By Tanya Rosenau

I don’t know about you, but I’m not used to just going from home to work and back. I like to be out on the town, shopping, seeing the sights, being involved in the many events and activities going on in the Willmar Lakes Area. This quarantine thing is hard to handle. But don’t you worry, I’m here to help break up that boredom while we live through this unprecedented time.

Enjoying an afternoon at Wildcat Cove Playground in Spicer.

First up, make sure you take time to get out in the fresh air and enjoy nature each day (if possible). Not only might it lift your mood, but it could reset your mind to be ready for the next challenge. You could keep it simple by going for a walk or heading to your nearest neighborhood park (keeping in mind the six-foot social distancing rule) or head out on the trails at Robbins Island Regional Park. Looking for more outdoor trails and possibly even a better chance of catching sight of some springtime animals, then head out to Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center or Sibley State Park and enjoy their trails. Their interpretive and information centers are closed right now, but the trails are open for you to enjoy!

Dance parties aren’t just for humans!

My next boredom buster is to turn on those crafty skills and make something you’ve never made before. Now this could be as simple as a butterfly out of a paper towel roll and construction paper or as involved as making a wine rack out of pallet wood. Pinterest is going to be your best friend during anytime of crafting or hobby work and there’s plenty of instructional videos on how to do the many creative ideas out there. If you’re in need of crafting supplies and your local craft stores are closed, then create a post on Facebook asking your friends for the items you need. You can always do a no contact drop off of art and craft supplies with them. Then you’ll get to see them, even if it’s from six feet away, and let them know that you can’t really see the gray roots coming through their hair that is in desperate need of a touch-up or coloring.

Okay so I’m not always up to doing crafts and it might be foggy and drizzly outside like it is today, then what? Then it’s time to enjoy your free version of Pandora, a music streaming service, and crank up the tunes. You’ll be amazed at how young and free you’ll feel when you move the furniture out of the way and have your very own dance party! My kids and I like to do this when it starts to get dark out and then put on glo sticks and bright/white colored clothing that will show up under a black light. (If you need a black light, let me know, I have extra from my many Halloween decorating ideas.) Themed dance parties make it even more fun so get crazy and

A fun Minute to Win It game you can play with bottles of water, a nylon or pair of tights and an orange!

think outside of the box. Who’s going to see you anyway? (other than your family who already know you can be a little goofy.) Some dance party themes we’ve had fun doing are: 80’s dance party, fancy dress up, superhero, all green (for St. Patrick’s Day), pajama, and of course we love to pull out old Halloween costumes and enjoy a Hotel Transylvania themed dance party!

Another fun way to reduce the boredom is by having a game night. You can always get a tournament going with your favorite board, card or dice game with your family to see who the ultimate winner is for each week of quarantine. You can even make a winner’s hat or award of some sort during one of your crafting sessions that the winner could have for that week. Don’t have any games like that at home? Well not to worry, Pinterest will again be your best friend in this situation. If you look up Minute To Win It games, you’ll find all sorts of fun, timed activities you can do with your family with simple household items. Just to warn you though, there tends to be a lot of laughter with these games so maybe cut back on the beverages during these game sessions!

Painting is a great way to stay busy and brighten up the house.

These would be my top four boredom busters, but there’s plenty more ideas out there. Here’s a few simple ones to help occupy some time: sort your photos, print some photos on Snapfish or Shutterfly and have them delivered and hang them up around the house, follow an exercise video on YouTube, make a house of cards, clean the house, organize the leftover containers and covers, clean the inside of your car, organize the garage, go for a bike ride, do a scavenger hunt, paint a room in the house, clean out your closet, rearrange your furniture, clean the lint out of your dryer, paint your nails, play M.A.S.H. with a friend like you did when you were a kid, and make lists (of anything you like).

This should get you started for at least one week anyway. Keep checking our blog post as I try to come up with more fun and unique things to do in the Willmar Lakes Area during COVID-19.