Here’s a few ideas for how to make the most of an extra day, for homebody and outdoorsy types alike…
1. Enjoy a picnic in the park. The perfect activity for a socially distanced catch-up, picnics combine the two main elements of a nice day out – the great outdoors, and good food.
2. Go wild swimming. Lake, river, or sea, wild swimming is famously invigorating, if a little chilly. Swim safe by researching your chosen spot thoroughly pre-plunge.
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3. Go on a family bike ride. A combination of family time and exercise where everyone has their own space, bike rides are tried and tested – and well-reviewed.
4. Enjoy some stargazing. A late-day activity (or early-day, but we’re realistic), this can be through a high-tech telescope or simply a well-cleaned window. Google should provide the rest.
5. Re-organise your house. An ever-present on some to-do lists, this can be everything from a shopping trip to moving the heavy sofa. If you put it off, you just know it won’t happen until next bank holiday.
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6. Go wildlife-watching. Wherever you live, nature finds a way. A woodland walk, a bird reserve, a nearby zoo – there’s animals everywhere when you take the time to look.
7. Tackle a giant jigsaw puzzle. No amount of modern video games can destroy the old-fashioned appeal of a jigsaw, the perfect way to get the whole family gathered round a table.
8. Enjoy a movie night. With dimmed lights, microwave popcorn, and a surfeit of blankets, any TV screen can become a home cinema.
9. Learn to cook something new. It can be a suppertime staple or a highfalutin amuse-bouche, at any ability level there’s always something worth learning. Your kitchen is your oyster.
10. Make and fly a kite. A classic arts and crafts project that dates back literally millennia, kite-making scores extra for getting the kids outdoors, and there are endless tutorials online.
11. Play a round of mini-golf. Perfect for social distancing, as it’s just bad manners to try and share a hole, mini-golf might be the ultimate example of fun for all the family. If you don’t have a local range, petition the council.
12. Take a tour – virtual or otherwise. Be a tourist in your own town by visiting a local museum – or virtually visit a faraway one. Your main problem will be the agony of choice.
13. Have a board game day. From the luck-based Snakes & Ladders to the extremely-not-luck-based Settlers of Catan, there’s a board game out there for everyone, even if they haven’t discovered it yet.
14. Do… absolutely nothing. Some people recharge from taking a day in the slow lane. Or you might be hungover.
