What to do at a friends house

Have some things to look forward to with your girlfriends! Here’s 20 fun things to do with friends at home – perfect for when the lockdown has eased its rules enough to allow small gatherings. In the meantime, I’ve also pulled together the virtual alternatives so that you can still have some fun ‘mates nights’ to keep you sane!

1. Have a Pamper Night

Let’s kick off our friends wish-list with a little TLC. I love this one because it’s budget-friendly, but just as therapeutic as a spa day! Get your girls around, and load up with beauty treatments!

You want to have face cleansers, exfoliation, face masks, toners, moisturiser, oils… the lot! Also don’t forget to set the mood with relaxing music, candles and scented fragrances… oh so zen!

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

The great thing is, pamper nights are super easy to do virtually. Simply jump on a video call and each have your own pamper night, at the same time, in the comfort of your own home… but with the company and chats from your friends. Perfect!

2. Host A Cocktail Party

Looking for fun things to do with friends at home? Then this is certainly the perfect answer!… Get the girls around and have fun making some cocktails!

You don’t have to be drink masters and I guarantee you’ll end up making them far too strong (oops!) but you’ll have so many giggles in the process.

There are actually heaps of simple cocktail recipes to try at home, so work your way through them, then rate each others to see who’s tastes and looks the best!

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

Get on a video call and each make your cocktails at home. You can watch your ‘competitors’ as you work on your own. Then pop them in front of the camera and rate each person’s cocktail based on appearance and creativity! The winner gets a free drink when we’re next all allowed out!

3. Do Wine / Cider / Beer / Gin / Vodka (etc) Tasting

Another one of the boozier things to do with friends at home – a tasting night!

The options to this one are endless because you can do it with almost anything. Each person brings a different brand or flavour of the chosen alcohol, and you rate them all to find your favourite.

If there’s some different ones – you could even pour them into a glass (secretly mark them underneath so that you know who’s is who’s & which is which!) then try to guess the flavour. It’s heaps of fun and a cheaper alternative to doing it out in a bar!

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

Simply decide on the alcohol choice beforehand, then you all get the same tasters in and try them at the same time, over a video platform.

It will be funny watching each others reactions and just the same as discussing in real life… except you’ll have more to drink as you’ll each have to finish off what’s left of each sample. There’s no sharing here!

4. Have a Movie Night

Okay so this might not be very original but I think it deserves it’s place of the ’20 fun things to do with friends at home’ list because it’s an old classic!

Get your girls around, snuggle up on the sofa with lots of tasty nibbles and watch a movie. You can each take it in turns to pick the movie (the ‘host’ chooses) and then each week, you can have it at someone else’s house to mix it up a bit.

Pick a movie that is ‘SO YOU!’ and see what your friends think.

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

A virtual movie night is pretty easy to do too, you know. If you each have a Netflix account, you can watch the movie on that – being sure to press play at the same time (you don’t want it off at all, otherwise your reactions will be out!) then, on your phone, you set up a video call so you have company whilst you watch.

If you want to make it more exciting, you can go one step further and turn it into a themed night! So let’s say someone chooses Great Gabsy as the movie – you then make the dress code gabsy themed and ‘join’ each other for a drink together (virtually of course!) before. It just makes those Friday nights a little more fun, and different.

5. Games Night Or… Home Escape Room

Another classic that HAS to make the list of fun things to do with friends at home… A good old games night with your gals. It’s simple, but fun.

You can go for board games, question games, “drink or dare” games (here’s 100 fun dares for your friends to kick it off!)

The great thing is, there’s plenty of options and you can mix it up each time!

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

To make it virtual, you can try the games that are already available on apps like Houseparty – it’s all there ready for you and there’s a good selection of games to choose from.

If you want to go for the escape room idea, all you have to do is head onto good old trusty google and you’ll actually see there’s some virtual escape rooms you can try out online with friends… simple!

6. Try a Style Night

If you want to do a little bit different, why not have a ‘style night’? How this works? You each create different categories. It could be, ‘Summer Look’, ‘Festival Vibes’, ‘Date Night’, ‘Meet The Parents’, ‘Home Comforts’, ‘Going Out Out’ etc.

