Ok, we’re all tired of being stuck at home, doing the same old things over and over. We’ve seen everything on Netflix and it’s time for something new.
We decided to do some research to find some fun and interesting things to do. We found something for just about everyone. Don’t want to leave your house? We’ve got you covered. Need to get outside and get some fresh air? Check. Need some new things for the kids to do? We have some of that too.
Online Chocolate-Making Workshops
There are so many talented chocolate makers sharing their skills online. This is a great learning activity for just one person or the whole family. Need an amazing Mother’s Day gift but don’t want to spend lots of money? Learn how to design a chocolate bar mold with her name on it and you’ll be the favourite child forever!
Level Up Your Chocolate Dessert Game
Chef Ran Ai will show you how to prepare three amazing chocolate desserts online, while teaching you about different types of chocolate, baking techniques and other chocolate tips and tricks.
You’ll Learn How to Make:
- Decadent Dark Chocolate Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache (cook along)
- Chocolate and Orange Pudding (cook along)
- Chocolate Bourbon Truffles (demo)
In-Person Chocolate-Making Workshop
Chocolate Tales offers COVID-safe, in-person workshops out of their peanut, tree nut, and sesame-free facility in Hamilton.
Chocolate Tales’ Classes Include:
- Classic Chocolate Making Workshop
- Truffle Making 101
- Molding with Chocolate
- Tempering Workshop
- Chocolate and Caramel Workshop
- Savory & Sweet: Customize Your Own Truffle Flavors!
- Decorating with Chocolate
- Healthy Choc Workshop (Vegan)
- Bean2Bar Chocolate Making Workshop
Chocolate Workshops for Kids
Keeping kids busy these days has become a daunting full-time job. So, we’ve found some great chocolate-making activities to keep them happily engaged for a few more precious hours.
Garden Cups! – Kids Workshop
Join Lauren Hambleton online with your little ones on March 20th to mix one part garden inspiration with one part fun ingredients (like gummy worms and chocolate cake) to make your very own edible garden cup!
Annie’s Signature Sweets Virtual Chocolate Lovers Kids Baking Camp
Annie LoParo’s kids virtual baking camp takes place over 5 days. Your kids will stay busy baking Monday through Friday each week starting March 29th.
Kids Will Learn How to Make:
Day 1 – Peanut butter cups
Day 2 – Chocolate Macarons with chocolate ganache – (This class uses almond flour.)
Day 3 – Fudge Brownie cookie sandwiches.
Day 4 – Chocolate berry tart
Day 5 – Chocolate chip cookie skillet
Ski-Shoe the Backcountry
Wait, do you mean snow-shoe? Nope. Ski-shoeing gives you the freedom and exploration that snowshoeing offers, but with the excitement and speed (almost) of downhill skiing.
Even though you might not have heard of ski-shoeing, it’s not new. It’s been around for ages and was originally named Altai. People of the Altai Mountains in North Asia use ski shoes to travel and hunt during the long winters.
The Altai or Hok skis are short and wide, with a partial climbing skin integrated into the base to help with rough terrain. That skin makes the ski slower than a traditional downhill ski (and consequently easier to control.) LivOutside Gear + Adventures, located near Bracebridge, offers guided, ski-shoeing tours.
Explore the Outdoors on a Fat Bike
Fat bikes have oversized tires that make riding through snow and rough terrain easy and fun. They’re basically mountain bikes with extra-wide tires (between 3.7 – 5 inches).
Here Are Some Great Reasons to Try Fat Biking:
- It’s Great Exercise (You can burn up to 1,500 calories per hour)
- See the Best of Nature (Fat bikes can take you where regular mountain bikes can’t.)
- You Could Be the Next Fat Bike World Champion! (We hear the 5-day festival in Crested Butte, Colorado is lots of fun.)
Fat bikes are not just used in the snow. Once you try it, you might be hooked and want to ride your fat bike around all year, snow or shine.
The Best Free Online Workout Classes
If you’re not interested in venturing outside your house and your budget is well…zero for extracurricular activities…get in shape and have fun at the same time with these free classes.
Yoga
Yoga with Adriene has been offering high-quality, free yoga videos online for years. She’s down-to-earth, positive and has fun yoga class videos for people of all levels.
Dance + Fitness
Why not have some fun while you’re working out? POPSUGAR Fitness has lots of great (and free) classes on their YouTube channel where you can find a 30-minute cardio Latin dance workout or a hip-hop tabata to torch calories class.
HIIT Cardio
The CBC Life channel features some free workout classes like a full body HIIT workout that will keep you fit, feeling healthy and positive during the lockdown.
The Latest Crafts to Make and Sell
Doing something you love + Making money = Happiness.
Mini Spring Succulent Planters
Mini Spring Succulent PlantersSpring is coming and now is the perfect time to craft some colourful and adorable planters. These are easy and cost less than 50 cents to make.
Macrame Leaf Earrings
These earrings are so boho, cute and pretty easy to make. Craftsyhacks.com has a short video on their blog demonstrating how to make the earrings.
Crochet Face Scrubbies with a Laundry Bag
Focusing on zero waste this year with easy-to-make (and sell) wash cloths and bag should be a winner, if you know how to crochet. If you don’t know how, here’s a great beginner’s tutorial to get you started.
Screen-Free Toys
Coming up with creative ways to keep screen time down for kids can be really tough. Parents are always looking for (and willing to pay for) toys that spark imagination and don’t involve screens. Screen-free toys are the answer.
Check out this felt food sewing pattern cookie baking set.
For Teens
Get your teens off of SnapChat and into a party (A responsible and socially-distanced party, of course).
Distance Dress-Up: Party of 1
Distance Dress Up is a social photo/party project sponsored by the AGO and inspired by the exhibition Studio 54: Night Magic that invites people to dress up in their favourite party outfit, take a selfie of themselves and post it on IG with the tag: #distancedressup!
Mental Health
Social distancing has made a lot of us feel isolated and lonely and has caused a sharp increase in anxiety and depression. Learning, listening and most of all connecting with others, helps.
The Walrus Talks at Home: Mental Health
Brain Canada discusses individual and collective mental wellness on Thursday, March 25th at 7pm EST. Andres Lozano, (Neurosurgeon), Wency Leung, (Health Reporter, The Globe and Mail), Mark Henick, (author of So-Called Normal: A Memoir of Family, Depression and Resilience) and Sopé Owoaje, (Youth Mental Health Advocate) will discuss and answer your questions about the pervasive stigmatization of mental health, the cost of underfunding its research, and the effects of COVID-19 on our collective well-being.
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