Many people look forward to summer, especially the students and teachers. With no school activities to think of, they should have two months of stress-free life to enjoy. But what would summer be without the family trips to the beach, parties with friends, summer sports programs, and travels abroad?
The COVID-19 pandemic came close to canceling life when cities decided to shut down operations, keep people at home, and focus on virus-related healthcare programs. Luckily, the limited movement doesn’t mean it’s the end of fun. Although the risk of spreading the coronavirus remains with the reopening of business operations and communities, you don’t have to cancel summer just to survive.
So what can you do for fun this summer if you can’t go anywhere?
Create a list of home activities
If you have young children in the house and your city or town doesn’t allow them to go out for long, explain the circumstances and let them find non-traditional summer activities to do at home. You’ll be surprised at the many ideas they can come up with, such as the following:
- Backyard obstacle course
- Glamping in the living room
- Indoor treasure hunt
- Trying delicious easy-to-do recipes
- Family karaoke and dance party
- Dressing up to Star Wars Day
- Family biking to a nearby spot
Dress up your home for a summery vibe
To keep the kids anchored, make sure your home environment is inspiring and lively. You don’t want to have a dim, dreary room that might lower your kid’s energy while you’re trying to encourage them to play.
Open your windows and let sunlight into the house every day. Put up brightly colored modern window treatments that you can adjust, depending on the weather and time of day.
If you have glass windows or sliding glass doors, make picture windows out of them or create a stained- glass effect. Check out how to make a faux stained-glass window to see the simple ingredients you need.
To make picture windows, get cutouts of images you like, or even your family photos, and stick them to the glass from the outside using Mod Podge. Beautiful scenes on your window can lift your family’s spirit, remind you of what matters most, and provide hope for better days ahead.
Replace your dark and thick beddings and furniture covers into flower-patterned ones with light, thin fabric. This will remind you of the season and why you need to be upbeat.
Find online tours to the destinations you like
Travel procedures will be a lot different under the new normal. In fact, traveling may be limited. Many airlines were affected by the lockdown and travel restrictions recently, and they’re revisiting their operations—most likely to streamline them.
As of mid-May, more than 6,000 planes were parked all over the U.S., according to CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg, in an interview with Wtop.com. Many of them may not return to flight. Expect airport procedures to be snail-paced as well, with temperature checks and disinfecting happening in every section.
With normal international or national travel flow on hold, it may be best to shelve travel plans for now, except to nearby places. Instead, find virtual tours of top travel destinations in the world and “visit” them as a family. You can take it further by serving snacks that coincide with the places you will visit virtually that day. Share a pizza as you move around the Vatican Museum, a French pastry while you marvel at the Louvre, or the usual burger and fries while walking through the Smithsonian.
Don’t cancel summer, even if you can’t go to the beach, play baseball, or party with friends like before. By livening up your home, making a list of activities you can do with the family, and exploring the world virtually, you can do fun things together in the comfort of your home.
