If anything, one of the pluses given by the pandemic is the abundance of methods to keep connected with your loved ones while being away. We can stay in touch, socialize, live, and laugh together even if we can’t see each other in person. You can host parties, dates with other families, and other virtual events in a variety of imaginative ways so that you and your children can stay in touch with those you care about.
Virtual events, unlike in-person events, are not bound by a physical location. From almost everywhere there is WiFi, multiple people can join in the fun. Nowadays most of the family events like baby showers, weddings, birthday parties, corporate parties, prayer meetings for death, etc. are held virtually. For families living far away it is a great way to interact and build strong relationships and communication.
Although there are many platforms for virtual gatherings right now, Zoom and Google Hangouts are two of the most popular. If you’re using them, that’s fantastic! Just remember to include a password to keep unauthorized visitors out. Apple customers can use Group FaceTime as an option if they choose. It can accommodate up to 30 callers and puts the person who is presently speaking in front of the others, making it simple to follow along with a conversation.
Here are some suggestions for arranging virtual group activities to keep connected to your community, whether it’s an adult-only virtual Happy Hour with pals, a family reunion, a large birthday celebration, or a get-together with a few families in your neighborhood:
Organize a movie night
Netflix users can use the Netflix Party extension in Google Chrome to view a Netflix movie with a group of friends at the same time. Playback, pause, and restart functions are all synchronized, and there’s even a chat area where everyone can discuss their favorite scenes.
Take part in a Lip Sync Battle
It’s simple to accomplish with practically any virtual platform, and it’s a lot of fun to see someone silently scream out their favorite song in their living room. Create a custom Pandora or Spotify playlist and share it with your guests and rivals, as well as a lineup so that everyone knows when it’s their turn to take the mike. Of course, if folks aren’t too shy to sing, you could try true karaoke!
Time to tell a story
Invite several families to an evening story time to get youngsters enthusiastic about sleep (and maybe even get a vacation from it!). Parents can either all sit in or take turns leading the group while the others go somewhere else for a few minutes of “me time.” It’s a fantastic way to share your favorite children’s books, whether it’s a well-worn copy of a short tale you’ve read 100 times or the entire Harry Potter series across several evenings.
Host a weekend brunch
There is something about virtual brunches that let everyone explore their nerdy, curious, and even cooler side. Of course, you may make the topic of your group whatever you like, even if it’s just a venting session or a chance to share highlights from the previous week. We think it sounds terrific, and it’s a great chance to reconnect with old acquaintances.
Organize a workshop
There’s no shortage of ways to demonstrate ability on a video platform, from magic performances to cooking demos, and we’re willing to bet someone in your family has crazy skills to share! Offer to host a workshop on something you know a lot about—do you know how to do origami, for example? How about a container garden? Do you have a great closet-organizing tip? —to teach your friends or family, and to encourage others to do so.
Escape from a virtual confinement
In most cases, an escape room is a room where small groups of people are confined in and must solve a series of puzzles or mysteries in order to get out. While it may seem unusual to act as if we’re trapped in a room when we’re already under “lockdown” at home, the communication and teamwork required to solve the clues may be a lot of fun! Simply enter one of these themed free virtual Celebrate escape rooms and either collaborate as a group or challenge families to see who can escape first.
Organize a competition
Try arranging a contest with a fun theme where everyone may compare via screens, from the craziest hat to the best family impersonations. The winner is determined by a simple vote at the conclusion (all those in favor raise their hands). Try putting on a talent show! These virtual talent show hosting methods work for full classrooms of children, so there’s no reason you couldn’t host one for a fun competition amongst whole families, coworkers, or friends.
Play Charades with another family
Team up with another family for a game of charades using your favorite video chat platform, and have one household compete against the other. When the quarantine is lifted, the losers may have to arrange a BBQ party for the winners!
Start a virtual book club, or continue your current one
Track what your friends are reading and schedule a book club meeting using your choice platform by using free websites and apps like GoodReads for recommendations. To get you started, GoodReads has some terrific conversation questions.
