Being in lockdown doesn't mean you can let your brain take a rest. Whatever your age, if you're looking to try something new while you're at home, why not learn a language?

Thousands of us have already started. Here are our top picks:

Duolingo

You can earn points for right answers - and los them for wrong ones - with Duolingo's bite-sized lessons.

Set up your account at duolingo.com/

BBC Languages

The free service has 40 languages you could learn, as well as lots of advice on how to learn. They include learning little and often - ideally 10 minutes a day - listening to podcasts and finding a learning partner, as well as going back

every now and again to something you learnt before to remind yourself how much you've learnt.

Log on at bbc.co.uk/languages

Learn a Language

Learnalanguage.com has 19 different languages; more than 1400 words and their vocabulary lists and verb conjugation charts. There's also games and activities to make learning more fun.

Details at learnalanguage.com/

Busuu

There are more than 1,000 lessons created by expert linguists with personalized study plans and speech recognition. You can also get feedback and connect with other learners and naive speakers.

Get started at busuu.com/

Babbel

Not free, but many learners report good results, as the site sets you learning challenges and tests you on what you've learnt with specially curated review sessions to reinforce what you’ve learned by bringing it back in new contexts, and helping you commit it to memory.

Details at babbel.com

* According to OnBuy.com Japanese is the most sought-after language to learn on YouTube; the top channels having approximately 12,771,083 monthly views.

French and Spanish are also sought-after by thousands of people monthly on YouTube.

If you're really up for the challenge, there are a few channels tackling multiple languages - Eko Languages (5,613,547 monthly views) and Polyglot Pablo (3,326,272 monthly views).

Our guide to the best websites to search your family tree

For more ideas on things to do at home click here.