With the coronavirus pandemic ongoing, schools and universities have closed, pubs, bars, restaurants have taken last orders and many shops and other venues are also shutting their doors.

This means many of us are staying in and self-isolating and distancing ourselves from others, with the reality of confinement setting in. But staying in doesn’t have to be boring; it can be just as fun and productive as going out. From visiting new places to learning new skills, there’s much more to isolation than binge watching the latest Netflix series. Below are just some of the things you can be doing with your time.

1. Go to a (virtual) museum

You can get a dose of culture and education right from the comfort of your couch. Thanks to Google Arts & Culture, who have teamed up with over 2,500 museums and galleries from around the world, you can take virtual tours and view online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world including the British Museum in London and the Van Gogh Museum to Amsterdam. Find out more here.

2. Watch animals live

If you’re self-isolating, you might be feeling confined to your home. But that doesn’t mean you can’t experience the wonders of the outside world. Zoos from around the world are using webcams for animal live streams, so you can enjoy some heart-warming entertainment. From pandas and penguins to koalas and giraffes, these are sure to put a smile on your face. Find out more here.

3. Enjoy a theatrical performance

Theatres may be closed for the foreseeable future, but you can still get your fix of theatre online. There are some free productions you can stream online including the West End’s ‘The Wind in the Willows’, as well as paid services such as BroadwayHD so you can stream plays and musicals from the other side of the pond.

4. Have a night (in) at the Opera

The show must go on, or at least go online. It’s not just theatre productions being streamed online, music fans looking to get their opera fix can enjoy recordings of previous performances from famous operas such as those at The Metropolitan Opera in New York, with Nightly Met Opera Streams and those at the Royal Opera House in London.

5. Join the pub quiz

Just because you can’t get down to your local pub, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the weekly quiz night. A pub quiz company from Scotland, Goose’s Quizzes, are bringing their much-loved quizzes online. Every single evening at 7pm GMT, for the foreseeable future, you can put your quiz hat on and join in for some factual fun! Find out more here.

6. Keep fit

Keeping fit during this uncertain time is not only important for your physical health, but also your mental health. So, why not replace your gym visit with a home workout? You don’t need fancy gym equipment, you can do anything from burpees and press-ups, to squats and lunges. If you need a little motivation, there are lots of gyms and personal trainers offering free online workouts to stream, and you can even join the online body coach Joe Wicks for his daily PE with Joe class at 9am Monday-Friday.

7. Learn a language

Now is the perfect time to dedicate free time to learning a new language. Think about all the countries in the world and the language(s) you’ve always wanted to speak. There are lots of free online websites and apps such as duolingo to help you learn anything from Spanish to Japanese.

You can also take the time to learn sign language. British Sign are offering discounted and free enrolments onto their British Sign Language (BSL) course. Alternatively, there are online series being streamed via social media to teach beginners BSL.

Above are just some of the many things you can do to keep busy and have fun whilst self-isolating at home. Keep an eye out on our news page for more information, advice and top tips for the coming weeks.

If you’re self-isolating please share with us what fun things you’re doing to pass the time via our Host social media channels; Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.