Keep the children busy
Keeping children busy during this period can be really hard. Many schools are setting their own learning but if you need something else to keep children occupied this list from our education team might help. There's free online resources and courses to suit every taste, age group and interest.
Be a virtual home tourist
We are telling people to not visit Plymouth at the moment but that doesn't mean we can't explore our beautiful home city.
There's lots of places to explore on foot while out getting your daily exercise. Here are some trails that you can exercise on safely, as long as you are careful to keep your distance from others. Do small sections at a time if you can walk to them from your home.
- Devonport Heritage Trail links many historic and cultural points of interest. Spilt into four sections, this four mile walk, starting in Stonehouse, passes by the newly restored Guildhall, the Devonport Column and the Egyptian House before making its way into Devonport Park.
- The Co-operative Way is a 15 mile circular walk (so do not attempt to do it one go at the moment) that runs around the north of the city. It starts and ends at Central Park and includes a number of our parks, green spaces and nature reserves. The guide includes a fascinating mix of nature and local history.
- The Waterfront Walkway takes you along the Plymouth section of the coast plath from Admiral’s Hard in Stonehouse to Jennycliff (don't attempt to do it all at once at the moment).
Our Visit Plymouth team has also created some Mayflower themed worksheets and some colouring sheets of Britain’s Ocean City to keep you busy.
Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for daily pictures of our lovely city.
Be a virtual culture vulture
The big opening has had to be postoposed but our colleagues at The Box are providing teasers from the collection every day on Facebook and Twitter so you can still experience #cultureinquarantine.
There is a weekly blog from The Box, with information about cultural activities and support for the arts sector.
The annual ‘Get Creative Festival’ shines a light on all the great cultural activity that takes place in local communities and encourages people to try their hand at something new and creative. This year the festival is an online initiative using the hashtag #GetCreativeAtHome, encouraging organisations and individuals to create, curate or signpost accessible online activities. These can be live online events where participants need to log in or join at a certain time or content that you can take part in at anytime, for example how-to videos.
Plymouth History Festival has been moved online for 2020. The festival takes place from 8 May, stay up to date by following them on Twitter and Facebook.
Check out your family history
Library users can now access the Ancestry Library Edition from home until the end of May.
Just enter your library card number and PIN here and start finding out about your family history.
Get down with nature
Our Natural Infrastructure team are sharing a fun activity on the Nature Plymouth Facebook page every day.
Get fit for free
Free fitness ideas from the NHS
Daily fitness sessions with Joe Wicks
Keep it live
We many not be able to go out but there are loads of online live events to take part in and enjoy. Our friends at One Plymouth have put together a great Best of Plymouth live streams page. There's music, dancing, fish, yoga, hip hop, hoop, zookeeper talks and even bedtime stories.
Borrow digital books and magazines for free
You can use your library card to download eBooks and eAudiobooks. If you have a tablet or smartphone download the Libby App from the App Store or Play Store. You can borrow up to eight titles at a time for a maximum of three weeks; titles can be borrowed again if nobody else is waiting for them.
You can also read free online magazines.
Our Libraries Service have moved RhymeTime online and loads of great resources to keep you entertained are still available, you can find them on Facebook or Twitter.