Amidst the stress and anxiety from the world-wide pandemic of COVID-19, another stress has crept into most homes. It is the anxiety of being all day long with your partner in the confinement of your house. Of course, this doesn’t indicate the lack of love between a couple, but certainly indicates the lack of preparedness to be spending all the time together, all of a sudden.

Instead of getting yourself into the rut of being at home, make the most of this together-time. We have put together this list of fun things you could try at home together during the dramatic turn of events COVID-19 has brought into your life.

Beat the Boredom with a Karaoke Contest

Music is said to have calming effects on your mind. What better way to beat that stress off than singing it away. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a karaoke device. YouTube is filled with karaoke tunes for all your favourite songs in any language you want. You don’t have to be a perfect singer to enjoy this. In fact, the more badly you sing the more entertainment you can have. This is surely a way to bond with each other in a fun way. Even if you have children, parents or in-laws living with you, this could turn out to be quite a family entertainer. You could even turn the children into judges for your competition.

Set your table out for card games and board games

Now is the time to take out all those board games catching dust in your cupboards. Take out your Twisters, Scrabble, Snakes and Ladders, Uno, Pictureka, Taboo, or the plain old Rummy. Since you are going to be inside your home for some more days to come, it would also not be such a bad idea to indulge in the never-ending saga of Monopoly. These games not only bring fun and competition into your life but also help you polish your mind. It can break the monotony of the otherwise boring hours spent in front of the television, surfing channels.

Take a glimpse down the memory lane

This is a good time to go through all your photographs together from the past. In this digital age, though we click thousands of pictures, we hardly find the time to sit and look back at them. This is a good time to explore your hard drives, and laptops for those precious memories and while you are at it, you could even organise and put them into easily accessible folders. You can even choose some pictures from those thousands that you could print out later and create a photo album like old times.

Dress up for an indoor photoshoot

If your closet could speak, they would wonder why none of the clothes are being taken out. Plan a fun photoshoot with your partner and your children if you have any. You can dress up for a change and Google or Pinterest for ideas for a fun indoor photoshoot. You could use your digital cameras on tripods or even prop up your smartphones to take funny and uncanny photos in your home. Try different angles and perspectives while clicking. You can also try taking pictures of everyday activities you do together, or just some cozy pictures in the comfort of your bed.  Not only would this be an exciting activity but it would also turn out to be something you would cherish to look back on after many years.

Enrol in online dance lessons

You have pestered your partner to join a Salsa and he/she always made an excuse of not having time. Now is the perfect time to enrol yourself in one of the online courses available for various dance lessons. There are many good websites like learntodance.com or Udemy which offer paid courses to various couple dance forms. You will also find many such dance lessons on YouTube, free of charge, which you can watch, learn and practice together.

Keep fit together

A lockdown surely takes a toll on your fitness, as you tend to spend more and more time on your couch. Motivate each other to get into regular physical fitness at home. You could follow mobile apps or YouTube videos that will guide you on what exercises to do. Exercising together not ensures fitness but also helps in making your bond stronger. Many researchers suggest that doing synchronised activities together make you tune into your partner more than usual.  Meditation is also helpful in these stressful times.

Find a finger-licking recipe

For almost all Indians, sitting down and doing nothing is a time to eat. The lockdown makes it impossible to drop in at your favourite restaurant, eat Paanipuris at the roadside vendor or order in delicious take-aways. It is a good time to search for a recipe you always wanted to try and do it together. Experimenting and cooking together can make you bond in terms of your likes and dislikes. It is an opportunity to explore the playfulness in your relationship and enjoy creating something delicious together. 

Plan special date nights

Can you set your creativity into a spark and think of innovative ideas to have date nights? How about a candle night dinner in your balcony? Or some popcorn and binge-watch your favourite series? How about just putting on some music and dancing away?

Make the most of this time you are getting to spend together. Make everyday special.