2020 saw many events being postponed or cancelled, as well as shops and cinemas being closed and many of us self-isolating. This means we’ve all had to spend a lot more time in our homes. Fortunately, the number of online exciting activities you can do at home to keep you entertained has significantly started to grow! We’ve compiled seven of our favourites activities below.
1. Visit the Zoo
If you’ve always loved visiting the zoo and watching the animals, this will be your perfect experience. You can get up close and personal like you never have before, with many zoos around the world making available 24-hour live stream videos of their animal enclosures. This includes the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. You can watch 18 different live stream videos from koalas to joey cubs, even dingo pups and platypus.
You can check out their streams on their website here – https://koala.net/webcams
2. Play your favourite games online
From chess to mah-jong, most of your favourite games and puzzles are available online. Not only is it a great way to put your brain to work, you can often play against your friends too.
Here are just a few online games to try:
- Chess – https://www.chess.com/play/computer
- Mah-jong – https://www.free-play-mahjong.com/
- Puzzles – https://www.jigsawplanet.com/
- Words with friends – like online scrabble that you can play with your connections – https://www.zynga.com/games/words-with-friends-2/
3. Learn a new language
It’s never too late to learn a new language! With apps and websites like Duolingo it can turn the challenge into an enjoyable experience. The software focuses on teaching you through a combination of gamification and reading and writing activities, where you can earn points and even challenge your friends.
Duolingo has both free and paid versions, and is available on their website as well as on the app store – https://www.duolingo.com/
4. See a show at the Sydney Opera House
Have you always wanted to see a show at the Sydney Opera House? Now is your chance! As part of their ‘from our House to yours’ digital program, they are releasing new shows weekly for you to enjoy from the comfort of your couch. There are shows suitable for all ages from 2 years and up.
Watch or see their upcoming shows here – https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/digital.html
5. Listen to celebrities read favourite books
As part of the Brisbane City Council’s free digital library collection you can enjoy their top audiobooks narrated by famous people. If you don’t have a digital library membership, you can easily sign up and start listening. Some of the titles include;
- ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ – read by Stephen Fry
- Hear from Michelle Obama as she narrates her own book ‘Becoming’
- ‘Working Class Man’ – read by Jimmy Barnes himself
6. Do a chair workout
Designed specifically for seniors, this chair workout is a quick 11-minute workout to get your muscles moving and blood pumping. There are many great exercise resources available online, targeting specific muscle groups or by types of exercise. Even if you aren’t able to get outside as much as you would like, you can still keep your body moving with exercises like this.
7. Travel around the world
While many recent travel plans have sadly had to be cancelled, you can still travel to another country from your own computer or device. Virtual experiences of various spots across the globe are now available, including a tour of the Great Barrier Reef, a Northern Lights experience from Sweden, a 360 degree visual tour around Uluru and you can even head over to the Yosemite National Park in California. Happy travelling!
To find out more about some of the exciting at-home activities our Seasons residents have been up to, follow our Seasons Living Facebook Page.
