How to Have Fun Outside when None of Your Friends Are Home

According to President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, less than 5 percent of adults actually participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day. We may start the year with positive fitness goals, which we eagerly follow up by heading to the gym and nibbling on celery sticks. However, we can often find our well-intentioned plans unraveling after just a few weeks. The problem is, for many of us, exercise can be boring and repetitive. But it doesn’t have to be.

There are lots of ways to make exercise fun, whether you have five minutes or five hours to spare. To help, here are some of our top suggestions to put the fun back into your exercise routine:

1. Exercise with a friend.

If you struggle to get out of bed in the morning for a pre-work gym session, or come up with every excuse possible to avoid exercise after work, find a gym buddy. By going with a friend, you can have more motivation and can even have a laugh in the process.

2. Join a class.

Break away from the gym and try something new. Join a class in your local area, such as yoga, pilates, aqua aerobics, dancing, spinning, kickboxing, or Zumba. Not only could you have fun, but you will make new friends in the process.

3. Exercise without realizing it.

Did you know that just one hour of shopping can help you lose 175 calories? Or 191 calories for an hour of housework? Whilst we’re not suggesting you skip the gym and head to the mall, there are lots of activities you can do that won’t feel like exercise. Get outside and do some gardening, tidy out your shed, blitz your housework, and enjoy a calorie busting spring clean.

4. Reward yourself.

Give yourself something in return for the time spent pounding the pavements or lifting weights. Put $1 in a jar for every workout you do. Every month you could use this money to treat yourself to a meal out or save up for a new piece of clothing.

5. Download some apps.

Browse the thousands of fitness apps available to help you stay on track. Not only can you monitor your workouts, what you eat and how much you drink, you can also get tips, advice and most importantly, reminders. Some fun apps to take a look at include Runkeeper, MyFitnessPal, Water Your Body, Headspace and Calorie Counter.

6. Pump up the volume.

Instead of exercising in silence, load your music player with upbeat songs that will help get you moving. There are lots of CDs available to buy, especially for this purpose, or have fun creating your own playlist, full of all your favorite tracks.

7. Watch your favorite TV show.

Instead of heading back from work and flopping onto the sofa to watch your favorite TV show, head to the gym and catch up from a treadmill or cycle machine. This way, you can enjoy watching your program but get fit at the same time.

8. Play games.

Who says exercise has to be lifting weights or running on a treadmill? Consider fun alternatives such as Wii Sport and Wii Fit games. These are a great way to have fun and exercise, either alone or with friends. One minute you could be playing golf or fishing, the next, snowboarding or competing at Wimbledon.

9. Try exercise videos.

Feel uncomfortable exercising with lots of other people around? Why not try exercising at home? There is a wide choice of fun exercise videos to choose from, to help you stay motivated.

10. Get outside.

If a gym isn’t for you, get outside and take in some vitamin D. Find somewhere new to go for a walk, enjoy a long cycle ride, take a frisbee to the beach, or find a swimming pool near you.

11. Sign up to an event.

Targets can easily be broken when you don’t have any end goal. So get online and look up some local events nearby. There may be charity fun runs, sponsored walks, or something more adventurous. Not only can you get fit, you can have fun in the process and may meet other people you can train with.

12. Revisit your childhood.

Remember when you were younger and played with a skipping rope for hours or jumped around on a pogo stick or space hopper? Well, who says this is just for children? Get a trampoline, see how many times you can skip without stopping, or test out your Hula hoop skills.

13. Book a fitness break.

Why not take your exercise plan to the next level with a fit and healthy holiday? Look out for top surfing spots, hotels with luxury gyms and areas with beautiful walks.

There are lots of ways to have free outdoor fun. “Naturally,” being outside can be all about exploring nature — taking a rigorous hike in a national park, for example — but there are loads of things that you can do outside that involve neither hugging trees nor sweating. (See also: 47 Cheap, Fun Things to Do This Weekend)

Relax and Contemplate

1. Gaze at the sky, looking at the stars. Or use this guide from Astro Guyz to learn how to spot a satellite.
2. Walk a labyrinth. Find a place that is free and open to the public using this labyrinth locator.
3. Relax on a park bench, Forrest Gump-style.
4. Lie on the grass and look at the clouds. If you want to know more about different types of clouds, check out these descriptions of clouds.
5. Watch a sunrise, sunset, or both. For times where you live, check your local newspaper or visit this sunrise-sunset website.
6. Write. Compose a letter, record your thoughts in a journal, or create a blog post.
7. Read outside. Take your book or e-reader outdoors.
8. Listen to night sounds like crickets chirping.
9. Do yoga poses outside, which you may find more soothing than doing them indoors.
10. Visit a nearby river or creek (or urban park with lots of fountains) and listen to the water flowing.

