These apps and games are available for free download, though you may need to pay for an advanced experience.
All you need is your smartphone or tablet to begin with the new experience
People are staying at home with their family since most states in India have imposed a lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. While many of them have also opted for work from home to stay safe from the deadly virus, there are the masses who are getting bored sitting together with their family members for days. You should certainly spend some healthy time with your family. But what all can you do together with other family members in the lockdown situation that is full of fear and stress, thanks to wide spreading of COVID-19 across the globe?
Here, we are providing you with a list of apps and games that you can install on your smartphone or tablet to spend some healthy time with your family during the lockdown and stay sane.
If you're looking to stay more organised during the coronavirus outbreak, while staying at home, you can download Family Organizer by Picniic on your Android or iOS device. The app lets you view your family's schedule and create events or reminders for any of your family members. You can also assign to-dos and lists and track their progress instantly. Similarly, the app lets you plan meals for your family for the whole lockdown period. You can also find new recipes using the built-in recipe search tool on the app. Furthermore, the app comes with Google Home and Amazon Alexa integration.
Family Organizer by Picniic is available for free download through both Google Play and Apple App Store. However, some features are restricted for the paid version that can be subscribed at $99.99 (roughly Rs. 7,600).
Do you want to spend some time playing a game with your child or your partner? You can download Mucho Party and enjoy playing one of six multiplayer games. These are namely Mosaic, Random, Duel, TicTacToe, HotSeat, and League. You can also unlock 40 other arcade games and get car races, zany socker, fishing, and tango -- all while sitting on your couch. Further, you can create your avatar using selfies.
Mucho Party is available for free on both Android and iOS platforms and is downloadable through Google Play and Apple App Store, respectively. Nonetheless, the game does have some in-app purchases to enhance your experience.
For those who want to get a nostalgic feel while sitting at home with their families, there is nothing like playing ludo. You can install Ludo King on your phone to play the dice game with your family members. It supports various themes such as Nature, Egypt, and Night mode to choose from. Also, if you don't have four members at your home, you can add players from anywhere around the world. The game additionally has the option to play with two to six players in the local multiplayer mode. You can also challenge your Facebook friends or show off your statistics on social media after successfully winning a ludo match. Furthermore, you can play Snakes and Ladders on the other side of the ludo board -- just like how you may have played in your childhood.
Ludo King can be installed on Android or iOS devices. The game is available for free download through Google Play and Apple App Store. However, you may need to spend some bucks to purchase additional in-app content.
If you don't want to play a simple arcade game like ludo or snakes and ladders and are instead looking for something to challenge your brain a bit, you can download Words With Friends 2 and start playing the word puzzle game with your family members. The game is touted to have a lexicon of 50,000 new words. Also, the inbuilt multiplayer capability lets you connect with your family members to not just show off your spelling skills but also to enhance your and their vocabulary. Moreover, you can play the fast team mode in the game with a team of up to five players to see how good skills you have to build new spellings rapidly.
The Words With Friends 2 is available for free download through Google Play and Apple App Store. There are some in-app purchases for additional content, though.
Alongside playing games, you can sit with your family to make some interesting, knowledgeable notes using Google Keep. All you need is a Google account to share notes between you and your family members. You can also speak voice memos to get them automatically transcribed. Alternatively, there are options to add photos and documents to your notes to make them interactive. You can also add colours and labels to your notes to organise them for future use. The Google Keep app additionally lets you set location-based reminders that could be helpful once the lockdown is over in your area.
You can download Google Keep on Android and iOS or access its Web version directly through your browser. The app is available for free through Google Play and Apple App Store.
If you want to read a book with your family, you can go with Amazon's Audible Audiobooks & Originals. The app includes a vast variety of audiobooks, documentaries, and scripted shows. There are also Audible Originals to entertain you and your family during the lockdown. Further, you can receive news and updates from media sources such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. There is also access to some guided wellness programmes from certified coaches and trainers.
The Audible app is available for free download through Google Play and Apple App Store. You can also access the app through Alexa-enabled devices. However, you do need to purchase audiobooks separately.
To stay calm and avoid panic in this tough situation, you can install the Calm app on your mobile device and start meditating along with your family members. The app offers breathing programmes, masterclasses, and soothing music to help you relax and manage stress. There are also guided meditation sessions available for up to 25 minutes. Moreover, you can set your personal goals on the app to get a personalised experience.
Calm is available on both Android and iOS devices for free download through Google Play and Apple App Store, respectively. It comes with a seven-day free trial, though if you need it for a longer time, you need to spend Rs. 3,299 a year.
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