DISCLAIMER This post is for entertainment or productivity purposes and should never replace any kind of medical advice including that from public health officials. Wash your hands, practice social distancing and ensure you follow the directions of medical experts at all times.

With that being said, have fun with this list! I doubt you’re going to scratch off all 99 items – although with the undetermined length of this lockdown who knows? Don’t stress about it. Post your results to social media if you feel like it or keep it to yourself! We’d love to know if anything on this post inspired something greater!

1. Go for a walk around the block. Or if you’re under quarantine circle your backyard twenty times

2. Learn an instrument. Campbell’s Music is doing pickup and delivery by appointment. You can also sign up for a free 3 month trial of Fender Play. After you’ve learned the basics, get a free trial of Yousician which grades you instantly as you play through popular songs. Fort McMurray’s own Dan Tulk is hosting lessons twice a week as well!

3. Make a Spotify playlist and share it with someone special.

4. Download the Houseparty app and video chat with some friends. You can even play trivia games or Heads Up at the same time

5. Go through all the apps on your phone. Maybe you’ll rediscover an old favourite game – or at the very least delete all the ones you don’t use anymore.

6. Try a new video game. You can sign up for Xbox GamePass for $1 for the first month. Sink into an in depth RPG like Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy or kill some time on a great diversion like ScreamRide or Jackbox TV.

 

7. Read a book! You probably have a few around the house. If not, your free Wood Buffalo Regional Library membership allows you access to Hoopla digitally, or ask a friend on social media to drop off some reading material for you.

8. If you don’t want to read yourself try an Audiobook. Hoopla has tons with your library membership or get a free trial of Audible which features all the newest and greatest books. You can also hear Stephen Fry read Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone!

9. Do a puzzle! These are great ways to keep your mind occupied and you can always binge watch Tiger King (even for a second time) while you do it

10. Film yourself making a basic food item. Feel free to ham it up like you’re Gordon Ramsay himself. If you like the results, post it on your social media’s. If not – well at least you cooked!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9hOMetw7qI

 

11. If you’re in a position to do so purchase an online gift card for a local business. You’ll feel good about yourself and have something fun to look forward to when this is all over

12. Enjoy a concert from your living room. Many of your favourite artists are hosting tons of live streams – or delve deep on YouTube. Hot tip: many large European festivals like Reading festival in the UK and Rock Am Ring in Germany are televised so you’ll most likely find a full concert of your favourite band somewhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jVcQib_mYs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQh609EAVao&t=5623s

 

13. Take a bath! Throw in some Epsom salts, light some candles and take a good book in there.

14. Journal your thoughts. Whether it’s a blog or just for your own personal use – it’s important to write about your feelings and you may discover something you didn’t even realize you were feeling.

15. Challenge a friend to flip cup or beer pong via a video chat app like Zoom of Houseparty

16. Try out a new TV show. Lots of channels have opened up their On Demand section. FX Canada is currently offering a free trial and you can watch the hilarious Dave starring Lil Dicky

17. Go through your wardrobe. Pick out all the band shirts that don’t fit or you no longer wear. Check out Pinterest for some cool craft ideas like a quilt!

18. Grab some crayons and get to colouring! You may think it’s just for kids but you’ll have a blast!

19. What’s that- you’re home with the family and off work? Pretend it’s Christmas. Throw on Elf or Christmas Vacation, bake some holiday favourites or even have a gift re-exchange using items from around the house. You probably have a stash of wrapping paper in the basement or improvise and use newspaper

 

20. Have a karaoke night! Telus and Shaw both have free karaoke channels and if not there are tons of great videos on YouTube. Feel free to video chat with others.

21. Clean the house. Challenge yourself to go through “that” drawer or closet and toss out what you don’t need.

 

22. Have a photo shoot! Even if it’s just yourself- pull out the old Halloween costumes and create some interesting mashups. If you have a pet- make sure to get them involved somehow!

23. Play a board game. Send a healthy family member or neighbour down to Home Hardware as they have a great selection OR try an online version. Some of my favourites that you can play right on your phone include Scattergories and Ticket To Ride.

24. What’s that one movie that everyone always gasps when they hear you say you’ve never seen it? Star Wars? The Godfather? Harry Potter? Good Burger? Guess who’s schedule just opened up – pop some popcorn and have a movie marathon. Many streaming apps have a 30 day free trial or you can rent most movies on demand for a small fee. Feel free to ask friends to do a DVD exchange program too.