Learn Something New

1. Walk around looking at architectural styles in your neighborhood or city. Study styles before you go (see photos of various architectural styles) or take photos for review afterwards.
2. Visit public gardens. Use this public garden search tool to find a place to visit; check out each garden’s website to see if there is free admission.
3. Go on a bird walk. Organize your own or join one sponsored by an Audubon Society chapter.
4. Visit a national historical monument. Find one using this national monument list. One of my favorites is Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly, which is great for a view, hike, and historical tour combined in one outing.
5. Go to an air show. Find a free show at an Air Force base near you like the Wings Over Wayne Air Show or Joint Service Open House.
6. Take part in a ranger-led outing at a public park.

Hang Out With Your Kids

1. Look for four-leaf clovers.
2. Climb a tree.
3. Play at the playground, or relax in the shade while you watch the kids play.
4. Build a sand castle at the beach or the big sandbox at the playground.
5. Play flashlight tag after dark.
6. Teach your kids how to play outdoor games (or let them teach you the games they play).
7. Collect rocks from your backyard.
8. Watch construction from the visitor’s side of the fence. (My son loved watching the big equipment when he was a small child.)
9. Play catch.
10. Toss a Frisbee.
11. Go to a parade (or walk in one) around Independence Day or the holidays.
12. Cool off in the summer by wading in a creek, river, or lake.
13. Catch and release fireflies after dark in the summer.
14. Build a snowman, make snow angels, or have a friendly snowball fight in the winter.
15. Go leaf viewing in your neighborhood or jump in piles of leaves in your backyard in the fall.
16. Pick flowers in your backyard or walk around to see blooming flowers in the spring.

Hang Out With Friends

1. Attend free outdoor concerts or plays sponsored by downtown associations, theater groups, etc.
2. Go window shopping in a quaint downtown. Find an interesting historic downtown to explore.
3. Visit street festivals with art exhibits, street performers, and craft demonstrations.
4. Watch people take part in technical activities, like rock climbing, kayaking, or sailing, to see if you would like to start a new sport.
5. Take in a kids’ ballgame such as a Little League game or high school scrimmage.
6. Sit on the grass outside the stadium (if allowed) for college or professional events.
7. Talk with friends outside. This is especially fun during the time from dusk to nightfall in the summer, or nearly anytime in the spring and fall.

Be Productive While Having Fun

1. Volunteer for a charity bike ride, triathlon, or road race, such as a 5K or marathon. Find events using Active.com, and visit the organizer’s website to learn about opportunities. Check out the event route and logistics if you want to participate in upcoming years.
2. Take photos of your family members. Use these in your annual holiday cards.
3. Exercise your dog.
4. Get involved in a community gardening project. Check with local hunger relief agencies, cooperative extension office, or gardening organization to find a program or learn how to start one.
5. Participate in a community cleanup or river cleanup project.

Move Around and Get Fit or Faster

1. Hike. Ask your outdoorsy friends about their favorite places or check out Backpacker Magazine’s community recommendations.
2. Go running at a steady pace.
3. Do interval training to get ready for a race or outdoor adventure.
4. Swim in a lake, river, or ocean. Be careful and have fun.
5. Take a stroll in your neighborhood. Stop and talk with your neighbors.
6. Take a bike ride. Go alone or find a group ride with local cycling groups, outdoor groups, or bicycle shops.
7. Enjoy a multi-use trail. Find a trail by checking out maps from your parks and recreation department or use a trail finder.

Enjoy Nature

1. Get closer to nature at a national park or state park. Check out the National Park Service’s website to find a park to visit at no charge and discover free activities.
2. Take photos of nature. See this tips for capturing images of birds, flowing water, and more.
3. Watch the moon go through its phases.

What are your favorite ways to have free outdoor fun?

Money is always the elephant in the room. Whether we’re broke, trying to save more or just trying to spend less, we all have our own money problems. It’s the one thing you can never get enough of; we’re always going to want more. But how can you have fun on a budget if it seems like everything has a price tag?

In an effort to save money, Michelle McGagh decided not to spend money for an entire year, which she later wrote about in The No Spend Year: How You Can Spend Less and Live More. Obviously, she needed to spend on necessities, such as home, food, utilities and essential toiletries. But for one year, McGagh enacted a self-imposed rule that she couldn’t spend on things that were unnecessary, such as vacations, drinks with friends, eating out, and tickets to movies, concerts, shows and plays. In the end, McGagh was able to successfully execute her no-spend year, and she saved more than 22,000 euros (more than $24,000 USD) in the process.

Perhaps participating in a no-spend year is too intimidating of an undertaking for you, but here are seven (easier) ways you can have fun without spending money to help you save a little more.

1. Read.

Not a book, though that’s a great and productive way to stay entertained. Read your local paper and other local publications, online and off. Many have community calendars with a list of events happening in your area, everything from concerts to food festivals to lectures and more. Scan articles like this for one keyword: free. They might not be what you’d pick first, and they might require you to step outside your comfort zone, but when is that ever a bad thing, to try something new?

2. Host a movie night.

If you don’t feel like going out, have your friends come to you. Host a movie night and make it a potluck where every guest brings a dish or snack to share. If you want to make a day of it instead, pick a series and settle in for a marathon. And if movies aren’t your thing, make it a game night. In addition to your guests contributing a food or drink item, ask them to bring their favorite board game.

