Pandemic Wellness Activities

Indoor Activities

• Be Creative

  • Make special in-home movie nights (rearrange furniture, popcorn)
  • Camp indoors (tent, sleeping bags, s'mores)
  • Indoor “hunts”:
    • Create a scavenger hunt around the house (pictures as evidence)
    • Treasure hunt with riddles as clues
  • Game nights 
    • Minute to win it style games
    • Indoor arcade night with prize table
  • Get to know each other
    • Conversation starters
    • Story Worth

• Explore Various Hobbies

  Take up new hobbies:

  • Photography classes
  • Cooking classes
  • YouTube karaoke
  • YouTube DJs and home dance parties (glow sticks, disco balls)

  Reignite old hobbies:

  • Puzzles
  • Legos
  • Board games
  • Read - for fun!
    • Pick a book to read with the whole household
    • Pick a new genre
    • Use apps like “Libby” to access online books for free through your local library

Outdoor Activities

• Daytrips

  • Scenic drives
  • Daytrip to the sunflower fields

• Hikes and Walks

  • Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens (great wildlife spotting)
  • Theodore Roosevelt Island
  • Great Falls Park (great scenic views)
  • Seneca Creek State Park (great for families)
  • Mason Neck State Park (great sunsets)

• Weekend Getaways

  • New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
  • Vacation-home rentals near resorts

• Safe Places to Go for a Stroll

  • Woodend Sanctuary in Chevy Chase
  • Constitution Gardens on the National Mall
  • Blockhouse Point Conservation Park in Darnestown, MD
  • Mason Neck State Park in Lorton, VA
  • Sky Meadows State Park in Delaplane, VA
  • Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, MD
  • Nearby walks near water

• Ice Skating Rinks

  Learn about six local ice skating rinks where you can enjoy some outdoor winter fun in this Washingtonian article.

• Wineries

  Wineries in Virginia are a great place to relax and spend time in the outdoors. Learn about some in this Washingtonian article.

• Outdoor Dining

  • Read about safe winter outdoor dining options in this Washingtonian article.
  • Igloos, lodges and yurts are featured in this Washingtonian article.

• Neighborhood Fun

  • Check out your neighborhood activities on the Nextdoor app. 
  • Make a home outdoor movie theatre with projectors and lawn chairs.
  • Host an outdoor carnival with a prize table.
  • Discover your local parks. 
  • Have your neighbors over for a drink or a meal outside, or drive to a local public parking structure and head to the top floor for a rooftop picnic meal.

Virtual Fun

• Keep Kids Busy

  • Virtual exercise
  • Subscription boxes:
    • Cooking kits: Raddish Kids, America’s Best Test Kitchen
    • Activities: Kiwi Co, Little Passports
  • Educational screen time:
    • ABC Mouse
    • OSMO

• Learn Something New

  Learn something new: 

  • Takelessons.com: music, language, tutoring, arts, computers
  • Masterclass
  • Airbnb Experiences

  Stay sharp:

  • NY Times weekly News Quiz

  Get crafty: 

  • Subscription boxes
  • Online classes

  Stay active:

  • Exercise with virtual fitness classes

• Play Games and Do Team Activities

  Use online platforms to play board/card games together (set up games on each side of the screen), or try: 

  • Trickster Cards: Euchre, Hearts, Bridge, Spades, Pitch, Hearts, Whist, 500, Pinochle, Oh Hell
  • Codenames
  • Pandemic (ironic but hopefully more fun than terrifying)
  • Among Us
  • SIMS
  • Roblox
  • Houseparty app: Pictionary, Heads Up!, Apples to Apples
  • Jackbox Games: Quiplash, Drawful 2, Fibbage

  Team activities:

  • Wild Goose Survival Escape Room
  • Mystery Escape Room
  • Team socials with live remote host
  • Online scavenger hunts

• Support Your Community

  • Sponsor a food drive
  • Sponsor a lemonade/hot chocolate/ice cream/garage sale and donate the profits to a local nonprofit
  • Create a Community Free Pantry
  • Get involved in community activism: Pick a cause or social issue to learn more about and dedicate time and/or money to advancing the cause
  • Once you’re immunized, consider volunteering at a local nonprofit with a friend (good excuse to hang out and helps keep others safe)
    • Capital Area Food Bank is a local favorite and always in need of help
  • Helpen: Teach generosity while using Alexa

• Celebrate Milestones

  • Tribute videos
  • Zoom meet ups
  • Send a party in a box
  • Outdoor meals with social distancing
  • Decorate their yard: chalk on sidewalk, yard signs
  • Send a piñata-gram
  • Send a celebrity cameo
  • Send a tasty delivery: cake, food from their favorite restaurant, wine delivery
  • Car parades
  • Bike parades
  • Characters for Hire
  • Virtual Group Events: mixology classes, pizza making, magic show, comedy show, etc.