Traditional ways to pass the time during life under lockdown
Strict rules imposed during the coronavirus outbreak have led to families across the country spending more time together than usual.
Instead of being glued to your smartphones all evening, here are some more traditional ways families can have fun together:
An all-time classic. Flex those miming skills by getting family members to guess what you are acting out. Maybe you are pretending to be the Prime Minister?
Simply picking up a pencil and paper opens up a world of options to keep yourself entertained. Hangman, noughts and crosses and Pictionary are quick and easy games that require this most basic of equipment.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of variants of card games out there. Whist, rummy, hearts, bridge, president, cribbage – there are plenty of options to choose from.
A board game that perhaps should come with a health warning. Snapping up properties, making money and getting out of jail can be great fun, but may also lead to a little family tension at times. If Monopoly does prove too much, you can pick another classic game instead, such as snakes and ladders, ludo, chess or backgammon.
Life under lockdown provides a great opportunity to hone those cooking skills in the kitchen and collectively whip up a tasty meal. For children, weighing ingredients and following a recipe can also help develop their numeracy skills.
Getting lost in a good book need not be a solitary experience. Reading a bedtime story to children or sharing a tale with the wider family can be a calming way to spend time together.
CHARADES:
USE A PENCIL AND PAPER:
CARD GAMES:
MONOPOLY:
BAKING AND COOKING:
READING:
HAVE A SINGALONG:
Music has the power to be uplifting, and singing or playing together may help raise spirits under lockdown.
Granted, you may run out of things to spot after a while, but I spy is another classic game for everyone to take part in.
Up the drama in your home by taking on the challenge of staging your own play. Devising a plot, making costumes and creating a stage to perform on will keep you busy for hours.
I SPY:
PUT ON A PLAY:
JIGSAWS:
The higher the number of pieces in a jigsaw the better to fill those lockdown hours. A favourite pastime of many, getting lost in a jigsaw is absorbing and mentally challenging.