3. Go outside.

Grab your bike and go for a ride around your neighborhood. If you don’t have a bike, lace up your tennis shoes and go for a walk, hike or run. Activities like these aren’t just good exercise for your body, there’s other health benefits, too, like the fact that you’re soaking up vitamin D, reducing stress and improving your mood, and it’s all for free.

4. Volunteer.

Volunteering for a local charity or organization is good for your soul (and your wallet). According to a 2009 study by social psychologist Jorge A. Barraza, Ph.D., and neuroscientist Paul J. Zak, Ph.D., when people are empathetic, 47 percent more oxytocin (aka the feel-good hormone) is released into the brain.

5. Search for treasure.

Check out yard sales in your area—even if you’re not interested in buying something for yourself. Search for anything that looks curious, take it home and research it online. You never know when an antique could be worth more than what you bought it for. If nothing else, you’re enriching your mind.

6. Learn.

Many cities have museums with free general admission, or museums with free days. Find out if any museums near you offer complimentary entry and spend an afternoon learning something new. Your friends will think you’re so cultured for going to a museum, and it’ll cost you nothing.

7. Explore.

When in doubt, explore. Head out to your city’s downtown or city center and just walk around. Maybe you’ll run into a free event or some captivating wall art—a perfect photo op for your Instagram.

If you’re looking for something fun to do this summer, keep this list of ideas in mind before you pull out your wallet to have a good time.

Cara Lustik is a fact checker and copywriter.

Serg Myshkovsky / Vetta / Getty Images

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It’s important to keep teens active—physically, mentally, and socially. And while the fall season can be filled with back-to-school hustle and bustle, it also means shorter days. As the sun sets earlier and the weather cools down, some teens may be more inclined to stay indoors with their screens.

To counter boredom complaints and lure your teen out of their room, help them find creative ways to stay active and busy. Try these fun fall activities:

Get Outside

Fall might be the perfect time of year to spend time outdoors, with its comfortable temperatures and photogenic foliage. Plus, outdoor activities usually offer much-needed exercise. Challenge your teen to recruit a friend or two and:

• Camp in your backyard.
• Bike five miles.
• Create a sidewalk chalk mural with a fall theme.
• Sit outside and sketch a tree that is losing its leaves.
• Rake leaves and play in them.
• Take pictures of the fall foliage (realistically: take pictures of each other in the fall foliage).
• Take your dog for a mile-long walk.
• Tackle a corn maze.
• Work in the garden.
• Go hiking.
• Pick apples or pumpkins.

Acts of Kindness

Consider volunteering together as a family, or helping your teen get involved in some community projects. You’ll teach valuable life lessons that they might not learn in school. Here are a few acts of kindness you can encourage:

• In honor of Thanksgiving, write a thank-you note to someone who has helped you.
• Participate in a fundraising event for charity.
• Volunteer to walk a neighbor’s dog or rake their leaves.
• Offer to babysit (for free) for someone who could use the break.
• Volunteer for your local food pantry.

Fun With Friends

The beginning of the school year is prime time for your teen to establish healthy relationships with peers. It’s important to support your teen’s efforts in seeing friends outside of the school setting. Here are a few fun fall activities your teen might want to do with friends:

• Plan a harvest party.
• Plan a Halloween party.
• Plan a group Halloween costume.
• Carve pumpkins together.
• Have a bonfire and tell ghost stories.
• Have an overnight movie marathon.
• Play a murder mystery game.
• Visit a haunted house (or work at one).
• Attend a sporting event at school.
• Join a new school club or invite someone new to a club you are in.

Family Adventures

Fall is a great time to build family memories. Create new adventures together and look for ways to share quality time, enjoying fall activities like these.

• Hike a rail trail to check out the fall foliage.
• Stuff a scarecrow.
• Decorate for Halloween.
• Roast pumpkin seeds or try another fall recipe together. Anything with apples, pumpkins, or squash works.
• Organize a yard sale.
• Picnic at a local park.
• Get your community’s events list for the fall and choose a few to attend.
• Have a bonfire and roast marshmallows.
• Have a fall color scavenger hunt.
• Go on a hayride.

Learn Something New

With the start of a new school year, assess your teen’s life skills. Are there household tasks they could be learning? How about new steps toward financial independence? Pick a couple of these valuable life skills to work on.

AllEvents.in

Mar 22 · 6 min read

The turmoil of COVID-19 Coronavirus has affected everyone’s lives and being out there is the last thing we can promote at this point in time. But saying that, we don’t want you to get bored and have dull-drab time while you can’t move out from your cozy little home. If you are having these constant questions of how you can enjoy even in this time of shutdown and what are the fun things to do at home during the coronavirus pandemic then we are here to help you out.

We have cur a ted a list of some amazing activities that you can do even when you are at your home:

[If you find anything that asks you to invite 4–5 friends, then this only is for the cities that do not have a complete lockdown. And when we say this, we want you to be extremely cautious and take all the precautions before you invite even a few people in your space.]

If art is something that inspires you and fits your interests then there are so many things that you can learn at this time. Learn DIY crafts, take a sketching class or learn a new form of painting with online classes and videos. Here are a few recommendations that will help in brushing the artistic side of you.

