Isolating At Home Holiday Ideas

Hello!

Hope you’re doing well!?

I was starting to feel the effects of the negative media chatter this week so I decided to drastically cut back on our ‘News’ intake. Almost instantly I started to feel calmer in myself. Limiting the noise is good for the soul. We now check on the news in the evening, and then get on with whatever we want to do after that.

I miss the freedoms we had prior to what I like to call, ‘The global corona shutdown!’. I just want people to do the right thing, and do what we have been asked to do so this whole Corona Virus thing can die off, and we can get on with our daily business.

In the mean time we need to make the best of the situation we are in, and learn the lessons that need to be learned so that we can move forward.

Having this time to just be with hubby and the kids is actually good for the soul. Usually, I feel like I’m being pulled in all directions. It’s strange to officially be on school holidays, but not allowed to do what we would normally do on the holidays. Usually for me, I post about things we can do on the holidays relating to what we can do around the coast. These school holidays are all about what we can do around the home.

These holidays may look somewhat different to other holiday time, but we can still enjoy our time at home together.

We have decided to use this time to our advantage. While everyone looks at a blank calendar – we are filling our calendars with ideas around things we have always said we would like to do or learn. Our goal is to be productive through this time. I’m trying to consider this time as a gift rather than a hindrance, and make good on some of those things that I have always wanted to do or get done. I don’t want this time to be remembered as ‘that time we sat on the couch for 6 months and watched movies’.

I thought I would write a list of options you might want to have a look at for your kids or for yourself over the coming weeks. Some of the options are free, but some cost a small fee.

Hope you find something here that will help you meet some of the goals you have had this year, or to simply occupy your time over the next few months.

If you would like to learn another language, have a look at DUOLINGO. Its a free app, and you have a huge array of choices.

Zoom Conferences allow you to catch up with friends and family across the world. Organise a time, send out the link to your tribe and off you go.

If you are wanting to learn a musical instrument, check out YOUCISION, or SIMPLY PIANO. Both of these apps are a paid for service, but they are fantastic for both kids or adults alike. My daughter loves Youcision. She has been using it for a couple of years now and her guitar playing has improved so much. Set aside an hour each day, and you will have your instrument singing to you.

Have you ever wanted to go to the AUSTRALIAN BALLET, but have never felt it was in your price range? Well, at this moment, you can take your kids to the lounge room and set it up on the television. Check out THIS LINK for more details. My youngest daughter in particular loved this experience more than anything.

EXERCISE is important! If you are wanting to use this time to get fit and energised to sit on the couch, then you will LOVE youtube sensation, P.E. With Joe Wicks (Free), Sunshine Coast Jujitsu/martial arts (zoom classes), Online dance classes (check out youtube and facebook), 28 with Sam Woods (Free at the moment on facebook. Usually $59 a month), Lisa Curry’s Kiss program (approx..$199), or the Healthy Mummy Program ($20 for 3 months). So many choices, so many opportunities, so much time to get our behinds into gear before Summer here in Australia.

Do you love animals? If so, you must go and check out the SAN DIEGO ZOO website, you will love the virtual tour options.

Who feels like going to the MUSEUM? Well, here are 12 famous museums from around the world. Here is the Link. It might not be the same as being there in the physical sense, but having a chance to check out these museums from the comfort of my own home is a bit of fun.

If you have a child who would love MAGICIAN LESSONS, you will love this opportunity. Check out ’Nickleby the Magician’. It’s basically $6 USD a month, but imagine the fun your family will have?

If you want to get creative, and you are thinking of doing some ART LESSONS Check out Kids art hub on youtube (LINK), Basic drawing lessons (LINK). Obviously, there are thousands of free options on youtube, so find something that you click with and go for it. Don’t forget the simple art of colouring books.

Improve your COOKING SKILLS by checking out videos on youtube, and then give a few new recipes ago. My favourites are Joanna Gaines (Magnolia), and Donna Hay.

CORONA CHRISTMAS! Friends of our decided to put up the Christmas tree, bought a few little gifts (DVD’s, colouring in books, art supplies, craft supplies, and books), created a Christmas feast and sat together in the midst of Corona chaos and celebrated being together.

FAMILY GAMES NIGHT. We have a big box of games that rarely get used. Over the last few weeks, we have been pulling out the board games and spending time together. No phones, iPads or gadgets are allowed at the table.

I have noticed a huge PUZZLE comeback on facebook over the last couple of weeks. I never enjoyed puzzles as a kid, but I guess it could be fun?!

Isolation is a great time to learn something new. I have been looking at ON LINE COURSES. Check out Alison.com, Udemy.com, Your local Tafe, Swinburneonline.edu.au, open.edu.au, futurelearn.com, opencolleges.edu.au (look for the free courses if you so wish),

Start a PODCAST. If you have the gift of the gab, and you think you have a great idea for a podcast, research how to go about starting and running a podcast.

Another idea, is to start writing a BLOG, or VLOGGING. Its so easy to get started these days. All you need is an idea and some gumption and you are off running.

A DAILY GRATITUDE JOURNAL. All that is required is one sentence each day to express your thoughts towards what is happening in your life, or around you. We might be living our lives in isolation right now, but we can still be thankful for all that we do have.

GARDENING, or start a VEGETABLE and HERB garden. My daughter decided to grow some lavender from seeds a few weeks ago, and we are starting to see some sprouts. I love the fragrance of lavender so it is exciting to see progress.

With Easter only a few days away, making our own CHOCOLATE is a fun idea that will bring joy to adults and children alike. All you need is some chocolate to melt and some chocolate moulds. You can add in some nuts or some caramel if you’d like to mix it up a bit. If you are planning to buy chocolate for Easter anyway, you might want to consider homemade chocolate this year rather than buying commercial Easter Eggs.

I have an apprentice Baker in our household so we have been doing some household BAKING. Last night Beps made some home made bread rolls that were quite yummy.

Home SPA MORNING. The beauty salons might be closed at the moment, but there is no reason one has to stop looking after themselves at home. Take a couple of hours to give each other hand and foot massages, face masks, hair treatments, shave your legs, put some make up on, shower, etc. The goal is to feel good in ourselves despite the corona virus.

READ. How many of us have books on our shelf that we have been meaning to read. Isolation means we can actually get in and read as much as we can. Wouldn’t it be great to not just finish our todo list of books many of us have, but to be in the habit of reading regularly by the time the isolation period has ended is a good thing. The action of reading will also help move some of those books onto other people. A good book should always be shared. If you want to you could start an online book club with friends or family using Zoom.

Online CHURCH! Our church, Calvary Christian Church (Calvarycc.global) has an online youth program on a Friday evening, as well as multiple online services on a Sunday. All accessible via the website or their facebook page. Its interesting that many Christian bookshops and other bookshops are selling a lot of Bibles at this time. If, for whatever reason, you don’t feel comfortable with Calvary, there are numerous churches around the world who have now all gone online. Maybe check out a Church in your local area so that if you decide to make going to church something you do regularly, you are already part of the local church when we are finally allowed to get back out into the world and socialise. No pressure.

Hope this list helps someone over the coming weeks. I know it will help me personally when the kids complain of boredom. Although, in our household, my kids don’t tend to complain of boredom because they know I’ll give them a job to do. A mum is rarely bored when she has a household to run, but I am enjoying having time to stop and connect with my family in this time. In some ways my life has simplified, but in other ways it has become tricky, I never thought it would be so difficult to buy simple pantry staples and toilet paper. I look forward to getting our freedoms back, but for now its important to keep creating positive family memories. We’ll never get this time back again, and today is just as important for each of us whether or not we are in isolation. Let’s make our time count.