The Safest Family Activities in Times of Coronavirus
We are not doctors but have examined the current guidelines for protection against Coronavirus (COVID-19) including social distancing and have come up with some suggested activities for the family and kids which should have low health risk.
There IS a limit on how much Netflix you can watch without a break at home. With the closure of so many recreational activities including all community sport, people will need to get out of their houses sometimes for an active break. So, provided you are are not required to be quarantined at home, slap on the hand sanitizer and go out into the world for a while.
These suggestions have been updated based on the restrictions in place in Victoria from Wednesday 13th May.
In summary the following recreational activities are prohibited:
- Indoor physical recreation facilities, including gyms, yoga studios, wellness centres, barre and spin facilities and health studios
- Galleries and museums
- Play centres
- Publicly accessible playgrounds
- Skate parks
- Outdoor communal gym equipment
- Swimming pools and ocean baths
- Do not come into contact with playground equipment, public barbecues, outdoor chairs and tables and do not drink from public drinking fountains.
- Theatres, cinemas, concert halls and auditoriums, arenas, stadiums, games arcades and amusement parks
- Zoos, wildlife centres, petting zoos, aquariums and animal farms that are not involved in producing food.
- Outdoor recreation where you can keep your distance (at least 1.5 metres apart), is not competitive (team vs team) and you can do them with a maximum of 10 people. It is possible to drive a bit further to go exercise.
- Beach activities - you can swim, relax at the beach, have a picnic or play non-contact sports.
- Golf, boating, fishing, gold prospecting or panning
- Walking, running or bike riding
- Visit a national park (except for camping)
There are plenty of ideas for other walks within and bordering Melbourne in this list.
If you can safely get into central Melbourne there are walks which incorporate areas of interest such as the Melbourne City Arts Trail, Melbourne City Gardens Trail and Melbourne City Maritime Trail.
Provided you've been able to get some supplies from the barren supermarkets, combine a walk with a picnic. We've put together an article The Best 30 Picnic Spots in Melbourne to provide a smorgasbord of ideas.
Fishing is another activity where it is quite easy to enforce social distancing. If your luck isn't in, it's possible that you won't even come within 1.5m of a fish. However, there are almost twenty lakes around Melbourne which are stocked prior to the school holidays with good sized rainbow trout which are relatively easy to catch, even for beginners. Check out our guide The Best Fishing Spots for Families in Melbourne.
An easier way to catch a fish is at one of the Trout and Salmon Farms across Victoria.
(Currently not permitted)
Having some physical exercise can help get your mind off all our problems for a while. Find a nearby free public tennis court and smash your frustrations away. There are more than 60 free tennis courts around Melbourne.
Melbourne still has three active Drive-Ins in Dromana, Dandenong and Coburg North which seem a safe way to view movies by a tight-knit family. Check out our article Step Back in Time and Visit a Drive-In for the details.
(Currently not permitted)
Do you have a dog? If not, can you borrow your neighbour's dog? This represents a good time to find a suitable off leash dog park and let both dog and humans to get some exercise and fresh air. We've got a dog kennel full of suitable places, from dog off-leash areas to fenced dog parks.
Now might be a good time to be a culture vulture. Even though many museums and galleries are closed there is a huge array of outdoor sculptures and amazing street art. This article has information on a huge amount of outdoor public and street art.
Do the kids have a scooter, BMX bike or skateboard? With appropriate distancing actions, a skate park or BMX track can provide a suitable location to get some exercise outside the house. Just remember - no high-fives when you complete a tricky move. See information on all skateparks and BMX tracks across Melbourne and regional Victoria.
(Skateparks are currently closed but BMX Tracks should be open)
Oh, oh, oh!
Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite!
Do you have a kite in the garage? Find a suitable place and go fly a kite while singing this catchy tune from Mary Poppins!
If might be time to start a new sport such as Frisbee Golf. Check out the Disc (Frisbee) Golf Course at Ruffey Lake Park.
How about racing to a remote control car track? There are a range of off-road and on-road tracks for remote control cars across Melbourne and Victoria.
The indoor commercial gyms are closing and outdoor gyms might be an option to help keep your fitness level up. Councils have installed hundreds of outdoor gyms across all parts of Melbourne. Slather on the hand sanitizer and check out one of these outdoor gyms.
(Currently not permitted)
Get out and experience nature - these activities are generally coronavirus free zones, although getting close to an Emu Bottom in Sunbury seems a bit suss.
I'm wondering what the coronavirus thinks about lycra. It probably doesn't matter since a bike ride is likely to be a virus free activity. It might be a good opportunity to explore a Rail Trail (by bike or feet).
If it is not possible to get outdoors then you could try out a range of educational and fun websites we have found.
Important Note: The coronavirus situation is changing at a very rapid pace and you should ensure that activities conform to the latest health advice.
Some possible government sources of information are:
Federal:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) resources (Department of Health)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) health alert (Department of Health)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) (HealthDirect)
State:
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) (Health and Human Services)
About coronavirus (COVID-19) (Health and Human Services)
Sport, cultural and recreational activities restrictions (Health and Human Services)