Create Astounding Portraits, Sketches & Paintings — Hobbies That Are Long Lost Need To Come Out

Suggestion #1: Will Kemp Art School is an online school started by the professional artist Will Kemp. Learn how to create astounding portraits, sketches, acrylic and oil paintings with online tutorials. Check some of the free videos and you would definitely want to spend your money to create one masterpiece. You can attend online classes by FunArtNight.com

Suggestion #2: Paul Priestley’s videos are for anyone and everyone who wants to learn how to draw from scratch. There are so many videos for multiple styles of sketching and painting. From learning how to draw still life objects to understanding how to use colored pencils; there are all kinds of sketching techniques and painting videos to keep you hooked.

Comics, Magic Pens & A Uniqueness To Art- Things You Might Not Try Otherwise But Now That You’re Home #LetsDoThis

Jazza’s videos are for those who want to try doing things that are out of the ordinary. Learn how to draw with augmented reality or try your hands at creating comics. There is a lot that you can find on his channel; indulge in distinctive forms of art. Also, you might also get to learn a lot about new tools to create art that you might have never seen before.

#5MinuteCrafts- Well You Have Hours To Kill, This One Will Give You Some Nice Life Hacks & Crafty Ideas

5-Minute Crafts as the name suggests is a channel that helps you in creating creative craft works in just 5 minutes. With millions of followers and a heavy bunch of crafty and life hack videos; this is a go-to channel for anyone who is having a boring day at home. Even when you do not wish to create crafts, this will be some #inspo for you.

Channel your inner musical artist; engage in singing, learn an instrument or attend one virtual concert. Indulge in some fun things that are associated with music, install apps where you can practice singing or your favorite music instrument or host a musical night with 4–5 friends of yours or your family.

Time To Sing-Along, Go Karaoke-ing! No You Don’t Need One Whole System

Smule which released as Sing! Karaoke on iOS platform is one amazing app to show off your singing skills. Sing alone, partner with someone and make some magical videos. Also, just right now there is an ongoing virtual music reality show 1,2,3…Riyaaz. Participate in one of the three teams of India’s very popular faces; Kusha Kapila, Lisa Mishra, and Jassie Gill! Wait up for the new challenge…

Make a family-friendly musical night and you can do it as Italy does; get out in your balconies and sing along together or have a virtual singing party because why not?

Try Your Hands At Ukulele, Guitar Or Even Piano; Yes All This Online

Yousician is an app for anyone who wants to try their hands at guitar, ukulele, and singing. Get real-time feedback and instructions as you make your way through thousands of songs, exercises, and teacher-crafted lessons! Improve and brush your skills with this absolutely amazing app.

Have A Thing For Beatboxing, Enroll In This School And Make Your Cool Videos Already

Have a thing for beatboxing but never knew where to start from? School of beatbox is the place for you, learn to beatbox online with ease. From beginners to intermediate, there are multiple courses to choose from.

What is better than spending time playing games online with your friends or random people around the world during such pandemic? Gaming gives you this opportunity to stay connected even in isolation and to have fun with your friends. Saying that here is the list of games you can play online:

All You Action Lovers, Kill The Boredom With Your Friends Through This Kickass Games

Counter-Strike is a multiplayer co-op Team based game where you are either a terrorist or Counter terrorist and play against real players around the world. This fast-paced action game will make sure your time is well spent.

It won’t be possible to create a gaming list that doesn’t contain the famous Battle Royale game PUBG. This game is of 100 real players where you can play solo or duo or in a squad of 4 people. You can even talk while playing with your teammates which increases the fun to play the game extensively.

Fortnite is again a battle royale game for different consoles but it is not an ordinary game, this game has unique graphics along with its Building mechanism in the game. This too can be played solo, duo or in Squad. Battle everyone on the map and be the last man standing, getting the sweet Victory Royale.

Something Fairly Decent, No Action But Just Fun; These Are The Games For You

Ludo King is a mobile game that can be played between 2–6 players online. This is the mobile ver. of the board game that we used to play as children. This will allow us to have fun along with getting nostalgic. Online tournaments for ludo is also a common thing, which will help you to make some extra money.

Minecraft is a 3D sandbox game that has no objective or goals to accomplish. This game lets you create literally anything with the different materials found all over the infinite map in the game. So during the time of such a crisis, you can create your own world where you will be the one to control it.

Apart from these two; Psych, Phase 10, Rummy and many more online games can keep you and your friends hooked.

Having fun with someone is quite normal, and people are often afraid of making an attempt to entertain themselves.

‘It’s better in the company,’ some will say, and many will nod to this. We live in a world in which to be alone – either in terms of singles or sitting alone in coffee is considered bad and we may be treated like losers.

It’s actually a pretty wrong perception because a man same as women should sometimes be alone with themselves and their thoughts. Among other things, we can have fun ourselves.

Go to a restaurant

You have all the places in the city to make a choice, you don’t have to agree with anyone, so go to that Indian food restaurant that you have wanted to visit so much and which didn’t get attention to your friends. Yes, you will eat alone, but you will realize that it is not so bad.

