Lockdown? How to have some safe fun at home

For the first time in South Africa's 25 years of democracy, the country has gone into a national lockdown bearing the responsibility to "flatten the curve" of COVID-19 infections. Announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 24 March, this lockdown has confined many non-essential workers and scholars to the safety of their homes. While some people join the world-wide phenomenon of working remotely, many individuals have given in to boredom. After all, there's only so much cleaning and DIY one can do for 21 days.

Taskmaster
Hosted by Alex Horne, Taskmaster aims to make self-isolating and social distancing more manageable. Each day, Alex gives followers a new task on Twitter which they need to do at home and post a video of themselves doing the task using #HomeTasking. Viewers' attempts are featured in a highlight reel on his YouTube channel. 'Make the best dancing elephant', is an example of a task that Alex has given audiences.

Take a free online course
There is no better time to learn something new for free than this lockdown period. There are many free courses and podcasts from top universities available online. Great programming courses are Mobile Development, Web Development, and Game Development. Science courses include Astronomy, Biology, Quantum Mechanics, and Agriculture. Business courses that will help you excel are Management & Leadership, Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Marketing. In addition to this, there are also fun courses that can expand your knowledge of sharks. Even the kids can keep learning during the lockdown.

Give your couch some attention
With all this extra time available, it is a good idea to catch up on that movie you said you were going to watch last year. If you are looking for new movies too then Netflix, Showmax, and even Amazon Prime have some great viewings. DSTV has also joined forces with the country and opened 13 DStv Now channels which are free for all South Africans to watch. Remember that these are subscription-based channels and would require you to use your data.

Cook up a storm
If you enjoy cooking (or not), this is the best time to perfect your cooking skills and try something new. You can also get the rest of the family involved in your fun cooking expeditions. Social media is full of ideas for different meals and there are loads of simple videos on Tasty and other great websites.

Learn a new language
Imagine going back to work after lockdown being able to speak fluently in another language. There are 15-minute podcasts such as RadioLingua's 'Coffee Break French' and 'Coffee Break Spanish' that can help you and the whole family learn in little daily doses. Or for something different, why not try learning sign language?

Start a garden
If you fancy yourself having green fingers, then why not make the most of this lockdown by starting the garden you always dreamed of. Pick the types of vegetables, flowers or herbs you want to have and start growing them indoors before the growing season. When they are ready you can move them outside. Shallots, cauliflower, thyme, garlic, and spinach grow well during the colder seasons in South Africa.

Make video greetings for loved ones
While you are on lockdown you can still video call your bestie. A better option would be to make a short video using your smartphone. You can get all dressed up and give a funny or loving message to your friends and family. Include the rest of the family as well in your video. Chances are that your loved one will also send you a video, allowing everyone to still keep in touch. There are also apps that can make your videos more fun and well appreciated.

These are trying times for all South Africans and the rest of the world. Keep focused on the goal of staying safe and 'flattening the curve'. Together, but separated, we can avoid the coronavirus.