MANILA, Philippines — The past few weeks have seen all of us staying at or working from home and preparing our own meals, doing our own crafts or jazzing up our own homes. It’s fun, safe, fulfilling and yes, we’ve all become ECQ-ooks and GCQ-urators in our own right.

Since stores, activities and options are still limited, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdowns have inspired the rise of a new trend, the do-it-yourself (DIY) culture. The stay home lifestyle has given longer pockets of time to try something new, like making a new dish or trying out a new hobby.

From baking to soy candle making, here are some examples of DIY kits to keep you and your loved ones “quaranthinking” while on lock down.

DIY burger kits for COVID-19 frontliners' benefit

Fine casual restaurant chain Shake Shack from New York recently introduced its DIY ShackBurger Kit that includes eight servings of patties made with the brand’s custom blend of 100% Angus beef with no added hormones or antibiotics, Martin’s Potato Rolls, American cheese, condiments and their secret Shack Sauce. 

The kit comes with simple instructions on how to prepare the burgers, making it a good weekend bonding activity even among kids. The kits can be directly ordered and picked up from the brand’s Central Square Mall in Bonifacio Global City and SM Megamall branches. 

Until June 13, the restaurant chain aims to donate to a total of 16 beneficiary communities through its community initiative, Share the Shack, wherein every purchase of a featured item for the week ordered through Foodpanda will be given an equivalent food donation for COVID-19 frontliners.

DIY Disney picture books

For those who want to immortalize their quarantine memories in pictures, DIY album making app Photobook recently launched its collaboration with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia. In celebration of this partnership, they are giving away one million Kids Fun Books, a new series of personalized photo books featuring Disney and Marvel inspired photo templates in the Philippines. 

“The collaboration with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia allows our consumers the ease and convenience to create unique one-of-a-kind-product personalization capabilities that offer our customers the ability to create their own stories and unique designs with over 100 product customers, especially during such times,” said Leow Wee Jonn, Chief Executive Officer of Photobook Worldwide.

Through this collaboration, customers can now immerse themselves in the world of Disney and create their own albums with their name, photo or quote personalized on their photo books and lifestyle products featuring their favorite Disney and Marvel characters. This series features all-time fan favorites Mickey and Friends, Tsum Tsum, Disney’s Frozen and Marvel characters. 

The collection will be available on a wide range of products such as photo books, sticker labels, notebooks, luggage tags, T-shirts, tote bags, baby bibs, photo magnets, laptop sleeves, tumblers and more. 

Skills kits

Since travel is halted or limited in many parts of the world, including the Philippines, travel experiences app Klook recently launched its Klook Home site, where it is now offering DIY home kits available for delivery, ranging from a DIY garden kit to an acrylic painting art kit. 

If you want to develop your newly discovered baking hobby, there is Auro Chocolate’s Home Baker’s Kit, which comes with a special recipe. 

For kids, there is a doodle and coloring kit, while for those who want to earn extra bucks, there are kits for coffee brewing, soy candle making and even concocting natural home sanitizers.
 
These DIY kits provide all the materials one will need and will be delivered straight to one’s home address.

Since staying active can be a challenge with gym closures and movement restrictions, the online app also now offers a series of virtual home workouts such as Online Boxing Classes by Flyweight Boxing, Virtual Yoga Classes by Urban Ashram Yoga, Online Full Body Training Workout by The Movement Studio, among others.

Besides for staying fit, there are also wellness classes like a self-massage online workshop, natural skincare workshop, or an Online Breathing Workshop by Flow Retreats for a dose of self-care.
 
If you want to hone new skills, the site also offers DIY playdough for kids, Adobe Creative Design workshops, and even making cocktails with a basic home bartending class.

Through these offerings, the company aims to give Filipinos something to look forward to, “while we’re all waiting for the day we can travel again,” said the company’s Philippine Marketing Lead, Michelle Cruz.

“With the impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry, we wanted to find new opportunities to give Filipinos a meaningful experience, even when they’re at home.”

RELATED: 

'Quaranthings': Homemaking hacks from Heussaffs, Neri Miranda, Gold Squad

‘New normal’: Fun family bonding activities to try at home