Visit the cinema and watch what you want

You no longer have to postpone going to see that comedy of silly jokes that everyone criticizes. Now you can go without anyone judging you. Don’t give explanations, just go, and take some popcorn and a large soda and cry of laughter with that nonsense.

Eat a great dessert

If you feel like a banana split, go for it, eat the dessert you want, when you want and how you want. You can leave – nothing because you don’t have anyone in front to bothers you.

Visit a bar and flirt

If you’ve always wanted to sit at a bar and get to talk to the bartender or barmaid, this is your moment. Okay, you don’t have to flirt, but you can make friends with the bartender/barmaid.

Go jogging

You can go out at your own pace, sweat how much you want and return when you feel you are going to faint. You don’t have to worry about answering to anyone.

Go to an exhibition

If you have always wanted to go to a show that is in the city, but your friends look at you badly, this is the moment. It’s like going to the movies to see a movie that nobody wants to see. Cheer up!

Make some selfies

You criticize people taking selfies, but maybe you can take your cell phone and do tests to see your best angle or to laugh at the ridiculous faces you can do.

Traveling – why not?

You can go sightseeing to places you would never visit with your friends or a couple. Moreover, you do not have to get anyone to agree to visit the places you want to visit.

Go for a walk

Go out, walk the streets, get out a little and get out of the routine. Enjoy landscapes, streets, and places that, in general, you don’t notice when you have to reach a place.

Read some book in the park

Carry a good book and sit on the grass or on a chair that is comfortable. It doesn’t matter if you don’t concentrate, the idea is that it’s a plan for you to live the experience.

Further Reading: 9 Books That Will Make you Think!!

Learn to play an instrument

You don’t even need to call an instructor, find online tutorials, and set a challenging goal.

Volunteer

Depending on your personal preferences, find an association that stands for the same goals as you. Become part of their team and create beautiful and positive stories together.

Write

Express your thoughts and feelings. Alone, without other people. Turn them into a blog, write a novel, or just keep your own diary.

Here are 7 ways to stay safe (and still have fun).

With summer in full swing and the country more than three months into the novel coronavirus pandemic, we get it if you’re feeling a little stir-crazy about staying inside. Still, with new case diagnoses climbing close to 50,000 per day as some states reopen and people start gathering in public again, health officials are suggesting that Americans celebrate July Fourth at home. (They point to the increase in cases on and since Memorial Day weekend, when some parts of the country eased restrictions.)

Staying home alone or with your family is always going to be the safest option virus-wise, but it may not be the healthiest for your mental well-being. Humans are social creatures, after all, and most of us won’t be able to stay completely holed up until a vaccine is approved (likely at least six months from now).

“Any gathering right now comes with its own level of risk,” says Sandra Kesh, M.D., the deputy medical director and infectious disease specialist at Westmed Medical Group in Westchester, New York. But if you’re determined to have a gathering, say, around a meal, here’s how to do so in the safest fashion.

How to Have a Safer Gathering During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Invite Wisely

Remind invited guests to stay home if they’ve been exposed to the virus in the last 14 days or are showing any symptoms.

“Anyone who has had close contact with a person who has COVID-19 should also stay home and monitor their health,” says Kristen Nordlund, a CDC spokesperson in Atlanta, Georgia. (P.S. The CDC has a guide on all things social during the pandemic.) “Guests who live with those at higher risk should also consider the potential risk to their loved ones.”

Stick to Your “Quaran-team”

Invite only those who you know are following safe protocols and have not put themselves in risky situations (such as a crowded mall, bar or a gym).

“Find a small group of people you know and trust and form an ‘isolation pod.’ That should be your social unit until we get the case count under control, especially because of cases going through the roof in some states. Even in a state with low cases, it’s easy for it to be reintroduced in a community that’s starting to feel more comfortable,” Kesh says.

If you’re unsure if someone has been taking physical distancing or face mask recommendations seriously, “I wouldn’t spend time around those people right now. It’s not worth the risk,” Kesh adds.

Host Your Gathering Outdoors

If you must head inside, gather in a well-ventilated area such as near an open window, Nordlund says. (Check out more about the science behind the open window idea as it relates to the coronavirus.)

Greet Wisely

“When guests arrive, minimize gestures that promote close contact. Instead of shaking hands, elbow bumping or hugging, wave and verbally greet each other,” Nordlund says.

We know, it can be awkward, but it’s for the best in terms of overall safety.

“Just because someone looks and feels fine, doesn’t mean they’re not infectious. A little bit of paranoia is not a bad thing,” Kesh says.

It’s a good idea to set ground rules before the event—with your family and your host—to ensure you’re on the same page. Open and honest communication is key, Kesh says.

Maintain Your Distance

Arrange tables and chairs to allow for physical distancing. People from the same household can be in groups together and don’t need to be spaced far, just aim to stay 6 or more feet away from other families, Nordlund explains. When indoors especially, 10 feet of distance is better than 6, Kesh adds, since there are a lot of indications that COVID-19 spreads by respiratory droplets that can travel surprisingly far under certain conditions.