Prep your looks beforehand then get together. Have some wine, blast some music and you then want to all go into different rooms – get changed at the same time and then come out to see your pal’s outfit choice!

You get chance to ‘pitch’ your look and why you went for what. You can also talk about the kind of trends you do and don’t like at the moment. PLUS, pick some wacky wild-card categories to get some giggles.

If you love fashion, you’ll love this ‘mates night’ idea for home.

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

This is actually one of the easiest ideas to turn virtual. It will work in exactly the same way – except over a video call.

7. Learn a Dance Routine

Have some FUN and get dancing! Depending on what kind of person you are, you can either do this as like a workout and challenge, or for a laugh and tipsy.

Simply go onto YouTube, find a dance tutorial, learn it with your besties and then you know full well, you’ll end up ‘performing’ it on your next night out! Go for a classic ‘girl power’ track and make sure you add your own sass to it!

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

This one is also super easy to make virtual (so no excuses!) All you need is a laptop for the dance tutorial and your phone for the video call. Give it a go…. I dare you!

8. Have a Dessert Night

Dessert nights are my all-time favourite thing – whether you’re looking for fun things to do with friends at home, or want to do it as a date… or even your very own self-date night!

How it works? Everyone brings over a sweet treat of their choice. You then do a little ‘tasting’ of each and rate each out of 10 to determine your favourite!

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

This one is a little tricky to do it virtually, but fear not, we’ll tweak it to make it work! Instead, grab your favourite desert from the supermarket, settle down on the sofa with it and have a video chat where you all show each other what you’re eating… Chats and treats (can’t be bad!)

9. Do The Big Bestie Bake-Off

The bake-off is exactly the same as desert night, except with this one – everyone obviously makes their own creations! It’s the perfect time for one, with lockdown making us all take up new hobbies like this.

If it’s virtual – simply show off your masterpieces, rate each others based on presentation and then all dig into them over a good cup of coffee.

10. Grab Some Grub

Talking of food, why not keep it simple, by having your friends around for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner? We always go out for food, but there’s nothing stopping us from having it at home.

If cooking is not your thing – order in! If it is, you could even go one step further and take it in turns to host… ‘Come Dine With Me’ style!

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

This one is a little tricky to make virtual, I must admit. But there’s nothing stopping you from all grabbing some grub at the same time! Breakfast is my favourite. Sit down in front of your screen with a coffee and a croissant and have a natter.

11. Drink And Draw

Two of my favourite things… well, one at least! And it’s always fun to get creative. You can do Drink and Draw or Drink and Paint, or even Drink and Create which is open to ANYTHING!

For instance at Halloween, we did pumpkin carving as the creative bit – so you can make it something seasonal, and no… you’re not too old!

The main part is that you’re working on something whilst having a chat and a nice little beverage. It just adds a different activity to your usual get-togethers.

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

To make it virtual, you just do this from your different homes, at the same time, and then turn your masterpieces around to the camera to reveal them at the end.

The advantage is, if it’s really rubbish – you can blame it on the camera being blurry or hold it further back… Clever hey!

12. Do Homemade Afternoon Tea or a Little Garden Picnic

I know what you’re thinking… not ANOTHER foodie idea? (Can you tell my life revolves around food?!) But there’s the social aspect you get from having a bite to eat too. A little homemade afternoon tea or picnic with your pals is actually super special.

If you all chip in to bring something different each, it also reduces the ‘workload’ and actually, trying different things from different people is one of the best bits! If you are doing it outside, you might like to play a few nice, relaxed outdoor games too.

It’s tricky to make this one virtual, other than like how I mentioned previously with the food in front of you and just a little online chat. I think maybe just pop this one in the diary for when you can do it properly though… something to look forward to!

13. Write Your Best Friend Bucket-List

It’s time to get PLANNING! Get together with your girls and write a list of all the things you want to do together this year, all the places you want to go, any events on your bucket-list that the others may be interested in.

I know everything’s still a little up in the air at the moment (although there is more hope with the vaccines now flying out hey?!) Life will return back to normal at some point, and there’s no reason why you can’t give yourself some things to get excited about.

