10 Ways to Cope with COVID-19

Climbling the Walls

California has only been in “lockdown” for for three weeks. The statewide order just went into effect earlier this week, but for a couple of weeks prior “seniors” (I still can’t get used to that word being applied to me!) have been asked to self-isolate, which we have been doing.

My designing business keeps me busy almost all week, but Husband is used to golfing several times a week and coming and going for whatever other projects he’s working on. So, this has been a real challenge for him. And for me – because when he’s not busy, I get interruped A LOT!

In my Ten Ways to Fight the Covid-19 Blues post, I suggested some things we could do to lessen the stress we’re feeling in today’s world. Now that so many parents are working from home and schools are being shuttered for the foreseeble future, I wanted to find things that could be done with (or without) the kids — before everyone goes stir crazy.

10 Things to Do – Without or Without the Littles

I’ll continue to update this list as I find things to do. If you have a suggestion for something to  add, link me up in the comments – where you can also let me know if this list is helpful to you! 

1. Alexa or Google Home Games

A friend turned me on to this and we are hooked! Just ask your device what  games you can play. You’ll get lots of options – anywhere from Jeopardy and  Name that Tune types of games to Choose Your Own adventure games and much, much more. They are all family friendly and many will have you laughing – a very good thing nowadays. You can also try web searching for “Alexa games” or “Google Home games” to find lists of the various games available.

2. Audible Stories

Audible has released a boatload of children’s stories that you can listen to – for free!

3. Ted Talks

Ted Talks  are a wonderful series of informational presentations (some by celebrities), for students of all ages, parents and educators.

4. Virtual Museum Tours

Here are just a few that I’ve found so far:

1. The British Museum of the World
2. Guggenheim Museum, New York
3. National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
4. Musée d’Orsay, Paris
5. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul
6. Pergamon Museum, Berlin
7. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
8. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
9. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
10. Uffizi Gallery, Florence
11. MASP, São Paulo Brazil

5. Other Virtual Tours

1. U.S. National Parks
2. The Great Wall of China
3. Angkor Wat, Cambodia
4. Machu Picchu, Peru
5. New Orleans, Louisiana
6. Athens Acropolis, Greece
7. The Vatican, Italy
8. Explore the Surface of Mars

6. Art and Music Related

1. Free art lessons from one of my all time favorite art instructors, Toni Burt!
2. Kusama’s Infinity mirrors 
3. Banksy Murals
4. Art Masterpieces
5. Free Art Lessons from Jerry’s Art-o-Rama
6. Fifteen Broadway Plays and Musicals to watch from home.
7. London’s Royal Opera House YouTube Channel – ballets and operas gallore!
8. The Metropolitan Opera Live Streams
9. NPR’s list of Virtual Concerts

7. For Animal Lovers

1. San Diegoo Zoo Live Cams
2. Georgia Aquarium, Altanta Live Cams
3. The Cincinnati Zoo hosts a Facebook Page with animal safaris – including the famous Fiona the hippo!
4. The Shedd Aquarium: Chicago, Illinois has a Facebook page with all kinds of fun videoes
5. Kansas City Zoo YouTube Chanel with penquin and giraffe live cams
6. This Canadian site FarmFood 360 offers 11 Virtual Tours of farms from minks, pigs, and cows, to apples and eggs

8. Specifically for the Littles

1. 100 Activities To Do At Home
2. Free Subscriptons from Educational Companies
3. Twenty Virtual Field Trips to Take with the Kids
4. Indoor Activities for Busy Toddlers
5. Fave kids books read by famous people
6. Fun games, recipes, crafts, and activities from Highlights Magazine

9. Fitness

1. Golds Gym is offering free access to its app, Goldsamp, until the end of May, where more than 600 audio and video workouts along with DJ mixes get you ready to work up a sweat.
2. Planet Fitness is offering “Home Work-Ins” streamed live at 7 p.m. ET daily on its Facebook page
3. Core Power Yoga
4. Hot 8 Yoga and on Instagram Live

10. Free Streaming

1. Public Broadcasting (PBS)
2. Article on Streaming Services offered free while we’re stuck inside