What COVID friendly activities do you like to do?

[gatorsmom]

I’ll have to look into those bird watching apps. My twins love to bird watch. We made an appointment to a local owl rescue last summer and learned a ton about owls. I now know that the one who hoots “who cooks for you all?” most summer evenings somewhere in our yard is likely a barred owl. The owl place was only open with an appointment so they took careful precautions.

We really got into gardening last summer and will likely try to grow some things from seeds this spring. That was new for us. Most of my container garden plants did better than my ground plants so I have hope.

Most of the stuff we regularly enjoy (apart from traveling) we are still doing with modifications. We started going to a church built 10 years ago with modern HVAC that distances and limits seating. We wear masks and feel safe. The kids scouting activities have all been via zoom or outdoors. Dd takes most of her dance classes virtually or safely distanced with smaller classe sizes in bigger rooms (her dance classes are in a brand new building so great air exchange). They are planning recitals this spring at a nearby covered outdoor festival stage. The kids are really enjoying downhill skiing and sledding with friends on weekends. We have room here and build a fire to keep the kids and adults warm. The local ski resort has the ticket booth and snack grill outside so only letting people in for potty breaks. We get take out as often as we can to help protect our local restaurants. I’m hoping this summer more people will be eating outside to take advantage of open air opportunities. Support our local small businesses! My kids aren’t in any close contact sports or teams which I imagine are are hard to modify for this virus.

We have taken some extra online classes to while away the time. And the kids have started some of their own projects. Ds3 is boxing up and packing his old Lego sets to sell online. DS2 has been busy making his own skateboard and scooter ramps for his friends to skate on at our house. Dh takes him to Menards on the weekends to buy supplies. And dd2 has gotten back into knitting. There are some easy online videos. Oh and I forgot that we were studying astronomy for a while and identifying winter sky constellations.

[mmsmom]

I’m back to add my DC have 1/2 time in person school and school activities but DS is between seasons right now so is doing a tennis clinic and DD rides horses which has not skipped a beat the whole pandemic. So I have been grateful they both have had something to do outside of home.

I am meeting a friend for a walk this weekend. I have done this a few times and decided recently I need to do it at least once a weekend and will rotate friends. My friends are not as cautious as me but I feel ok with one at a time and being outside. I need to catch up with friends and have a break from family.

We have done some driving beach trips and a ski trip. Hoping to do a driving trip in March for spring break. Have been holding off to see if high risk DH will maybe be vaccinated by then.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Maybe we’re alone but winter is cold and we aren’t doing anything. Sometimes we play board games. That’s about it.
When it’s warmer we go for walks.
Ds2 goes 1/ week hikes with friends even in the winter. Dance class fall- spring, soccer fall and spring.
Ds1 is still home from college. They are virtual only for a few more weeks.
Everyone just putzes around the house pretty much doing our own things.
Eta- when it was warmer we frequently got together with friends around their fire or ours. It’s just too cold now. I can’t bring myself to do it. First time it hits 50 the invites will go out! We almost bought outdoor space heaters but hesitated then they sold out.
I’m planning to hit the zoo soon. We’ve done a Conservatory a few times. It’s indoors but well ventilated and rarely any other people.

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[gymnbomb]

It sounds safe to me. I wish our zoo was open! I think the SB zoo was open for a time but it is closed now. I don't think the LA zoo ever opened? But our region is having major outbreaks so I know authorities have to be super careful. I know it depends on the area but for me outdoor spaces where distancing is possible have always felt safe. I feel safe at the beach but maybe it depends on the beach? When we go we can easily keep at least 6 feet (much more actually!) from any other family group.

Our family also feels safe with outdoor activities (wearing masks) where it is easy to distance. Last summer and fall we did the (not at all crowded) beach, the zoo several times, mini golf once (one family per hole at a time, clubs and balls sanitized between users), blueberry picking, and went to a farm to pick out pumpkins and look at animals. Once we learned more about the virus and that risks of getting it from touching surfaces were much lower than initially thought, we also felt ok going to playgrounds as long as there weren't a lot of other kids there. If we are literally the only family there we let the kids take their masks off, but if we see anyone else at all in the area we wear masks the whole time. And we take sanitizer with us to use on everyone's hands before going home where we wash hands as soon as we go inside. This winter DS and I have taken one private ski lesson and are signed up for another one soon (obviously with everyone wearing masks). But it's cold here now and we're really not cold weather people, so we haven't done much in the last couple of months.

