Try something new

Lockdown can be a great time for doing all those things we usually don't have enough time for, and also a time to spend on those "someday" projects we have thought about. Here are some ideas to keep your brain working, learn something new or just have fun, most are online and most are free.

Test your brain with puzzles, games and quizzes online:

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Quizzes: Stuff Quizzes - Daily quizzes you can access online for free.
Free online puzzles: Lovatts website. Daily crosswords, Sudoku, Word Search, Trivia Quizzes, Code Crackers and more.
Word and Logic Puzzles: The New Zealand Herald Puzzles and Games; Stuff Puzzles
Brain teasers, riddles, logic problems and mind puzzles: Brainteasers:
Test and train your brain online with our brain puzzles and games: Mind Games:
Bridge: Bridgebase
Chess: Chess.com
Jigsaw Puzzles: The Jigsaw Puzzles or Jigsaw Puzzle Lite
Mahjong: Mahjong Games or Free Online Mahjong Games
Scrabble: The Best Places to Play Scrabble Online
Sudoku: Web Sudoku

Watch some great movies or TV series:

**Best New Zealand On-Demand Sites -** A complete list of legal New Zealand on-demand and streaming video services from Computer Geek**.**
The 50 best movies on Netflix New Zealand - August 2021
Find a thought-provoking movie or TV series to watch on YouTube or **TVNZ on Demand; TV3; / Maori TV; ChoiceTV**
List of legal video, movies and TV download and streaming options in New Zealand: from Geek Zone (an online tech community)

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Video Games

Videos recommended for young people that should be ok for everyone:

What video games are good for the brain?
Some video game playing can help keep the brain going.

Listen to Podcasts:

How to Listen to a Podcast: Listening to a podcast is simple if you have access to the internet, just find a podcast platform or app that suits you and sample some of the many thousands of podcasts made around the world. All podcasts are free, and most are available via many different apps. (Click the small toggle arrow to learn more)

Try reading an eBook or listening to an audiobook:

Read or listen to free books through Libby: Download the ‘Libby’ app from your library and borrow eBooks and audiobooks for free. Nelson Public Libraries Tasman District Libraries

How to listen to a podcast - Podcasts.NZ

Radio New Zealand Podcasts and Series

BBC Podcasts - For the more casual learner, the BBC offers a wide variety of podcasts on many different topics, updated weekly, and focusing on everything from finance to sports, to current events.

See the world from home:

**Explore.org -** the world’s largest (and free) live nature cam network. Get up close and personal in real-time with animals around the globe in their natural habits - be that the ocean, the savannah, a cliff top or nest.
**National Geographic’s YouTube channel** - features lots of short videos on just about any aspect of the natural world.
British Natural History Museum - Another great museum site with lots of resources to help explore and learn more about the natural world.

The Louvre - You can’t fly to Paris right now, but you can take a virtual tour of one of the world’s most famous art galleries and museums.
The British museum: a great YouTube channel to explore the history of all sorts of artefacts held at the museum.

Take part in people-powered research

**Citizen Science Research: Zooniverse: - .**enables everyone to take part in research in many fields across the sciences, humanities, and more. Data from these projects is used to study online community design and theory, interface design, and other topics. Video - Zooniverse intro:

Try out your writing skills

Helpful playlist of videos from well-known authors on writing:

**Helpful websites for creative writers - from Study.com**
**Book writing Apps: -** Some free some paid
How to Begin Writing a Book-wikiHow
**Getting Started:** Allen & Unwin advice
**Creative Writing 101 -** from Writers Treasure
**How to Start Writing a Book:** A Guide for Beginners

How to Write a Book: 13 Steps From a Bestselling Author

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Write up your New Zealand travel bucket list:

Lockdown might prevent us from travelling, but it won’t stop us from dreaming. Time to bulk out that list and plan your next adventure. Check out the TOP 10 Blog for inspiration.

Learn something new (Free online study)

Whether you are 5 or 95, the internet has a lot to offer. When the topic is education, the resources on the internet are endless, and many high-quality sites are completely free.

GCFLearnFree - self-paced tutorials providing a variety of learning approaches with text, information graphics, interactives and videos.
**Khan Academy** – a well-known educational site offering impressive depth on many different subjects.
**Codecademy** - a website dedicated to teaching coding, it includes a live practice window so you can practice coding while still viewing the lesson material.
**TED-Ed** - a great destination for more general learning and a site full of educational videos. TED-ED YouTube Channel
OpenLearn - a world leader in free open and distance learning, with nearly 1000 courses across 8 different subject areas.

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**Alison (https://alison.com/)** - an e-learning provider founded in Galway, Ireland, one of the world's largest players in free online education.
**Open Culture Online Courses** – a listing of free online education courses showing 1000 lectures, videos and podcasts from universities around the world, all in easy to browse categories.

New Zealand provider:
- **Open Polytechnic – Kuratini Tuwhera** - a Government-owned tertiary education institution operating as the specialist national provider of open and distance learning (ODL).