If kids are invited, dream up creative ways to keep them entertained yet apart, such as a chalk art “competition” on different parts of the driveway.

Ask Everyone to Keep Masks Handy

Consider providing disposable face masks for guests or ask all guests to bring their own. Definitely wear cloth face coverings when less than 6 feet apart from others or any time you’re indoors, Nordlund says. If you’re outside and aren’t eating, your best bet is to wear a mask as well.

“Outside, you have a bit more leeway than inside, but it’s not worth the risk of taking your mask off,” Kesh says. “People may take their masks off and think they will stay 6 feet away from each other, but if you get within 6 feet, it becomes awkward to point it out. Also, all you need to see is two people not wearing a mask and suddenly the comfort level goes up and everyone takes their masks off.”

When in Doubt, BYO

While no coronavirus cases have been linked to transmission via food, you do increase your risk level when everyone gathers around the same bowl, plate or wine bottle—or when you all touch the same serving utensils. Instead of a shareable cookout menu or potluck, have each separate family unit bring their own food, drink and service ware.

“There have been cases of people holding a dinner party where the host got sick and didn’t know until a few days later. Everyone at the party got sick too. If you’re going to hold a party, be careful about the number of people you invite, who you invite and masks must absolutely be the rule,” Kesh says.

And—you can probably guess our final suggestion—be sure to wash your hands early and often.

The information in this story is accurate as of press time. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it’s possible that some data have changed since publication. While EatingWell is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO and their local public health department as resources.

Online parties are becoming something of the future for us Party Planners/Direct Sellers. It’s a great way to get that hostess that just does not want to have a party in her home. Online Parties can be a bit of a nightmare in terms of how they work, so I thought I would write down all the information with regards to doing your own online party and show you How Online Parties Work and How to Have a Successful Online Party.

Why Have An Online Party

Online Parties are great if you are a Hostess and also as a Party Planner, if you are the Consultant you won’t need to go out that night and do the party and if you are a hostess you don’t have the hassle of having to invite friends over, prepare any food, or get a baby sitter. If you are hosting an Online Party you can sometimes come away with more FREE stuff than having a regular party and if there is no hostess you could be the one that is getting the commission, chosen at random.

As a Consultant it means that you can possibly get orders from people who you did not even think that you would have, as they don’t feel the pressure to buy and it is just a bit of fun.

How an Online Party Works

The way an Online Party Works is you would invite all the people who you know to be able to purchase items from your website or direct from you between the hours of 8pm-10pm or 10am-2pm. These means that people are able to buy your products but not have a party. I run an online party once a month, this is what I do:

• I go on Facebook and create an event and invite everyone I have as friends.
• I explain the time that I will be selling products from online
• What they have to do
• I remind people about the event 24 hours before
• When the event starts I thank everyone for coming on my business Facebook page
• After about ½ hour I start a game – this game is usually looking on the website to find an anagram or something on the webpage – The first person to comment gets a prize, this is usually £5.00 off their purchase or something along those lines
• I would usually then play another game about an hour later.
• When the party time is up I would Thank everyone for attending and supporting me and my business
• I would then select someone to receive the Hostess Gift or Offer

It is totally up to you how long you run the event for and it is a good way to be able to see what kind of reach that you get. Obviously if you do not get the best response I would try something different the next time, BUT DON’T GIVE UP. Advise people who you meet that you are able to do online parties and also your email database can be contacted to let them know about your event. If does not have to all be done over facebook you could also do it in a chat room that will allow you to do so.

Now that we are in the age of the Internet it is great to be able to use it to your advantage for your business.

Here are a few tips to help you with your Online Party

• Try and do your online party when you are launching a New Product, Holiday Offers, Bulk Offers (if you buy a mascara you get a foundation for FREE)
• Add a Mystery Hostess section in your online party, randomly select someone who attends to be your Mystery Hostess and be able to get the benefits
• Repeat your website URL, ordering instructions, and incentives several times during the party and for any late arrivals. Make sure guests understand shipping charges and expected shipping date. If you are keeping the party open for several days or longer after the online party, make sure your clients understand that and know when they can expect to receive their products
• And finally, as with anything we do in our Home Party Plan businesss – FOLLOW UP! Keep in touch with everyone who came, ordered, played games, or just “hung out” for a little while. If they were interested enough to come visit, they are interested enough to become a client.

If you need any further assistance or would like help in setting up your Online Party, you can contact The Party Plan Guru on

Encourage your daughter’s creativity, compassion, and well-being

Jennifer O’Donnell holds a BA in English and has training in specific areas regarding tweens, covering parenting for over 8 years.

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Tweens are imaginative and active creatures, and most tween girls love projects, activities, and keeping busy in general. But despite being a fountain of energy and thought, you might find that your daughter gets bored on summer break or during the winter holidays. It’s also possible that she is looking for projects to conquer throughout the year—on weekends or when friends sleep over. Keeping her busy with engaging or sometimes challenging activities can not only be productive, it can also teach valuable lessons about health, safety, and the benefits of exercise.