[pinay]

We've done the beach to watch the sunset while maintaining social distance, lots of hikes and walks around the neighborhood, we take our bikes to ride around a park that's got good paths and great bay views, picnics when the weather's nice. We did rent a place in Big Bear during Thanksgiving week so we could get away for a little bit, and that was a nice change of scenery. During the holidays we did the drive through light show that was held locally. We're lucky that the weather's pretty nice year round so it's easier to get out and do stuff. Oh, and small gatherings with close friends in our backyard with our masks on.

[basil]

When the weather was warmer, we did baseball and soccer. I tried really hard to get the kids into hiking, but particularly DD wasn't too into it. Now, our main thing is skiing. Kids have weekly lessons and we did a few weekends at an in state resort where we stayed at a condo (single entrance) and ate all meals there (drove back and forth from the mountain for lunch, which was a pain, but as I kept telling anyone who complained - it's still better than sitting home!)

We have a membership at the zoo, so we go there every now and then.

I feel comfortable with any and all outdoor masked activities, and very few indoor ones.

[bcafe]

High school soccer is in full swing here so we have games. Walks happen, we use the heck out of our hammock, and school is in person full time. I am curious how one would go out to eat and NOT take their mask off. We have gone out to eat and feel completely safe. Different strokes, I guess.

[doberbrat]

We went to the beach once but it was too stressful w/the limited parking etc so that was it. dd2 has done a few outdoor girl scout meetings. I've been walking a ton with my dogs. about 50% alone listening to books and 50% w/the mom from our bubble. I've walked 67mi since 1/1. And I've been reading. that's pretty much it.

I stress out going to bjs 1x a month. I cant imagine eating out. But, we rarely ate out anyways.

[rollycolly2007]

I am astonished by all the problems regarding eating out that have arisen during this pandemic. From the moms that are breaking under the strain of cooking every single meal, to the large swaths of the economy that are failing from decrease in restaurant business, to the issues of safe eating with groups! It has been eye opening.

Have your kids really missed activities? I know you were super active before, but I also know that your kids are little. My little kids have been much more resilient during this time than my teens. I think for the littles, our neighborhood is "big" enough for them to feel invigorated and uplifted. Like maybe my kids are getting enough from our yard (and the open space behind it) as they used to get from visiting museums. My teens want to get OUT and although they have outside and active time daily, they are missing being involved in the world in a way that my littles don't seem to. Although pointedly *I* felt constrained in my small town growing up and I wasn't dealing with a pandemic!

Yes. My kids have missed all their activities. My 5 year old was in 3 co-ops. They never stopping meeting. There are about 30 kids and 10 parents meeting every week too (none of them wearing a mask). We have not participated since February 2020. We used to go somewhere new every day before covid. My son cries sometimes about not being able to go anywhere. He told me the other day that he “just wanted to go to Disney and just walk around. No rides or food.” It’s absolutely heartbreaking.

I guess I just don’t understand people. All of our friends are going restaurants. They take their photo with a mask to enter the restaurant. Then they are taking their masks off to eat. What if someone at the table near them has covid and does not know it? All of our friends are eating out weekly and going to bars. They are also staying in hotels/air bnbs too and traveling all over the USA. I guess I just don’t understand. There was also a local group of friends that went to an indoor facility recently. There were about 50 people and no one wore a mask. Do people think they are invincible?

I feel like the outlier of our friends. We are the only ones who are isolating and not going anywhere at all. Everyone else is living life like covid does not exist or they can’t get covid.


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[bcafe]

I guess I just don’t understand people. All of our friends are going restaurants. They take their photo with a mask to enter the restaurant. Then they are taking their masks off to eat. What if someone at the table near them has covid and does not know it? All of our friends are eating out weekly and going to bars. They are also staying in hotels/air bnbs too and traveling all over the USA.
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Honest question, how are people supposed to eat with a mask on? Around here, if there is no outdoor seating, the tables are spaced at least 6 feet apart and all the waitstaff wears a mask. We rented an VRBO to ski over Thanksgiving and..... so? I admit we are not high risk, yet, doesn't your husband go to work daily? We both work outside the home daily as well. Did you not go and view homes to possibly purchase? I would not be too quick to judge what others are doing when it relates to eating out.