Coronovirus: Things to do in your Sheffield homes

We’re really missing the weekly groups we usually run here at Sheffield Flourish. Although we’re still available over the phone, we’ve been trying to think of what we can do to fill the gaps. So, we decided to put together this blog of activities.

First off, a really helpful picture we wanted to share, which talks about what you can and can’t control:

One of the things our staff team have found helpful, too, is using our new accounts on the My Toolkit platform (if you don’t know it already, it’s a website we recently launched). It’s a good space to think about what works for you, and although you can’t plan to visit most activities as they’re sadly shut, it’s easy for you to set your own goals. You could add goals from the ideas below? There’s also an amazing list of different things to do at home through a website called Chatterpack, which includes the Quarantine Chat app.

Now we’d like to share some activity ideas. If you can think of any we should add in here, please get in touch and let us know!

Arts and crafts

The internet is absolutely full of arts and crafts activities, but here’s just a few suggestions:

• Make a scrap book
• Make some cheap but brilliant arts and crafts (including smart uses for toilet rolls, if you have some going spare!)
• Visit a major art gallery through their online collection
• Download one of our free art packs!
• You can use Skribbl to play a sort of online pictionary!
• Have a browse of Pinterest, which is a kind of social media for arts and crafts (it has loads and loads of ideas)

Music

• Live stream a concert through the #TogetherAtHome hashtag (or even add your own!)
• Have a look at free (and cheap) online resources for learning music
• Play some music out your window, or from your front yard, inspired by the Italians (obviously remember the 2 metre rule!)
• Listen to our Mood Booster playlist on Spotify!
• Fender are offering 3 months free guitar lessons on their Fender Play App during the lockdown.
• Quite excited by this online karaoke app called Smule where you can record half a song, and it gets matched up with a stranger singing to make one complete song
• And there’s also a blog with other ideas for free software and services.

Football and exercise

• Get involved with the #stayathomechallenge, where football stars from around the world are doing keepie-uppies with toilet roll!
• The Sheffield and Hallamshire FA have shared some excellent tips on staying active at home.
• Lots of people, including our Connected Worlds group, have been joining Joe Wickes in his morning YouTube PE sessions, and there’s more ideas for fitness on Sheffield International Venues’ website.
• And for some more gentle exercise, there’s loads of yoga online, Adrienne’s videos are really highly rated, or there’s 80-year-old Diana Morgan’s advice.
• Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United are offering free classic matches to watch.

Reading and writing

• There’s the obvious one: journal your thoughts. We’re living through weird times and writing can be massively therapuetic for just getting things out of your head. You might also find you write some interesting stuff.
• Podcasts can be a great source of inspiration, and are generally a really nice way to spend your time. Audiobooks can also be a nice way to read while feeling like you’re being read to. Send us an email if you’d like some suggestions for podcasts!
• Listen to Taika Waititi (and famous friends) read James and the Giant Peach on Youtube!
• There are lots of online book groups out there, including Book Group Online (or you might like to try zoom or whatsapp with friends).
• Write a story for Sheffield Flourish, we’d love to hear hopeful stories about how you’re spending your time. Lucy Hamilton’s story is a good source of inspiration.

Connecting with nature and the outside world (safely!)

• As long as you aren’t one of the at-risk groups, or experiencing symptoms, then we really encourage you to get out and do one form of exercise each day. Even if it’s just a walk!
• This is cool: 25 foods you can re-grow from kitchen scraps
• Try out a bit of mindful walking, even if it’s just around your house, and see if you can notice some of the details you wouldn’t normally notice when there’s more to do.
• When the sun’s out like today meditation can be so lovely. It’s not for everyone, but if you think it might work for you, there’s also free guided meditations on Insight Timer.

Alongside these, there’s also learning a language, doing a spring clean, or even just enjoying sitting in your PJs watching TV!

If you have more ideas to share, please let us know. Take care everyone, and we’re here on the phone line during normal working hours if you need us.