During these challenging times, we need nothing more than the helping hands and support of our loved ones. Just because we can’t see each other face to face doesn’t mean we can’t continue to spend quality time with our families. That’s where virtual hangouts come in handy! Here are four ideas for virtual hangouts you can enjoy right from the comfort of your home.
Play games over Zoom
Family game night doesn’t have to stop in the midst of social distancing. Schedule a meeting with your free Zoom account and pick from a range of virtual games. You’d be surprised by how many of your favorite games you can find online! Want to get those creative juices flowing? Grab a pencil, a pad of paper and use this Pictionary word generator. Looking for something simple? There are online versions of bingo and trivia, too.
Cook and eat together over FaceTime
There’s no better way to connect with the people we care about than sharing a meal. Find a simple, healthy recipe the whole family can enjoy and email it to everyone attending your virtual dinner party! Hop on FaceTime or Skype or Zoom to enjoy a sit down meal together. It’s almost as though you were all back in the same place eating a home-cooked dinner.
Create a virtual book club
Reading transports us to a new time and place, and gives our minds a break during challenging times. Why not invite your loved ones to join in? Find a book everyone is interested in reading and determine how much you want to read each week. Then, pick a time for a virtual meeting where you can discuss what happened in the book, your thoughts on the plot and characters, and where you think the story is headed next.
Watch a movie through Netflix Party
Family movie night, anyone? Tuning in to the same movie has never been easier. Services like Netflix Party let you and your family watch the same movie at the same time. You can even engage in conversation in the chat bar. Simply install the extension in your internet browser and get watching.
Creating a standing meeting each week will give the whole family something to look forward to.
We hope you will try one or all of these strategies, and continue to get creative with the ways you virtually spend time with relatives.