Keeping active and creative while physical distancing

You’re not stuck at home.

You’re SAFE at home! That's the attitude we need to slow the spread of COVID-19.

While we have your attention, why not get active and creative with us? We’re excited to share regular updates including tips, information and fun ideas to help you stay active and creative.

We’re looking local!

Have ideas or want to be featured in our weekly social media posts?

Send your links, ideas, videos and more to public.art@oakville.ca for consideration. Please include your social media handle so that we can give you (or the content creator) credit.

Click on the following tabs for fun resources and activities you can do from home!

Stay active while you stay at home!

Stay active while you stay at home!

Seniors connecting by phone.

Seniors connecting by phone.

Enjoy some of our great seniors programs from the comfort of home!

We are launching a free and interactive telephone-based initiative on June 1 to connect ages 50+

Seniors Centres Without Walls (SCWW) is a series of 30 to 60-minute multi-person phone conversations covering various topics, like Travel Talk with George, Vision Health and Wellness, and more.

You do not need to be a member of Oakville Seniors Services to participate. And no special equipment is needed, just a telephone.

Check out the SCWW program calendar and pre-register for your preferred day(s) now. Classes start at 10 a.m.

Seniors Centres Without Walls

Get social online!

You don't need an account to access most social media posts. But with an account, you can interact with others by sharing your favourite posts, uploading something yourself or leaving a comment.

The Town of Oakville strives to keep you up-to-date and stays in touch with residents and community partners on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Those interested in cultural updates, activities, and engagement are encouraged to visit:

Keeping in touch when you're 50+

Want to connect with other residents ages 50+? Visit the Seniors Centres Facebook page for engaging activities and updates.

Our Phone-A-Friend program continues to be a huge success. We currently have 200+ seniors receiving calls from 55 volunteers. And we have more great news! We have capacity to add more seniors to the roster, so if you know anyone who would appreciate a call, please share and encourage their participation. New friends can call 905-845-6601, press 0 and ask to be added to our Phone-A-Friend call list.

Hey, Oakville Youth!

Stay connected with us on Instagram. We want to hear about what you're doing now and what programming ideas you have for when we re-open!

Let’s thank health care workers for making our lives better.

Take a moment to write a thoughtful note or make a meaningful artwork to say “thank you” to our local heroes. We will collect all submissions and create an album to be shared with the health care workers in our community.

Please submit your artwork and messages to public.art@oakville.ca by May 28.

Make

Tune in to Facebook at 3 p.m. on Fridays and follow Oakville Galleries’ Education Officer Erica in a step-by-step video to create your own at-home masterpieces. These kid-friendly art workshops will be archived on the Oakville Galleries’ website for future enjoyment.

Move

Dance like no one is watching! Canada's National Ballet School (NBS) wants to share the power of dance and help you find creative ways to keep moving. Suitable for all ages.

Sing

Choir! Choir! Choir! turns the audience into the performers. A song list of popular rock, folk and pop songs, a guitar and two energetic musicians reach out to get everyone singing. Weekly live sing-a-longs from their couch to you on yours through Facebook and YouTube.

Watch

Revisit Canadiana classics like the Log Driver's Waltz or explore films that take a stand on issues of global importance. The National Film Board of Canada's award-winning online Screening Room features over 3,000 films by talented filmmakers including documentaries, animations, experimental films, fiction and interactive works. Enjoy films for all ages, in both French and English.

Tour

Explore galleries around the world with Google Arts & Culture.

Go back in time and visit international exhibitions (now closed) that you may not have had the opportunity to see.

Travel around the world to check out interesting street art or play with creative apps on your phone.

Listen

The National Arts Centre is hosting their Canada Performs series on Facebook Live. Check their page daily for the latest lineup!

Tune in for the NACO Lunch Break every weekday at noon (EDT) when a National Arts Centre Orchestra musician will offer up a unique musical experience via YouTube.

Resources to support the community

COVID-19 community resources and information are available through the Halton Community Services Directory.

Learn how the Town of Oakville is managing the threat of COVID-19.

Stay informed

Visit the Halton Region website before calling 3-1-1 for information on symptoms, prevention and when to contact Halton Region Public Health.

Information is also available on dedicated COVID-19 pages on the Ontario Government and Federal Government websites.

As always, should you have questions about your family’s health, contact a medical practitioner immediately.

Take care of you! Mind, body and soul.

Click on the links that follow for fun exercise routines, tasty recipes and more!