25. Remember those online surveys you used to fill out on MySpace and Nexopia. Google a couple and go nuts. Just be careful you’re not revealing any of your security questions ????

26. Laughter is great for the soul. Netflix is jam packed with great comedy specials and releasing more by the day. You’ll find tons of classics from Dave Chapelle, John Mulaney and Bill Burr. If you’re looking for something new check out Bert Kreischer or Trevor Noah

27. Go through your old CD collection (or recreate it on Spotify). Throw on some headphones and sit back and listen to an album front to back. Put your phone down and let yourself slip into the memories and really delve into the lyrics

28. Have a play reading night! There’s lots of great one act or longer shows available to read online. Grab your roommates or set up an online chat. Assign characters and more! To take it to the next level, pick your favourite Broadway musical and host a sing along

29. Are there any projects you’ve been putting off around the house? Have you been saving photos for a new picture frame or maybe you’ve been digitizing your photo books? Or perhaps it’s just time to finally grab the tool box and fix that jiggly bathroom door handle. Take your time though! If you’re looking for great craft ideas Kathy’s Fiber Arts & Crafts is offering free contactless delivery with a $100 purchase.

 

30. Time for a quick sanitize! Grab your Lysol wipes and give your counter tops and door handles a wipe. Don’t forget to give your cellphone a good wipe down too!

31. Plan your next vacation! You don’t have to pick dates or anything just yet but figure out where you want to go, what time of year and what you want to do when you’re there. Get excited for it? If you’re going to Paris- have a nice glass of Bordeaux or if you want to head to Disney World check out the Imagineering Story on DisneyPlus+

 

32. Take your movie night to the next level. Experiment with different flavours of popcorn (mmmm melted butter or sprinkle some Vegetable seasoning), hang bed sheets over the windows to eliminate outside light and google the best settings on your TV for the ultimate movie experience. For best results pretend you’re at the theatre and turn your phone off for the duration of the film.

33. Open up the deep freeze in the garage. Throw together a meal with some of the frozen food you’ve been holding on to for a while or chuck what you don’t want. Feel free to get a chisel out as well and get rid of some of the excess ice.

34. Regretting that you never got to check out that one restaurant before they closed? Most local places are still open for pickup or delivery! Try something out of the way!

35. Dig up some new tunes! We’ve all got our old favourites but Spotify and Apple Music are always waiting to recommend you new stuff based on your listening habits. Don’t trust the algorithms? Post on Facebook and get your friends to build you a new playlist.

 

36. Do a home workout. There are many great channels (local and abroad) hosting both live and on demand workouts. Or try downloading an app. Recruit an online friend to hold each other accountable. Feel free to get creative- one of my roommates found some heavy rocks by the river and has been using them as weights!!

37. Use this time to get smart! There are tons of free University level courses you can register for! Or keep it light and find some fun YouTube tutorials

38. Go for a drive! If you’re not on isolation – you’d be surprised what a rip around the neighbourhood or in the boondocks can do for your soul. Crank the music up and the windows down or even just grab a coffee or milkshake from the drive thru.

39. Be your own bartender! Get creative with the liquor cabinet and try out some new recipes. Experiment with a variety of fruit and vegetables as garnish. Use your (of legal age) housemates as a test. For added bartender authenticity clean up after them and listen to their problems.

40. Just because concerts are being cancelled or postponed doesn’t mean we don’t have the memories. Compile a list of all the shows you’ve seen. Search your phone for that Snapchat or photo you took at the show and post it online. Did you run into Paul Brandt in the elevator? Did you see Prince live just before he passed away. Brag about it! Nerd out with your friends

 

41. Delve deeper into your favourite songs. Did you know you can convert your Spotify playlist into a YouTube one? Maybe you’ve never seen the music video before or perhaps you’ve been singing the wrong lyrics this whole time.

42. Make a charcuterie board. Just because you can’t have people over doesn’t mean you can’t host a party for yourself. Get creative! Although meats, cheese, crackers and fruit/veggies are always a hit feel free to incorporate candy or nuts!

43. Do some drawing! Grab a pen or pencil and sketch something around the house or a favourite celebrity. You can even trace something out of your favourite comic book if you’re really stuck for inspiration. Feel free to colour it in after.

