Being stuck at home can be depressing, but you can also use the extra time to catch up on housework, start new projects, and spend time with your family. One of the best ways to spend your time is by making crafts and trying new activities, which can bring your family together and leave you with art projects or practical goods you can use in the future.
Crafts and Activities Perfect for a Night In
These are some of the best crafts and activities to try:
Start an indoor garden.
- Regardless of the season, you can try to start an indoor garden. With small, disposable containers or flower pots, you can spread a bit of soil, plant some seeds, and water regularly to grow some seedlings. Depending on what you’re planting and when, you can eventually transplant these forms of vegetation to an outdoor garden, hanging basket, or someplace else; otherwise, you can watch them grow from the comfort of your home.
Make your own skincare products.
- You can make your own skincare products using ingredients you already have—including some that you have in the kitchen. For example, using oats, egg whites, and a few other basics, you can make your own shaving cream (and it’s completely edible). You could also make soap, lotion, or exfoliating cream.
Paint rocks.
- You probably have rocks around the house, or in a nearby natural area. Go out and collect some, and bring them indoors. If you have a decent set of paint, you can decorate them however you like. Depending on the results, you can keep them and put them on display as a work of art, or go hide them outside for someone to find in the future.
Create DIY playdough.
- Playdough is great fun for kids, but you don’t need to buy it from a store. In fact, the process of making playdough can be a fun experience in and of itself. There are several recipes you can use, most of which rely on some combination of things like flour, cornstarch, and other items already in your pantry.
Make a string art.
- String art is simple to execute, but it results in pieces that are marvelous to behold. Start with some basic templates, and gradually work your way up to experimenting with your own designs.
Host an indoor scavenger hunt.
- This is another great activity if you have kids, but adults can have fun with it as well. Consider hosting an indoor scavenger hunt. You can create a list of unusual items to find or tasks to accomplish in the house and have all your family members hunt them down, or you can use clues and riddles to guide your family members in a puzzle-like challenge.
Work on your drawing skills.
- Art supplies can make your artwork look more professional, but you don’t need any fancy materials to practice drawing; any sheet of paper, along with a drawing medium like a pencil or a pen, will do just fine. Pick an object to draw in your environment, or if you’re feeling ambitious, work on a self-portrait.
Learn origami.
- Similarly, you won’t need formal origami paper to practice your origami skills; any foldable paper will do. Origami is the art of folding paper, and while experienced artists can create mind-blowing sculptures, basic creations can be mastered in a matter of minutes. You’ll enjoy your finished products, and develop a skill you can use as a party trick for years to come. And if you enjoy the process, you can start working on more advanced creations.
Scrapbook.
- Scrapbooking is another great indoor pastime, especially if you have lots of old photos you haven’t organized. One of the best aspects of scrapbooking is that there aren’t any rules, or “right” or “wrong” approaches; instead, you can create your scrapbooks in whichever way you feel is most appropriate.
Knit or crochet.
- Knitting and crocheting are two different techniques that are used for a common purpose; creating textiles from raw materials, like yarn. The basic techniques are easy to learn, but if you want to create more advanced pieces, you’ll need to spend time practicing. Additionally, if you’re just starting out, you may not have all the materials required to begin.
Experimenting With What You Have
You may or may not have all the ingredients and materials necessary to make the most of these crafts. But if you don’t, you can still experiment with whatever you have lying around the house. Chances are, you have at least some arts and crafts materials, even if you don’t realize it—so get creative, and experiment to make something truly unique.