Have Fun With Friends

There are many entertaining things tween girls can do as a group. If your daughter and her friends are running out of ideas or seem a little bored, encourage her to try one of these activities:

• Start a new club with a group of friends that share an interest.
• Write a play and get friends to help produce the show.
• Visit a thrift store and find something for each of her friends. Then have a lunch party and give them their gifts.
• Host a science fair for friends. Give them an invite to the fair and pass out goody bags.
• Invite friends over for a formal dinner party. As an added challenge, have her plan the menu and prepare the meal herself.
• Organize a backyard Olympics for a group of friends. Offer medals and cold drinks, then have a cookout to conclude the ceremony.

Learn Something New

Tweens are at the perfect stage in life to learn just about anything, and it doesn’t always have to happen at school. Learning how to do something new is a great way for girls to explore their interests, challenge themselves, and dive deeper into their favorite subjects.

• Find and read three new novels.
• Study a foreign language.
• Learn how to crochet or sew, and make something simple such as a scarf or a pillow.
• Set a summer goal and then work every day to make it happen.
• Learn about three dream jobs she’d like to do when she grows up.
• Make a mobile of the universe. Do the research online first, then use recycled items to create the planets and the sun.
• Research art, music, or fashion from different decades. Find examples and create a scrapbook that shows how trends have changed and how they influence (and are influenced by) society.
• Pick a famous woman from history and research her life. Find out about her accomplishments and then write a biography of her.

Get Creative

The creativity level in tween girls is quite amazing. Nurture your daughter’s ingenuity and encourage her to take on a few projects that let her explore her imagination, talents, and sense of style.

• Write a book or a poem.
• Sketch or paint your family pet.
• Create an original comic strip.
• Learn to play a new instrument.
• Create a scrapbook to be shared with friends.
• Redecorate her room using items she already owns.
• Write a story about your family pet, create an accompanying video, and upload it online.
• Make a spoof of a favorite television show. Capture it on video and then show it during family movie night.

Promote Health and Wellness

It’s important for young girls to feel confident about themselves. Learning how to take care of their minds and bodies is a great way to do that.

• Write in a journal every day. Journaling can help your tween deal with stress and prioritize her goals and time. She may really enjoy learning about bullet journaling as well.
• Learn to ride a bike or a skateboard. Be sure to emphasize safety and the benefits of exercise and outdoor activities.
• Create a fitness routine to do every day.
• Train for a 5K race. Research safe training techniques as well as how to set goals and stay healthy.
• Think up dinner menus for a week and then make them and freeze them for the family. Be sure to focus on nutrition and the benefits of healthy eating.
• Get a head start on the new school year by figuring out what she’d like to change about herself, and then do it.

Give Back

Just as important as her personal health, it’s good to encourage tweens to be compassionate toward others. This can involve people she already cares for or complete strangers, but learning how to care for the well-being of everyone is an important life lesson.

• Make a homemade gift for a friend or a neighbor.
• Volunteer at the local library.
• Do something thoughtful for every member of the family.
• Cheer up a family member who is in the dumps.
• Make a list of all the things that make your family great and unique. Share them at a family dinner.
• Tutor a younger child.
• Clean out collections of stuffed animals or clothes and donate many of the items to charity.

Do Something Useful and Fun

Some activities are simply done for fun, but they also have a usefulness that gives your daughter a feeling of accomplishment.

Planning a “couples’ night” party for your favorite friends? There is more to do than movies and popcorn; and don’t expect your favorite playlist of songs will keep the party hopping all night long, not everyone loves Fleetwood Mac like you do. Get out some of these great games to play with friends and keep everyone smiling and interacting!

Mr. Postman

Here comes the first fun game to play with friends: Mr. Postman. Similar to musical chairs, this game is a great icebreaker and provides a chance to get to know each other. Set up a circle of chairs with room for everyone to stand and move. The Postman in the middle calls, “Delivery! Everyone who has a pet!” Whoever has a pet gets up and exchange seats with another one, giving the Postman a chance to grab a chair. Change delivery topic to anything you like!

Catch the Catch Phrase

This is one of the most popular games to play with friends for a theme party, everyone will be involved from step one, and if you have an artistic side, you have an advantage. Divide the players into 2 teams. Everyone from each team writes a theme related catch phrase on a piece of paper, and each person will have a chance to pick a phrase and attempt to draw it while the other team guesses. Use a timer for timed drawing and timed guessing.

Keep Track of the Pat

This is a belly buster that is interactive and hilarious because everyone loves winning! Form a circle, sitting on the floor and cross arms with hands flat on the floor. Go around the circle, patting each hand once, and there could be a double pat switch direction. If someone accidentally pats or raises their hand to pat and it’s not their turn, that hand is out. Last hand in wins!

Honest or Not

As our 4th game to play with friends, this will get you thinking and wondering about your friends. Use three cards, two say “Honest,” one says “Not,” put them in front of three people with no one peeking. According to their card, they have to answer a question honestly or not. Everyone else works on figuring out who is not honest. If you are caught, you do a dare; if not caught, you choose who does the dare.