44. Reach out to an old friend or family member. An unprecedented event like this has the chance to bring us all together. They’re most likely in the same boat as you and there are many wonderful ways technology can keep us in touch. Even a simple text message can go a long way.

45. Learn a new game! There are oodles and oodles of great games you can play with a simple deck of cards or a pair of dice. Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn how to play poker? There’s tons of great resources online and lots of websites where you can play for free to hone your skills. In no time you’ll be sitting in your buddy’s garage smoking a cigar and raking in the coins with all the practice you had.

 

46. It’s podcast time! Whether it’s getting caught up on and old favourite or discovering something new – you’d be surprised what’s out there and how oddly specific they can get. Music, pop culture, comedy, science, current events, inspirational, murder mystery there are so many great ones out there. Ask a friend for recommendations or better yet……

47. Start a podcast! While lots of professional podcasts use cutting edge technology there’s nothing stopping you from recording one on your phone. There’s even some great free and inexpensive software you can use to record you and your friend together even if they live on the other side of the country. Talk about what interests you- maybe your favourite movie!

48. Head to the theatre! Well….not actually- but bring the theatre home. BroadwayHD is offering a free 30 day trial so you can watch the epic productions from home. Or for a local flavour reminisce about great past shows on the Keyano Theatre Company Facebook page and even watch the great locally written and produced Freeing Heavens Secrets on Symmetree Theatre’s Facebook page.

 

49. For a different kind of theatrics – sign up for a free trial of the WWE Network! Believe it or not they are still producing new material at the moment including WrestleMania. There will be no fans in attendance but you’ll still get to see some of your favourites like John Cena, The Undertaker and Goldberg in action plus the WWE’s newest signing Rob Gronkowski. You can also access their entire back catalogue online and relive they heydays of Hulk Hogan or Stone Cold Steve Austin

 

50. Have an 80’s night! Puff your hair up as big as it can get, toss on a playlist and throw on a great 80’s flick like Back to the Future or the Breakfast Club

 

51. You can bust out the 90’s too! Whether it’s a Saturday morning cartoon marathon on Disney Plus or a late night Quentin Quarantino marathon of Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs – just make sure to cap it off with a Spice Girls/ Backstreet Boys dance party. Feel free to belt out Semisonic’s Closing Time right before bed.

52. Or you can go really old school and have a Roaring 20’s party. The Spring Fling and Keyano Theatre Company’s presentation of The Great Gatsby have been postponed but the party lives on at your house. Look up some old school drink recipes, toss on a Swing (or Electro Swing for a modern twist) playlist and Charleston the night away.

 

53. This one might get nerdy but get ready to experience something special out of music. Check out the discography of bands who’s music tells a story like Rush, Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin. There are many great online resources to guide you through it. For a modern and even more immersive dive, check out Coheed & Cambria who have been creating a large saga over the course of seven albums filled with prog guitar wizardry and pop friendly hooks.

 

54. Speaking of Pink Floyd? Did you ever sync up Dark Side of the Moon with the Wizard Of Oz? Guess who’s got the time to pull it off now

55. A long time ago in a galaxy far far away there was a saga that swept the nation in Star Wars. If you haven’t seen the most recent film yet- The Rise of Skywalker will be on Disney Plus shortly or is available to rent digitally right now. There’s also a new season of The Clone Wars which is a great animated series that’s not just for kids. Or for a new Star Wars experience try watching the movies (all on Disney+) in the Machete order. There’s plenty of explanation available online but it brings new perspective into the series watching in this order . episode IV, V, II, III and finally VI.

 

56. Organize an online video game tournament. If you already have the latest Madden or NHL games great – if not you can get Madden 20 and NHL 19 (plus tons more EA games) with EA Game Pass which is 4.99 a month of just 29.99 for the year. Recruit some friends and print off a tournament template online. Feel free to throw a couple bucks into the mix or better yet fun bets like the first player eliminated has to film themselves lip syncing to Carly Rae Jepsen.

57. Hydrate! This one may sound silly but when was the last glass of water you had? If you ever needed time to get into the habit of drinking 8 glasses a day- here’s your chance.

58. Meal prep! There are so many great delivery and pickup options available but if you have a busy schedule like me you’re probably pretty used to these by now. Ever wish you had time to meal prep? Now you do! Even as simple as making sandwiches for lunch the night before- this is your time to shine! Form a habit and try to keep it going once you head back to normalcy

59. Test out your trivia wits! I’m a big fan of the phone app Trivia Crack or take one of the thousands of fun user created quizzes on the website known as Sporcle- be careful though this website is about as addictive as they come!