Please note: While the benefits of physical activity usually outweigh any risks, it is always best to seek specific advice from a medical professional to determine if a new activity is right for you.

Join us for Fitness Fridays

Our fitness specialists are sharing great tips and fun activities online every Friday, like the Spell Your Name Workout on Facebook. Follow us for more.

Town of Oakville Pilates instructor Lucia Lecuna has her own YouTube channel. She is posting workouts with instruction in English and Spanish. Check it out!

The YMCA is offering free at-home workouts online. Choose from bootcamp, tai chi, yoga and more!

You can also access workouts from LifeFitness using their free Digital Coach on Demand.

Psychiatrist, Dr. Eva Adriana Wilson has provided tips for Taking Care of Your Health During The COVID-19 Pandemic on YouTube.

Proper nutrition is important for a well-functioning immune system. Try some healthy and delicious recipes from Health Canada that the whole family can make together.

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) provides advice to help all ages live our healthiest lives. Check out their 24 Hour Movement Guidelines to find out how much exercise you need every day, how much screen time is too much, and more.

Oakville Museum Website

Oakville Museum shares and celebrates the stories of the people, places and communities of Oakville.

History in the Making

We want to document the everyday lives of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Share your stories and help us capture how Oakville is experiencing history in the making. Let’s work together to preserve this chapter of our story for the future generations. Visit our exhibit open call page for details on how to participate.

Oakville Online Collections Portal

Explore the collections of the Oakville Museum, Oakville Trafalgar archive and Oakville's Public Art Collection from the comfort of your own home. Visitors can enjoy virtual exhibits or even create an account and make their own privately curated selections.

Take a virtual tour of Oakville Museum

You can experience Oakville Museum's online virtual tour on desktop, mobile and in 360 VR!

The Ultimate Guide to Virtual Museum Resources, E-Learning, and Online Collections

The Museum Computer Network has assembled a far ranging list of virtual exhibits, VR tours and e-learning resources. All are free and the list keeps growing!

Check out these 3D Tours of Ontario Museums!

Lookslike.ca hosts a site of numerous museums and cultural sites in Ontario for which they have produced high quality VR tours.

Freedom papers and heirloom watch of a former Oakville resident

Freedom papers and heirloom watch of a former Oakville resident

Education resources

The following learning outside the classroom resources are available to Oakville students. Please click on the applicable school board link for details.

Halton District School Board
Halton Catholic District School Board
Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud de l'Ontario
Conseil scolaire Viamonde
Oakville Independent Schools
Sheridan College
Ministry of Education Learn at Home

We also encourage you to visit your school website for additional direction on remote learning curriculum.

The Oakville Public Library is a great resource for online content. Check out their virtual programs for preschoolers, youth and adults, or learn how to access e-books and more using your library card!

Oakville Ready

Intended to support the community in times of weather challenges, OakvilleReady has answered a new call to action – responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. OakvilleReady is working with our partners to create a Virtual Community that helps keep residents engaged while physical distancing.

OakvilleReady hosts webinars on a variety of topics from gardening to cooking, and more. Join them live or check out the library of past webinars available on their website for good tips and helpful advice.

Canadian Tire Jumpstart

Our community partner, Canadian Tire Jumpstart, has created a wonderful resource to help families play from home. See how athletes like Connor McDavid and Hayley Wickenheiser are staying active!

Recreational Respite

The organization Recreational Respite has built an entire team of recreation therapists on the premise that FUN changes behaviour! In light of COVID-19, many therapeutic offerings are now available virtually.

Boots on the Ground

Are you a first responder? Boots on the Ground offers peer support for first responders. You can also access toll free 24/7 peer support by calling 1-833-677-2668.

Jr. NBA

The Jr. NBA posts new basketball drills on their YouTube channel daily. Challenge yourself and sharpen your skills.

Safety for Elementary School Age Children

Elementarysafety.com is a great source for colouring pages, videos and fun activities that reinforce lessons and practices that help keep kids safe.

Play & Learn

Keeping toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarteners happy can be a challenge. Activities on the Play & Learn website are provided by McMaster University, the University of Toronto and the Province of Ontario to be fun and engaging at each stage.

Connect, Play & Learn Every Day Activity Book

Open the Connect, Play & Learn Every Day Activity Book (PDF) for more than 40 different activities that help young children learn through play. Lots of fun things for kids and their parents to do! Produced by the Our Kids Network Early Years Initiative.

Active for Life

The Active for Life website is bursting with ideas for energetic families!