Activities

When we need to stay at home it can be hard to know what to do with our time. Here are some suggestions of activities you could try. These will not be appropriate for everyone, so pick and choose based on your knowledge of the person you support and previous guidelines and recommendations from health care professionals. Lots of resources and ideas can be sourced online.

Personal care tasks

• Have a vigorous shower - use different sponges and scrubs and different soaps
• Teethbrushing and flossing
• Hairbrushing - trying different hairdos, plaits, ponytails (ideas online!)
• Have a shave, use a brush and shaving foam
• Massage (head, shoulder, feet, hands)
• Bubble bath
• Paint your finger nails Moisturising/ creaming Aromatherapy activities Essential oils on hot/cool flannel Footspa
• Hot water bottle (not too hot) and wheat microwavable pillows (there are scented versions)
• Do some meditation classes, there are different kinds you can find and try online (guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness)
• Do online exercise classes - there are all kinds online including seated versions

Domestic tasks

• Hoovering/vacuuming Dusting and polishing Sweeping
• Mopping the floors
• Spring cleaning -organising drawers and wardrobes Emptying the bins
• Checking the cupboards and writing a shopping list Ordering shopping online and putting things away
• Laundry (putting things in the washer, hanging things up with pegs to dry, folding and sorting, putting away in drawers)
• Handwashing clothes
• Putting things you don't need in a bag for charity
• Looking after plants (watering and re-potting and planting, removing the dead leaves/flowers)
• Changing your bed sheets
• Washing and drying up (use lots of soap and bubbles and different types of scrubbers and sponges)
• Loading and emptying the dishwasher Wiping down counters and tables Setting and  clearing the table Polishing shoes
• Mending things (holes in clothes, or things that need gluing) Ironing
• Making tea (you could use a teapot and a tray and sit down for tea-time together) Washing windows
• Home decorating

Cooking

• Loads of recipes online
• Peeling and washing and preparing food Fruit/vegetable salad
• Sandwiches and toasties Ice-lollies
• Fruit smoothies with blender Soda stream for fizzy drinks Chocolate crispies
• Non-cook recipes (like fruit kebabs, lots of recipes online) Baking bread or biscuits - use packet or raw ingredients Popcorn
• Angel delight Crumble

Leisure tasks

Arts and crafts:

• Cards and letters - make your own, send to your friends and family Scrap-books related to personal interests ie trains, popstars
• Keep a diary, make a story about what you did when you had to stay at home Taking selfies and family photos - have fun with filters!
• Making a collage Hand painting/printing
• Sewing/embroidery/knitting Making jewellery, beadwork Making models
• Modelling with papier-mache Printing with stencils
• Painting by numbers Magic (water) painting
• Using online apps to do art work T-shirt decorating
• Sticker books
• Drawing or painting
• Pottery with air drying clay
• Making salt dough (make the dough at home from flour and water and salt, mould it in to shapes, bake and paint, recipes online)
• Block printing (or use a potato-stamp!)
• Reading or looking at magazines/newspapers/old photo albums Acting and role play
• Have a fashion show, dress up!
• Make a 'smelly box' with different scents (ie body lotion, coffee beans, washing powder, mint mouthwash, marmite, star anise, cinnamon, perfume, essential oils etc)

Music

• Playing musical instruments - have a concert Singing - record it, make an album!
• Listening to music
• Make your own playlists - make different playlists for different times(upbeat/relaxing)
• Karaoke
• Dancing - even seated chair dancing!
• Make your own musical instruments (ie plastic bottle with rice or lentils inside)
• Musical bingo

Socialising

• Sending emails and text messages and voice recordings and video clips about your day to checking in with friends and family
• Sending letters and cards
• Using social media to connect with others
• Using the telephone to call people - use the video function to see them Discussions about people/places things
• Storytelling
• Start a blog or website to share your interests with others

Games

• Games on ipad - there are all kinds of apps you can tailor for individual interests
• Wii
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Card games, such as snap Bingo
• Memo
• Ball or bean bag games - throw these into a basket (add points for competition) Velcro dartboard
• Balloon volleyball (bat this backwards and forwards between you, or balloon tennis - try to get it over something a line of tape on the floor)
• Clapping games
• Rhymes and tongue twisters Jenga  and  connect  4 Board games
• Tabletop football
• Water play with colanders, funnels, pots and pans, paintbrushes Blow bubbles - catch and pop these

If you have access to a garden

• Potting plants Weeding
• Sitting in swing chair Ball or racket games Frisbee
• Touching and smelling plants and herbs and flowers BBQ
• Looking after birdtable or feeder - you can make your own birdfeeder with old plastic bottle (instructions online)
• Sowing seeds (can also be done inside) Growing vegetables
• Watering the garden
• Caring for hanging baskets and window boxes Looking after compost

Thank you for your support - it is invaluable in keeping the person you support and community well! Please contact the team using the number above if you have any queries we may be  able to support with, or if you  are  struggling  to  find activities  to do with the person you support at home.