March 15, 2020

Visit Stand Up NY

Laughter is good for the soul. While it is not a good idea to go out to the comedy club at this time, you can still see the shows from the comfort of your own home. Stand Up NY is offering live stream shows. Check out their website www.standupny.com for performance schedules. There is a fee for this activity.

Stand Up NY opened its doors in 1986 and has since become one of New York City’s premiere comedy clubs. Celebrated for its rich history, elegant interior and outstanding performers, Stand Up NY has created an exclusive comedy experience as it sets the standard for other comedy clubs. From Jerry Seinfeld to Chris Rock to Jon Stewart, our stage continues to be a breeding ground for the brightest stars of today and tomorrow. (Stand Up NY)

Visit the Metropolitan Opera

Beginning March 16, the Met will stream a title from its Live in HD series each night through the duration of the closure. The performances, originally captured as live broadcasts in movie theatres worldwide, will begin at 7:30 PM from the company’s homepage.  (The featured performances—and several others—are available via the Met Opera on Demand subscription service, though the videos in the nightly series will be made available for free for 20 hours following the initial stream). (PLAYBILL)

The Metropolitan Opera is a vibrant home for the most creative and talented singers, conductors, composers, musicians, stage directors, designers, visual artists, choreographers, and dancers from around the world. (The Metropolitan Opera)

The Metropolitan Opera was founded in 1883, with its first opera house built on Broadway and 39th Street by a group of wealthy businessmen who wanted their own theater. In the company’s early years, the management changed course several times, first performing everything in Italian (even Carmen and Lohengrin), then everything in German (even Aida and Faust), before finally settling into a policy of performing most works in their original language, with some notable exceptions. (The Metropolitan Opera)

Visit Google Arts & Culture

Going to a crowded museum is not in the cards for us at the moment, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the arts. Google has partnered with over 500 museums and galleries so that you can view these exquisite pieces right from your computer. https://artsandculture.google.com/partner?hl=en&tab=pop

Cook Meals Together

Get creative with what’s in the kitchen and prepare a meal with your family. This would be a wonderful opportunity to teach children how to clean vegetables before cooking. It is also a great way to enjoy quality time together.

Read a Book

Do you love reading books but life is just too fast paced? This is your time to shine! We will all be having some downtime, so take a moment to enjoy a new novel. Reading material tip: many public libraries have books to download on to your computer.

Play a Board Game

My husband and I are big board game fans. In our home we have four large shelves stocked with our favorite games. Most people have at least one game or a deck of cards to pull out. Bring it to the table with a favorite snack and enjoy family game night. If you are leery of touching game pieces, try doing some charades using the Play Charades app. It’s free, gives clues, provides a timer, and you can keep score http://www.playcharades.net/

That concludes my list of 10 activities to do when stuck at home. Let me know in the comments below if you have tried any of my suggestions. Please feel free to share other ideas that I might have missed.