60. Or test your music knowledge by downloading SongPop. You can play with friends or strangers and you can even win cash with the new twice daily game show SongPop Live. Better yet- keep an eye on my Facebook page and join in on our online edition of Name That Tune on April 15th!

61. Namaste! What better time to take up yoga? It can certainly be intimidating trying it for the first time in front of strangers so why not give it a go from the comfort of your living room. There are lots of great local companies hosting online classes and tutorials

62. Okay, be careful with this one please but seeing as how we aren’t going out in public for at least a couple of weeks – it might be time to try out a new style. I am not suggesting you should cut your own hair….. but you be the judge of that okay? Gentlemen- you ever wonder what you’d look like with a moustache or goatee? How about Wolverine esque sideburns? Go get em champ.

63. Build a Fort! Yeah of course you can take advantage of the fresh dump of snow and build an epic snow fort but that sounds cold. Grab your bedding and get to work on the most epic blanket fort this world has ever seen. Just don’t use your Super Nintendo as a weight. Been there, done that, got the goose egg in grade five.

64. Put that Fort to use with a night of scary movies. The horror movie app Shudder is available for a free 30 day trial

 

65. Sports it up! Okay sure there’s no NBA or NHL for the time being but Sportsnet has been replaying classic NHL games as well as every game from the Toronto Raptors historic championship run every night. You can also fire up the Xbox and throw on a game of Madden and let the computer play against itself

66. Go beyond the big four leagues. You’d be surprised what you’ll find on YouTube for sports content. Who knew Marble Racing could be so exciting? Or that there are countless channels dedicated to racing Hot Wheels cars around the house with brilliant production quality.

67. Learn a new language! I mean I’ve got Dos Cerveza, Por Favor pretty well mastered but there’s great apps out there like Duolingo to help you learn whatever language you please

68. Cancon content! You’ve probably seen Corner Gas and Letter Kenney but there are tons of great shows produced right here in Canada that you’ll get a kick of like Schitt’s Creek and Kim’s Convenience. Or try out Nerdvana The Series filmed right here in Fort McMurray

69. Oh hey…. it’s Bryan Adams favourite number. I won’t get into specifics here but what a great time to spice things up in the bedroom. And if you’re single – PornHub is offering free premium! Moving on…..

 

70. Okay, so you’ve probably watched Tiger King by now (if you haven’t put your phone down and get on it buster!) and have been blaming all your problems this week on Carole Baskins. Watching a second time is just as enjoyable or try another quirky documentary like The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia on Amazon Prime.

71. Relive the heyday of HBO. Check out this well worth it addition to Crave where you can binge through so many great shows like The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Band of Brothers or Game of Thrones

72. Bake some cookies! It might take a few tries to get it just right but you’d be surprised how simple and easy it is if you’ve never tried! Your house or apartment will smell amazing

73. Learn to dance! Although it may not be advisable to try and Salsa or Waltz in this social distancing period we find ourselves in- there are plenty of great solo dances to challenge yourself to learn. Download the app Tik Tok and go nuts!

 

74. Get that lawn in tip top shape. Alright so we’ve got a bit of snow to melt first (have you shovelled the drive yet?) but it’s never too early to start reading about making your lawn the envy of all the dads on the block. Even on quarantine you can do lawn maintenance, gardening or perhaps finally get to work on building that deck of yours.

75. Get some sunshine! Soon enough it will be patio season and even though we won’t be able to hit up our favourite restaurant patio just yet you can bring the patio to you. Stock up on some patio lights or furniture at Home Hardware and get the barbecue fired up. And who’s gonna stop you from having that cold beer or glass of wine at 2:00 in the afternoon on a Tuesday?

 

76. Consider fostering an animal. If you don’t already have a kitty or puppy to snuggle with – reach out to the Wood Buffalo Humane Society (formerly the SPCA) about fostering. It’s a short term solution for those who may be feeling extra lonely but can’t commit to a full adoption because of schedule
commitments once everything calms down

77. Go camping! Once the weather warms up, a lot of campgrounds may still be shut down for various health reasons but in the mean time why not pitch a tent in your own backyard? Roast wieners or hot dogs around the fire for added authenticity

 

78. Clean out your email inbox! I’m especially guilty of this but Now’s a great time to go through and remove all of those newsletters you signed up for in Junior High. If you don’t use em- get rid of em. Check out the app Unroll.Me if you need a hand!

