How to entertain yourself in the midst of the coronavirus crisis?

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The 3 best new movies on Netflix 0:39

(CNN) - The new coronavirus pandemic is changing our way of life. That includes our beloved weekends.

To prevent its spread, public health officials agree: social distancing is essential. That means we must limit our contact with other people and avoid crowds.

But social distancing does not mean that your weekend is ruined. You just have to be a little creative.

Follow these basic guidelines from Crystal Watson and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Health Safety:

• Avoid going to places where 25 or more people can gather
• Go to places where you can stay at least 1.8 meters away from other people
• Be aware of your personal risk: If you are 60 or older or have a compromised immune system, you should stay home as much as possible.

"It may seem difficult to take these steps at times, but really what we are doing is protecting [vulnerable] people from getting seriously ill," he told CNN. "We can influence how this outbreak develops by taking these measures."

Here are some ideas on how to make the most of your weekends:

For the cultural connoisseur

Your favorite museum may be closed. The mall is a ghost town. And unfortunately Watson's "no more than 25-person guide" rules out theaters: Sitting close to others in chairs that are not disinfected is a bad idea even for young, healthy people, he says.

Never mind. Now is the time to absorb all that culture you dreamed of if you had enough time.

Read all. You always say you will find the time to read more. This is the moment. You might not feel comfortable visiting libraries and bookstores, so download a ton of e-books or audiobooks. Drag your friends into a literary abyss and create a virtual book club and make video calls to debate.

Take a virtual tour of a museum. Do you miss the great rooms and the self-guided tours with audio? Many museums offer a similar experience on your smartphone. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and the Guggenheim Museum are just two of several that organize online visits. Do you want to explore abroad? Google Arts & Culture has a collection of virtual tours for dozens of international museums, from Paris to New Delhi.

Try amateur film criticism. Social networks were made for you to cast your crude opinions into the void. Now that we are all trapped in that cyberspace, maybe someone will listen to you. Write a review of the latest teen comedy on Netflix. Catch up on recent Oscar winners and rejected jewelry and share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter. To exchange recommendations with your fellow moviegoers, join a site like Letterboxd, a social media service for movie fans.

Learn a language, or just the basics. Learning some phrases in another language will make you feel smart. Or smart. O ス マ ー ト. Or erevu. Still don't know English, Japanese or Swahili? Go study.

Reinforce your vocabulary. Remember when reading the dictionary was a form of punishment? No more. Flip through a thesaurus or take online quizzes to assess your vocabulary, and gradually increase your personal vocabulary. Flaunt your talkativeness with your relatives.

For nature lovers

Surprise! Social distancing does not require you to lock yourself up.

Get out into nature. Watson says it is the best option to get out of the house and stay 2 meters away from other people. Find an area where there are no crowds. Breathe fresh air. See things in the world around you that you haven't noticed before.

Start birdwatching. The coronavirus has not affected birds. Find out which species nest near you, dust off your binoculars if you have them, and download a birding map. Sit in the backyard or near a window. You will be amazed at how many birds you identify when you really look.

Take part in an isolated race. Yes, you can still exercise, as long as you stay away from others. Keep your immune system strong and clear your mind.

For the gourmet

You don't need to give up your gastronomic passion.

Get prepared food. Many independent restaurants are affected at this time. Support them with your offer. Many restaurants are implementing takeaways to keep their businesses afloat. CNN affiliate KABC reported that the Grubhub takeout service will stop charging commissions of up to $ 100 million to support independent restaurants that use its service. Just be sure to limit your contact with the delivery person (but be polite) and wash your hands.

Make that recipe. It has lain between your marked web pages - and in the hungry corner of your brain - for weeks. It is a challenge. It will test you. But it will taste great. It is time to prepare that difficult dessert or that roast of the whole day. You have the whole weekend to dominate and devour it.

Find new recipes. Read your cookbooks and carefully study all culinary sites on the internet. After all, you have time.

For caregivers

Your mental health is precious, especially during periods of social isolation. Take care of yourself and connect with your loved ones, recommends Watson.

Chat and make video calls. If you are alone, you don't need to feel this way. Squeeze your mobile data and video call the people you love.

Meditate. Life is slowing down a bit. Emptying your mind and focusing your consciousness no longer feels impossible, and can help you relax.

A nap. Why not?

For busy people

Tired of walking around your house or looking at the wallpaper. Keep your hands and brain busy.

Take out the board games. Clue. The game of life. Scrabble. The classics are as fun as you remember them. Enjoy the nostalgia. Be competitive.

Face a huge puzzle. It has to be challenging enough to keep you busy, but not enough to threaten to drive you crazy.

Make art. Whether it's a coloring book page or a number-painting masterpiece, a knit scarf, or a ceramic piece, the act of creating will calm your mind and keep your fingers nimble.

Make things difficult. If you've been putting off your taxes or the completion of that key report, do it now and get it over with. I'm sorry.

Repair something. If something needs to be fixed around the house, get out your toolkit and get to work. There is something in the construction that fills you with purpose.

For the sports fan

Without sports, what now? Season suspensions are difficult, especially since they extend to almost every televised and live sporting event in the sun.

Become an expert. Read about your sport of interest so that when your team starts playing again you have a broader view of the game. Bill Nowlin, who sits on the board of directors of the Society for American Baseball Research, told CNN that his love for the game has been reinforced by a deeper understanding of it.

Show your team some love. Your favorite players are probably as disappointed as you are that their season is on hold. Tweet a positive message or send them a photo of yourself wearing team clothing in solidarity. Better yet, support a charity that your favorite player loves, which can mean more to them than anything else.

Revisit an old game. You know, the game you watched from your father's shoulders years ago when the crowd felt electric. The game you saw on the brink of hysteria until your team achieved a last-minute victory. The game that made you fall in love with sports. If you have a subscription to a specific sports streaming service, check to see if they have your favorite game. If not, YouTube has clips from a surprisingly large collection of games. Gregory Ramshaw, an associate professor in the Department of Park, Recreation and Tourism Management at Clemson University, told CNN that he plans to pass the break this way.

See sports documentaries. Sports documentaries provide useful context about games from the past and present, and most of the time, are more emotionally challenging than a Pixar movie. Grab the scarves and tune in to one.

Perhaps most importantly: don't panic. Things could change quickly, Watson says, and the guidelines for what we can and cannot do could be tighter as the outbreak spreads.

Protect your health and keep in touch with family and friends virtually if necessary. Weekends can look different for a while. Overcome them together.

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