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

This is super easy to do as a virtual ‘mates night’ meeting. You can get more organised with it by searching different things and places before your call. Then you can discuss it altogether, pull together the different ideas into a master list and set some dates for what you’re going to do when. It will really lift your sprits, trust me!

15. Ask Each Other Questions or Have a Discussions Night

So to make this EVEN EASIER, I’ve created this article with 200 fun and interesting conversation starters for friends. Woohoo! Click the link and have a read.

You can also do “Chats About” nights. Simply pick a topic, swat up on it before, then discuss it. It could be something like self-confidence, financial freedom, equality. Go as light-hearted or deep as you like! Or get more specific like, ‘let’s debate solo female travel!’

It’s a fun way to spend the evening and just nice to have quality time with good friends. This is something that can easily be done online – you don’t need to have your bestie in front of you for this one!

16. Give a DIY Project A Go Together

I wrote here about 20 different things to do to keep you busy at home. One thing that cropped up was those fun DIY projects you see on Pinterest or read about.

So another fun thing to do with friends at home is to get some inspiration online… then get cracking together in person! Pick something that really excites you – whether that’s something big or small.

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

If you’re doing this virtually, pick similar projects that you can to do at the same time, set a date, then tune in for an online video call for ‘the big reveal!’

It will certainly make you complete the project (because I don’t know about you, but I have the habit of starting things and just not finishing them!) and you can all compare how you got on.

It will also give you inspiration for other things you can do by seeing what your friends have gotten up to, or how they’ve gone about things in comparison to you.

17. Go To A Music Concert… Almost!

The amazing thing about the internet? It gives you access to SO MUCH. Pop onto Youtube, type in one of your favourite artists and ‘concert’ and you’ll have heaps of recordings to choose from.

And yes, I know – it’s not quite the same as in person but… when you’re stuck at home it’s the next best thing, right?! For this reason it simply HAS to go on our list of fun things to do with friends at home.

Crank that sound up and sing to your heart’s content!

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

Pick the concert, get the link, be super, super careful to press ‘play’ at the same time and there you have it! It’s almost (and I mean ALMOST!!) like being there, with your friends also there – just lost in the crowd somewhere else. Ha! I may be clutching at straws with this one a little but hey – it’s worth giving it a try!

18. Have a Little Photo Shoot

Okay, so I love this idea. I’m big on photos and capturing memories, but the best part about this is you HAVE to have a little makeover beforehand… play around with new make-up styles, do your hair – if one of your gals are super talented at hair, ask them to do yours for you.

It’s the ultimate girls night in. Then mess around taking cute, funny photos that you can add to your collection around your room. Best friends are priceless and sometimes we don’t capture enough moments with them.

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

Believe it or not, you can still do this online. Get ready together (because who wants to get ready on their own when they can’t even go out!), compare makeup routines, maybe don’t bother will hair, stick your pjs on instead of anything dressy and snap some cute shots so that you’ll ALWAYS remember the mad crazy times that this lockdown brought!

19. Start a Book Club

We’ve very nearly made it to the end of our list for 20 fun things to do with friends at home – so I thought I’d finish off with something that can be a regular thing… A home book club!

Yes the conversation usually drifts off the book and onto the latest gossip- but there’s almost at least 15 minutes of educated discussion on it! And it means you always have a new book to read… bonus!

VIRTUAL ALTERNATIVE:

This is super easy to make virtual. In fact, if you have friends in different parts of the country, or world, it could be a good virtual mates night idea to set up online anyway. It works in exactly the same way as in person – only you discuss over a video call instead of face to face.

20. Just Enjoy Each Other’s Company

I think by the time this restricted way of living ends and we can all be reunited with our friends, we won’t actually mind WHAT we do, we’ll just appreciate being able to do things again.

In the meantime, make the most of the online world and all the options it give us. We’re so lucky to be so connected with friends and family – think back 100 years or so if the same thing would have happened then… We’d have been trapped inside, completely secluded.

So I know it kind of sucks, but it’s keeping more people safe and well. Let’s just ride it out, make the best of it, then look forward to really making the most of life once normality returns!

I hope this list has helped, giving you a few ideas for fun things to do with friends at home! If you liked it, be sure to share, and subscribe to the blog for more inspo and encouragement. Take care!

Love,
Ell_xx

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