79. Clean up your phones photo gallery. Download the free app Gemini which will help guide you through your duplicates and screenshots. With a quick swipe you can easily delete pictures you no longer need and save lots of space at the same time

80. Do your taxes! We may be getting an extension on filing this year but you may as well get em done. Who knows maybe you’ll be getting a nice refund? I’ve always been a big fan of the online software Turbo Tax but if you need help there are plenty of great local tax services still available for phone or email consultations.

 

81. Re-organize your closet! You can go full Marie Kondo if you want or just tidy things up a bit but this can make for a great project

82. Photo boards! Ever get jealous of your friends who have so many cool photos around their house. This relatively expensive DIY project is a lot of fun as you pick out photos from Facebook that you can print out.

83. Who says video games make you dumb? Try an app like Luminosity or something similar and enjoy some brain stimulation. If you’re looking to limit your screen time- crossword and sudoku puzzles are great time killers too

84. Update your resume! Whether you’ll be hunting for a new job once this is over or you’re still working this is a great time to polish up your resume and cover letter- maybe even update your LinkedIn account. If you’re still employed check with your company to see if there are any online courses you can take. You’ll earn brownie points with your boss and beef up your resume at the same time.

85. Write a letter! Everyone’s all about texts and emails these days but nothing beats a handwritten letter. Better yet do a vacation themed photoshoot around the house and send out postcards to your friends! Nothing says “wish you were here” like the kitchen

86. Make a vision board! Grab all those old magazines and some flyers and get to work with scissors creating what you want to accomplish in the future. You can get poster boards at most drug stores (you can even get Bulldog Delivery to pick them up for you) or even just use any kind of cardboard box

 

87. Make a card! A lot of friends are still celebrating birthdays and a card goes a long way to make them feel special even if they can’t have a party or get together. And don’t forget Mothers Day is just around the corner

88. Work on your putting game. I would not advise busting out the driver around the house but surely there’s no harm in busting out the putter. Even if you don’t have a putting green experiment with different floors and tape down a red solo cup.

 

89. Plan a party! Whether it’s just for a few close friends or a massive fundraiser gala- things will get back to normal eventually. Just don’t pigeonhole yourself to a specific date just yet

 

90. Learn graphic design! It’ll be frustrating at first but we could all make our garage sale posters look a little nicer than clip art. You can sign up for a free Photoshop trial or try an online service like Canva. Check out the many wonderful tutorials on YouTube.

91. Learn something new, anything. From TedTalks to lectures on Udemy or iTunes U – you’ll be surprised how much education and information is at your fingertips

92. Spice up your camera skills. Nikon is offering free online photography lessons during the month of April. Even if you don’t have a camera chances are your phone is packed with features you didn’t even know it had. Try experimenting with angles and filters. Pets and sunsets make great subjects

93. Meditate. Have no idea how to do it? Great – neither do I. But the app Headspace is offering a free 90 day trial and it will guide you through it!

94. Get into comics! Yeah you’ve probably seen all of the Avengers movies by now but you can delve into their backstories. Nerdvana is available for curb side pick-up just check their social media for more info. And Marvel have opened up their comic library digitally free until May.

95. Create music! Even if you don’t have a physical instrument there are some great free apps out there like the Minimoog Model D synthesizer or GarageBand. And if you’re a songwriter – get to writing and figuring out what rhymes with Quarantine. (Listerine doesn’t count)

96. Get ready for football season! You’ve got lots of time to win your fantasy draft next year. The NFL draft is set to proceed as scheduled next month and in the meantime you can enjoy free replays of games from 2009-2019 on NFL GamePass.

97. You can still have movie nights with friends! Vote on the next movie and check out the new Netflix Party feature. Bonus- you don’t have to share your popcorn

98. Organize the kitchen! Cleaning out the fridge and pantry to make room for new stock is a no brainer but maybe it’s time to tackle that Tupperware cupboard. Match up all your containers and lids – and if it doesn’t have a partner TOSS it. You can probably do the same for all those mismatched socks too!

 

99. Write an article! If all else fails, do what I just did and make your own list of fun things to do around the house! And share it with me so we’ll have even more fun ideas.

And that’s the list! Let us know what you’re doing and if this list sparked something! And remember – don’t be sloppy like Papi – wash your hands!!!