Capture the Flag

A classic that sees which team is the sneakiest! Two teams split an area equally (best played outside), each team has a flag to hide with at least an inch of the flag must be visible. Sneak over to capture the flag; if you are captured, go to “JAIL!” A member of your team may save you, but he or she can still be tagged when trying to make it to your own side. The first team sneaks the flag wins.

Trivia Pop

Find out who know what about current pop culture! Find as many fun questions about music, movies, TV, celebs, etc. Set up two to four teams to answer questions and receive their points when correct. You can use bells for buzzers. This game can be turned into your favorite TV game show with a little extra organization.

A.B.C., Go!

When it comes to the games to play with friends, who can forget the forever classic Scavenger hunts? Scavenger hunts bring out the competitive side to everyone, and it will show who is really creative. Each team gets a bag that is the same size. Set a time limit for each team to find something that starts with a letter, like starting with “A.” When the buzzer rings, the team with the most items wins! Items cannot be used for multiple letters, for instance, remote is C (controller) or R (remote).

Dare to Spin

No more lame kissing in the closest when the bottle lands on you, see what dares your friends are willing to do. Have a bowl filled with dares written by everyone at the party. If the spinning bottle lands on you, you pick your own dare. If you are in the game, there is no getting out of the dare, just do it!

Where’s My Cell Phone?

Chasing each other in the dark is always fun! This game is only played in the dark. One person gets a cell phone and hides, everyone else works together to find him. The group is allowed one phone. The person hiding is allowed to change hiding places but must call the group to give short hints and clues to their location. Now, try to find your phone!

Speed Racer

The last but not the least, Speed Racer occupies the final place of our “Games to Play with Friends.” If it’s time for the party to wrap up, this is great for those who linger—a challenge and lack of breath will tire them out! Set up a table with two racing tracks (double sided sticky tape). Place a ping-pong ball on each track and see who can get their ball to the end first, the hard part being you can only use a straw. Don’t get dizzy!

Though the monsoons can make quite boring, there are some fun things to help you enjoy such days thoroughly. To have an exciting and fun filled day during this season, read this article on things to do with friends on a rainy day.

Though the monsoons can make quite boring, there are some fun things to help you enjoy such days thoroughly. To have an exciting and fun filled day during this season, read this article on things to do with friends on a rainy day.

Most people, regardless of age, enjoy the rains, as it brings with it a pleasant and cool climate. However, though you may enjoy watching the rains for sometime, it can make you feel bored, as you are stuck at home with nothing to do. Many people may also have to cancel out their plans due to untimely occurrence of the rains. Though this can be quite frustrating, you do not have to be dejected, as there are still several interesting things to do with friends on a rainy day. So, this article presents to you some of these activities with which you can turn a boring day to a truly happening one.

Fun-filled Monsoon Activities

Fun Outdoor Activities

Though it is raining outside, there is nothing stopping you and your friends from going to a mall. Shopping is one of the best things that you can do on a rainy day, especially if you have an all-girls gang. Another idea will be to go to the nearby multiplex and watch the latest movie that you were planning for a long time. Other places that you can visit are museums, bowling alley, etc., according to your interests.

Indoor Games

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Now, people who do not like the idea of getting wet when it is raining very heavily, just call up your close buddies home and have a blast. If you love playing basketball, create a basketball court in your home and enjoy playing. However, as there is a risk of one of you breaking the furniture, it will be really good if you stick to some interesting board games, like Scrabble, monopoly, card games, or video games. Arranging a scavenger hunt at your home is also one of the fun activities.

Watch a Movie

If you and your friends are not able to go out to watch a movie, how about having a film festival at home? Ask all your buddies to bring their favorite DVDs, and watch all of them back-to-back. Creating an ambiance of a movie theater by dimming the lights will make the whole thing even more exciting. A big bowl of popcorn and glasses of soft drinks will complete the movie experience.

Arrange a Play

If you want a creative idea, how about arranging a play at home itself? You can either choose a popular play or create a new play together. Though you can select whichever type of play you like, making a humorous play will surely add to the fun. Design costumes for each character with the help of clothes from your wardrobe and present this play in front of your family. You can also record the performance on a video camera and upload it on your blog or some website.

Have a Picnic

Now, who said that a picnic can be fun only under the big blue sky? Rather, you can actually have a really fun picnic at your home itself. Create the atmosphere of a picnic in your living room by spreading some mats, quilts and cushions on the floor. Keeping some plants around the room will also be great to complete the effect. Make some chocolate chip cookies as well as hot chocolate and enjoy your picnic with the sound of heavy rainfall in the background.

Party Time

Having a party at home is also one of the really fun things to do. Make sure that you have enough food at home before you call on your friends. Download some great party music or songs from the Internet and copy it into a CD. Convert any part of your house, either your living room or your bedroom into a disco and dance the whole evening.

Apart from these activities, one of the best ideas is to play in the rain. People who love to get wet and do not mind getting a little dirty will definitely enjoy this rain party. These are just some of the things to do on a rainy day, and you, along with your friends, can come up with much more interesting ones. So, the next time it rains, do not lower your spirits, just call up your friends and enjoy!

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