We’re all looking for ways to stay entertained, and keep others entertained, during lockdown.
You might also be looking for ways to learn new skills, or to travel, even virtually, to distant places. Here’s our round-up of some of the best resources out there.
For helping with the home schooling
We’re lucky to have some great new teachers stepping up to help parents, as well as the work from normal schools. From PE with Joe Wicks to Music with Myleene Klass and Maths with Carol Vorderman, these sessions might add some extra interest to the daily plan.
Every kind of dance for every kind of level
If you’ve always wanted to learn salsa with Oti Mabuse or ballet with Darcey Bussell, then now is your opportunity. Just Google your preferred dance style and you’re bound to find a lesson with one of the greats. Or if you fancy tap dancing, then try TapDanceLessons.com and get tapping.
Go to the theatre (virtually)
While the theatres have “gone dark”, there’s still plenty of theatre productions you can watch online. Official London Theatre has a great resource on the website (click here) that’s probably the best round up. Check out the National Theatre on YouTube each Thursday night at 7pm for one of their productions, from One Man, Two Guv’nors with James Corden through to Treasure Island.
Official London Theatre
Take a trip to the museum
Some of the great museums and art galleries of the world have put virtual tours online for us all to enjoy. Head off for a morning in the Louvre, spend the afternoon in the Guggenheim Museum in New York and then finish up closer to home at the British Museum. Time Out have put together a global list here:
https://www.timeout.com/travel/virtual-museum-tours
See the world (even during lockdown)
Always wanted see the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janiero up close? Now you can. There’s also trips around Machu Picchu in Peru, the Pyramids of Giza and even Stonehenge. Check out this guide on the Guardian, or try Googling your favourite landmark and see if a tour comes up.
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/mar/30/10-best-virtual-tour-worlds-most-famous-landmarks
Cook something new (even with limited supplies)
Some of our best loved chefs and food writers have stepped in to help us create tasty dinners from what we have. You’ll find videos from Tom Kerridge and Jamie Oliver, as well as daily recipes from Jack Monroe. You can tweet her to tell her what you’ve got, and each day she’s putting new recipes out on Twitter. Follow Jack (@BootstrapCook) and the hashtag #JackMonroesLockdownLarder.
https://twitter.com/bootstrapcook
Learn a new language
There will be days when we get to travel to different countries again. Use some of this time to finally get around to learning a new language, ready for the days we jet off again. Good Housekeeping have rounded up the best resources:
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/lifestyle/a31973738/learn-a-language-in-lockdown/
Enjoy some music
Whether your musical taste is Coldplay or Chopin, there are lots of artists and orchestras offering free online concerts. Classic FM has put together a comprehensive list of the classical concerts you can enjoy, and Glamour has one for pop, rock and everything in between. Get that home mosh pit ready!
https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/live-streamed-classical-music-concerts-coronavirus/
Whatever distraction you and your loved ones need, someone has probably found a way to bring it to you virtually. What have you found? We’d love to know.
