Things to do at Home
Learning
The Recovery College – Mental health online courses
Future Learn – Variety of online courses
Class Central – 600 free online courses from 190 universities
Open University – Free online learning
TED Talks – Inspirational lectures on a wide range of topics
VSS Vocational Solutions – Free vocational short courses. Phone 0161 478 4040
New City College – Free 10-12 week distance learning courses
Lubcho Macrame – Learn how to make macrame
Macrame School – Macrame for beginners
Guardian website – Online learning: how to acquire new skills during lockdown
Islington Council – Free online courses for Islington residents. Email aldo.zeolla@islington.gov.uk
Culture and Entertainment
British Museum – Podcasts
Tate Gallery – Online gallery tours, performances and texts
Tate Gallery: How are you feeling? – Match your mood to a Tate artwork
Tate Gallery “Walk of Arts” podcasts – Be transported out of your living room and into nineties Shoreditch, sunny St Ives or the hidden depths of the River Thames
Aurora Borealis – Live webcam of the Northern Lights – 3am-9am best time to see them – for insomniacs!
BBC i-Player – Free art documentaries
National Theatre – Watch performances from the National Theatre for free
Great British Home Chorus – Online community for choir and musicians
Sporcle – Trivia quizzes
Radio Garden – Interactive map of live radio stations across the globe
Meet Up – Free online talks and events for Londoners
Gutenberg Library – List of online free libraries
Billboard – Livestreams and virtual concerts
Globe Theatre – Free to watch Globe productions of Shakespeare
Google – Virtual tours of galleries, opera houses etc
National Gallery – Virtual tours of NG’s collection
National Portrait Gallery – Digital content from past exhibitions/NPG collection
Internet Archive – Free books, films and audio (mostly oldies and out of copyright)
Draw a Stickman – Surprisingly therapeutic interactive drawing
BFI Flare – 14 days free trial of all films that were showing in Flare
BFI Player – Short archive films to watch for free
Social Distancing Festival – Art and performance showcase from all over the world
Time Out – Listings for online events
Nothing in the Rulebook – Creative site with listings of free books
Chatterpack – Online resources to support SEND and learning disabilities
Mind’s Despard Road Music Channel – Music and visuals made by service users
North London Cares – Daily creative activities for people to do at home in isolation
New York Metropolitan Opera – Watch opera for free
What’s On Stage – Stage shows, musicals and operas to watch for free
Virtual Nature – Virtual visits to natural places plus a virtual gardening project to help you to grow things at home, courtesy of the Stuart Low Trust
Virtual Museums – Plus a virtual philosophy forum on Sundays
Andy Warhol at the Tate – Talk on Tate’s current Warhol show
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra – Download music and play along with other musicians
CBC – Free indigenous films
Open Culture – Free online culture and educational media
Sacred Valley Tribe – Medicine songs
Soundcloud – Free music streaming
Art Net – News/articles related to art world
Artsy – Learn about art from leading galleries
Saatchi Art – Art selected from the collection by curators
Max Ehrmann – Desiderata: A Life Changing Poem for Hard Times
Crochet a tote bag out of grocery bags
Islington Council – Islington during WW2 to celebrate VE Day
Uffizi Gallery, Florence – online exhibitions
Musée d’Orsay – from railway station to iconic Parisian museum
Guggenheim Museum, NY – exhibitions and collections
Nature
Aurora Borealis – Live webcam of the Northern Lights – 3am-9am best time to see them – for insomniacs!
Liziqi – Inspiring videos on making things from scratch and living in harmony with Nature
Jonna Linton – Inspiring videos from a Scandinavian artist inspired by Nature
Hilldrop Community Centre – Free 1-hour slots for Islington residents who don’t have their own garden. Available to single households only and not mixed groups. Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-4pm. Phone 020 7607 9453
Yellowstone National Park – 10-minute virtual walks to the Mammoth Hot Springs and other delights, Wyoming USA
Exercising at Home
Yoga with Adrienne – Free 30-day online yoga classes
Sport England – Free workouts and fitness programmes
British Heart Foundation – Tips on staying active in lockdown
Joe Wicks – Body Coach: Youtube workouts for all abilities
YouTube workout – 5-minute arm workout
YouTube workout – Pilates for older women
YouTube workout – Back pain relief exercises and stretches
YouTube workout – 5 simple daily exercises for older people
YouTube workout – Seated exercise
YouTube workout – Beginners Pilates
Islington Chinese Association – Exercise classes on Zoom
Qigong – 20-minute daily exercise routine – particularly suited to older people or people with mobility issues
Tai Chi – 5 minutes a day routines, particularly suited to older people or people with mobility issues
Better GLL – free online exercises for all ages and abilities