It feels like déjà vu having to bid farewell to dining in and social gatherings again.

Whether your summer plans got shipwrecked or you’ve just found a lot of time freed up from all those cancelled outings, if you find yourself living on the internet a little more for the next few weeks, we’ve updated our list of wholesome things to watch, read and play online.

May the month ahead be fun and fruitful as you seek out new pastimes! 

On Netflix

We previously featured a historical documentary series called The Jesus Code in our #StayHome and do what list last year, but we are shining the spotlight on it again for those who have yet to catch it.

The investigative docuseries brings together scholars and historians to examine historical objects considered to be evidence for Jesus’ life and ministry on earth. 

Alternatively, check out some other investigative docuseries like Life in Colour with David Attenborough and Money Explained for a crash course on ecology and finance.

Much food for thought there, we think. 

For K-drama lovers out there, Hospital Playlist is one wholesome recommendation that’s here to stay. Plus, Season 2 is set to premiere on June 17!

The slice-of-life K-drama follows the endearing friendship of five frontline medical professionals since their days in medical school till the present. It doesn’t feature draggy romance cliches and long-lost-sibling drama. Instead, it’s realistic, nostalgic and serves up a whole lot of heart. 

Here’s the best part: you can watch all these shows with your buddies too, using Teleparty (formerly Netflix Party). Even if you can’t meet up, you can still make it a party! You just need to download this browser extension that allows you to invite friends via a shareable code. 

Faith-based platforms

Have you already seen The Chosen? The first-ever multi-season series about the life of Christ won us over with it’s beautifully shot reimagining of the Gospels.

Season 1 was released last Christmas, and Season 2 has been airing since Easter this year. Both iOS and Android users can stream the entire first season for free via The Chosen app. 

Looking for something to appeal to the inner child in you? Well, look no further, because the animated adaptation of The Pilgrim’s Progress is still available thanks to Revelation Media.

Based on the Christian classic of the same title by John Bunyan, the follows the main character, Christian, on his arduous journey to Celestial City. It’s an allegory of every Christian’s flight of faith, through trials, tests and temptations on every side. 

On YouTube

Those those seeking to explore theology through thoughtful engagement should check out Regent College’s pre-recorded Evening Public Lectures. These lectures explore a range of challenging issues and can certainly help you sharpen your own understanding of what it means to apply your faith into your life.

These lectures are part of Regent College’s Summer Programme. Here is the first session in their series of lectures:

Needless to say, you can also check out Thir.st’s YouTube channel for quality hyper-local faith-based content!

Meditate on a #THIRSTVERSE, jam out to our #THIRSTACOUSTIC playlist, binge watch our exclusive interviews and animations, or get a quick tip on living out your faith from #THIRSTBITES.

Bonus homegrown content: Join Salt&Light Family Night’s Zoom chat and Q&A on May 25, 2021 for an insightful sharing by experts on mental health and suicide prevention. Registration is required. 

On Google

Seeking some cultural capital? How about a virtual tour of any of these famous museums? Take a trip from the British Museum in London to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul.

It’s a feast for your eyes and a trip around the world, all from the comfort of your own home.  

The National Library (NLB) has made a wide variety of ebooks and audiobooks available on its online database.

You will need your Singpass to register for a free account. Ebooks can be downloaded for free, and can be read offline via the Libby app on your mobile device or as an Epub file on your computer.

The best part is that NLB’s collection includes some Christian classics too!

Some notable mentions include The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan (now in its original written form), or C.S. Lewis’ The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics or The Chronicles of Narnia, or the contemporary classic, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, to name a few.

You could also make an online purchase at Campus Crusade’s Media Ministry. Pro-tip: They are having a 30 per cent storewide discount from May 13-26, so go crazy! 

Other than worship playlists, here are some podcasts to bless your ears!

Be sure to check out A-Cross Perspective/s. Started by a local group of Christians, the podcast offers a Christian view on current affairs, while exploring different perspectives at the same time.

With each episode, they provide practical handles and encourage believers to think critically about challenging issues from a faith angle. 

You can also check out other popular podcasts like this one by Pastor Tim Keller that serves as a compilation of his most compelling sermons. The podcast is full of Keller’s thought-provoking meditations and is definitely one to learn from. 

If you’d like, you can also check out Bible Project’s Podcasts, which function as a companion to their beautifully animated and illustrated video guides that are great for understanding the Bible better.

Since we are stuck at home and unable to hang out with friends, playing games can be a great substitute for a time of fun and fellowship! The best part is that these games are easy to set up – all you need to do is to create a room and share the room code.

Houseparty is an app that combines party games with a conference call function (think FaceTime meets Heads Up!) – really handy!

Enter into the world of space travel and deception as you work together with crewmates to complete tasks and vote out the impostor in Among Us, available on both iOS and Android.

Or try Psych! where you answer ludicrously funny questions, while trying to outwit your friends. The app is also on both iOS and Android.

Prefer online games?

Become a detective in the world of Spyfall, where players will try to weed out one spy among them through a series of questions and answers. You’ll need to set up a conference call for your group of friends at the same time to let the interrogations begin! 

Other fan favourites include:

• Skribbl.io, where players put their artistry to the test and compete to guess the image being drawn first.
• Codenames, a word game where players are split into teams to guess which codenames (i.e. words) in a set are related to a hint word given by another player.
• Scattergories, a word association game where players must come up with a word that fits a category and starts with a given letter.

Well, those were only some of our suggestions for wholesome things to do before we go out again, but we’re sure there are many other activities out there that will help you make the most of this period.

After all, if you can’t change your circumstances, you can always change your perspective!