Who says that you can only be friends with people you see every day? The global pandemic of 2020 proved that good friends can stay connected in fun ways. Whether you need to stay at home for a few weeks or have friends who live in a different state, check out some of the top remote activities to try with your friends in 2021.

Games

There are hundreds of games that let you compete against your friends with just an internet connection. You might opt for Words with Friends and similar games that you play through an app. As long as your friends have the app, you can connect and play. Video game consoles have games that allow for online play, too. You can choose a battle game and play as a team to fight Nazis and other criminals or have fun with a racing game where you compete as Mario and his friends. These games require that everyone who wants to play have both the same console and game.

Book Club

If you love reading, encourage your friends to join you in a new book club. The group picks which book they want to read. They can then download a digital copy or buy a physical copy. Some book club members might even get the book from a local library. You can decide how much time you want to take to read the book and then come together to talk about your thoughts and feelings. Book clubs can meet once a week and talk about a section or chapter of the book and then have a final meeting where they talk about the whole story.

Watch a Movie or Show

The chances are good that your friend group has the same streaming subscriptions to a service such as Netflix or Hulu. A fun way to spend time together is with a movie or show that you watch together. You just need to log in and start the video at the same time. If you have a webcam, you can set it up so that everyone can watch the video and talk about what they see. Vudu and similar services have a feature that lets you share the movies and shows that you bought and watch them together on different devices.

Team Building Activities

One of the hardest parts about being apart is that you lose the comradery that you had in the past. Withvirtual team building, you can get your mojo and connections back. Team building activities are perfect for groups of all types and sizes who don’t live close to each other. You can choose a virtual escape room that asks you to work as a team and unlock different areas to get out of the room or activities that let you share your opinions on various topics. Games like this are perfect for large friend groups!

Create a Cookbook

Many websites and apps now let you create a document that others can view and edit. Those are great for making a cookbook that reflects your friends. Everyone has the chance to share one of their favorite recipes and add them to the book. You might add funny names to those recipes in honor of the jokes and moments that you shared. It’s even possible to add photos and stories to the book. While you can share the book online, you also have the option of creating an e-book or physical copy of the cookbook complete with a custom cover.

Virtual Wine Tasting

With a virtual wine tasting, you have the chance to sample wines with your friends online. Before hosting the event, ask your friends to pick out their favorite bottle of wine and send one to each person in the group. You can also buy a wine tasting kit and have everyone in your group buy the same kit. Once you connect online, sample the wine, and share your opinions. You can try the same thing with coffee or chocolate, too.

Friendship doesn’t end just because you can’t see each other every day or even every month. No matter where your friends live, remote activities help you connect and stay in touch online. Some of the fun things that your friend group can try to include creating a cookbook, using team-building exercises, and watching a film together.