How often do you hear yourself, a friend or a family member fondly remembering a family vacation, party or a roadtrip with friends? With the current lockdown, due to the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we often find ourselves discussing such fond memories of meetings, parties, get-togethers and trips. It will be some time before we can indulge in these activities too. However, technology enables us to overcome physical distance and still hear the voices of dear relatives, see the smiles of loved ones and laugh with friends.

Video calls via various different applications and platforms have enabled us to maintain relationships and even strengthen these bonds. But what else can you do on these video calls besides catching up on juicy gossip, interesting happenings and other life updates? Here are a few fun ideas which can bring together family, relations and friends across cities, states and continents in an exciting and fun way.

Group Workouts
Do you miss your weekly zumba, dance or HIIT workouts with your gym buddies? Enjoy even more energised workouts with your exercise buddies via group video calls. Motivate each other, raise the group’s morale and burn more calories as you work out together at the same time, from the comfort of each of your homes. As a bonus you get to see each other and the visible progress each of you is making as you continue to log in each week, at the same time.

Game Nights
Meeting at the local club or gymkhana or even someone’s terrace for a rollicking game of UNO, scrabble, carrom or foosball is something we would look forward to each week. Online versions of UNO, ludo, scrabble and more allow multiplayer games which are just as fun as their in-person versions. Get together and play these via group video calls or via the applications and have loads of fun besides catching up with each other’s day-to-day happenings.

Remote Get-Togethers
We miss meeting our family members and friends over plates of delicious and favourite foods. So, although we can’t book a table at our favourite restaurant just yet, we can still eat together on birthdays, anniversaries and festivals via group video calls. The joy of meeting our loved ones and best buddies is in seeing their lovely smiles, watching them burst into laughter at a joke and listening to silly anecdotes. We can partake in these joys remotely. So, go ahead and schedule the next dinner get-together, decide the menu and don’t be surprised at the wealth of love and laughter you enjoy during the video call.

Family Sangeet Night
Remember all those times family and friends were gathered together for celebrations and fun and games went on throughout the evening and late into the night? Well, all the fun of antakshari, pictionary games, dumb charades and more can be enjoyed through group video calls. Imagine the fun of carrying on a game of antakshari where song after song is sung from one home to the next, probably even in another city or country. These events could even be used as an opportunity to get all dressed up and add more fun and excitement to the scheduled group call.

Group Hobbies for Kids
The lockdown can be particularly challenging for children and teenagers who are forced to stay indoors with very limited access to their friends. Organise some fun for them by way of a day dedicated to indulging in group hobbies via video calls. Coordinate with other parents to get the children online and then read stories together, enact plays, make craft items and clay objects, and other similar activities. In this fun and engaging way, the kids get to see each together while also learning fun new skills and discovering new hobbies.

To Conclude…
Technology has enabled and simplified various aspects of our life. During this pandemic, in particular, it has provided new opportunities to reconnect and bond with family and friends. Let’s leverage the technology we have access to and rekindle the warmth and love in our numerous relationships.