The most popular entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic was home-based: streaming films and series, video games, board games, reading, online courses, home workouts, art, LEGO and handmade crafts. Data from 2020 shows sharp growth, with Netflix adding about 37 million paid memberships and US print book sales up 8.2%.
Key Takeaways
- Lockdowns from March 2020 moved entertainment into the home almost overnight.
- Streaming and gaming grew fastest: Netflix added about 37 million paid memberships in 2020.
- Screen-free pastimes also boomed: US print book sales rose 8.2% and US toy sales 16% in 2020.
- Online learning surged, with about 31 million new Coursera learners in 2020.
- The WHO ended COVID-19’s global emergency status on 5 May 2023.
Home entertainment was one of the clearest winners of the COVID-19 pandemic: when lockdowns closed cinemas, venues and gyms in 2020, spending shifted quickly to games, streaming, books, toys and hobbies people could enjoy at home.
The biggest shifts were the move to streaming and digital delivery, more personalized content, and the growth of online gaming and eSports.
Consumer habits that usually take years to change shifted within months during the 2020 lockdowns.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated changes in consumer behaviour, has increased the adoption of disruptive digital technologies and marked a fundamental change in various sectors of the economy that would not normally have been achieved for many years. Social distancing also changed how people entertained themselves.
What Did People Do for Entertainment During the Pandemic?
Lockdown rules limited what people could do, but nine pastimes stood out as the most popular ways to stay entertained at home.
Games
Computer games have long since entered the life of PC users and are one of the ways to spend their free time. Gaming boomed in 2020: industry data summarized on Wikipedia shows North American video game sales in March 2020 were up 34% on March 2019, with hardware sales up 63%, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons sold more in its UK launch week than all previous launches in the series combined.
Games can be overused, but in moderation they offer relaxation, problem-solving and a way to play with friends online when meeting in person is not possible.
Films
During the quarantine period, people predictably began to spend a lot of time watching films and TV series. Streaming services gained the most: Netflix added about 37 million paid memberships in 2020, its biggest annual gain at the time, and ended the year with 203.7 million. In January 2026 Netflix reported that it had crossed 325 million paid memberships.
Table games
Board games are one of the most popular options for families. If you have never played board games before, start with easy hits such as Elias, Dixit, Activity or Uno; if you are ready for a longer game, try Monopoly or Colonizers (better known as Catan, designed by Klaus Teuber and first published in Germany in 1995 as Die Siedler von Catan).
Arts
If you have never drawn before, a pencil and a sketchbook are enough to start. If you already paint, extra time at home is a good chance to practice regularly and try a new medium such as watercolor or acrylic.
Education
Education is useful not only for children, but also for adults who are willing to get another profession. Many people feared for their jobs during the pandemic and turned to online courses: Class Central reported that Coursera registered about 31 million new learners in 2020.
Those who worked without an employment contract (as well as those who were looking for work and did not manage to get a job before the pandemic) were in the most difficult position, and people with a financial safety cushion coped best.
Reading
In everyday life, between work, friends, movies, theatre, concerts, football, TV and the Internet, few of us have time for fiction. Lockdowns gave many people that time back: according to The NPD Group’s BookScan data, US print book unit sales rose 8.2% in 2020 to about 751 million, the best year since 2010.
Sports
With gyms closed, many people moved their workouts home or outdoors, and some worried on social media about regaining their fitness after lockdown. Others act and share their experience with friends and subscribers. And some even arrange competitions and contests.
Lego
Toy sales grew sharply during the pandemic: The NPD Group reported that US toy retail sales rose 16% in 2020 to $25.1 billion, and the LEGO Group reported that its 2020 revenue grew 13% to DKK 43.7 billion while consumer sales rose 21%. Construction sets appealed to children and adults alike as a screen-free way to fill long days at home.
Handmade
Needlework such as knitting, crochet and embroidery turns extra time at home into something productive.
Time will pass imperceptibly and with benefit, in addition, you will be able to master new techniques and bring to mind the projects you have begun.
The best choice is simply the activity you enjoy enough to keep doing.
Pandemic Entertainment at a Glance
The table below summarizes how the most popular pandemic pastimes changed in 2020, using figures published by the companies and research firms named.
| Pastime | What changed in 2020 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Video games | North American sales up 34% in March 2020 vs March 2019; hardware up 63% | Industry data summarized by Wikipedia |
| Streaming | Netflix added about 37 million paid memberships, reaching 203.7 million | Netflix results |
| Books | US print unit sales up 8.2% to about 751 million | The NPD Group (BookScan) |
| Toys | US toy retail sales up 16% to $25.1 billion | The NPD Group |
| LEGO | Revenue up 13% to DKK 43.7 billion; consumer sales up 21% | LEGO Group annual results |
| Online learning | About 31 million new Coursera learners | Class Central |
| Board games | Catan had sold more than 32 million boxed sets in 40 languages as of 2020 | Wikipedia |
COVID-19 Pandemic Timeline: Key Dates
The COVID-19 pandemic shaped entertainment habits for more than three years. According to the World Health Organization timeline summarized on Wikipedia, these were the key dates:
- 30 January 2020: the WHO declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern.
- 11 March 2020: the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and lockdowns followed in many countries.
- 5 May 2023: the WHO declared that COVID-19 was no longer a public health emergency of international concern.
Wikipedia listed 7,115,706 confirmed COVID-19 deaths worldwide as of 18 September 2026.
How to Choose a Home Pastime
The pandemic showed that the best home entertainment fits a person’s budget, space and social needs. These questions help narrow the choice:
- Solo or social? Reading, drawing and needlework suit quiet time alone; board games and online multiplayer games suit households and friends.
- Screen or screen-free? Streaming and gaming add screen time; LEGO, board games, crafts and books are screen-free alternatives.
- Budget: library books, free online courses and pencil sketching cost little; consoles, large LEGO sets and streaming subscriptions cost more over time.
- Space: a home workout or a sketchbook needs almost no room, while puzzles and large construction sets need a table that can stay set up.
- Goal: online courses build skills for work, exercise supports health, and crafts and LEGO give a finished result to show for the time spent.
For more ideas, see these things to do during a coronavirus lockdown at home, a list of new hobbies to pick up, board games like Pandemic for social distancing and the full board games guide by type, theme or group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the most popular entertainment during the pandemic?
Streaming and video games were the most widely used forms of pandemic entertainment. Netflix added about 37 million paid memberships in 2020, and North American video game sales in March 2020 were 34% higher than a year earlier.
Did people read more during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes. According to The NPD Group’s BookScan data, US print book unit sales rose 8.2% in 2020 to about 751 million, the best year for print since 2010.
Why did LEGO and toy sales grow during the pandemic?
Toy sales grew because families spent far more time at home. The NPD Group reported US toy retail sales up 16% in 2020, and the LEGO Group reported 2020 revenue up 13% to DKK 43.7 billion.
Which board games were popular during lockdown?
Family party games such as Uno, Dixit and Activity and longer strategy games such as Monopoly and Catan were popular choices. Catan had sold more than 32 million boxed sets as of 2020, and its online version drew so many new players during the pandemic that servers were overwhelmed at times.
When did the COVID-19 pandemic officially end?
The World Health Organization declared on 5 May 2023 that COVID-19 was no longer a public health emergency of international concern. The virus still circulates, but the emergency phase that drove lockdown entertainment habits is over.
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