100+ Free and Spontaneous Things to do When Bored

J Hauge enjoys writing articles on hobbies and spending time wisely.

Bored? Looking for things to do? Then take a look at these 50+ fun and interesting activities.

This article has been updated in 2020 to include a list has a new free section to help stave of boredom during quarantine lock-downs.

Activities for a Rainy Day

1. Start a novel.
2. Create a daily stretching routine.
3. Draw or paint.
4. Make yourself a warm drink.
5. Make your own website.
6. Message an old friend.
7. Practice your signature.
8. Write down your goals for the next 3 years.
9. Dance in the rain.
10. Read the latest news.
11. Create your own comic strip.
12. Make a YouTube video; you could even earn money from it.
13. De-clutter the house or your room.
14. Listen to a podcast.
15. Find and join an online discussion.
16. Start a DIY project, e.g., a rainwater collecting tank.
17. Catch up on your television shows.
18. Camp in your living room.
19. Read a book or gift an old book to a friend.
20. Benefit from a discount / cashback extension like Honey (owned by PayPal).
21. Start a new TV series.

New Skills to Pick Up

1. Learn to skate.
2. Learn Morse code.
3. Learn a simple tune on an instrument via YouTube.
4. Learn about cryptocurrency and get involved yourself. The largest exchange by volume is Binance.
5. Learn your name in different languages.
6. Learn the words to a song.
7. Find out how to survive a bear attack.
8. Learn a magic trick.
9. Build a tree-house.
10. Learn to cook a new dish.

Things to do Outside

1. Go for a walk.
2. Canoe.
3. Go camping.
4. Go fishing
5. Dawn sail or kayak.
6. Go swimming in the local pool.
7. Surf.
8. Go swimming outside (in a lake or sea).
9. Go to the park.
10. Buy or sell stuff at a car boot sale.
11. Go to a theme park.
12. Go paragliding.
13. Go to your local zoo.
14. Make a time capsule and bury it in your garden
15. Pick up litter in the neighborhood.
16. Photograph nature
17. Visit a park, but a park you haven’t been to before.

There's a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they're absolutely free. Don't miss so many of them.

— Jo Walton

Things to do for Free.

1. Take a moment to enjoy not being busy. Try 10 mindful minutes of deep breathing or cloud watching.
2. Try yoga, there are plenty of free videos online.
3. Do some sit-ups.
4. Go to the park, but no a park you've been to before.
5. Make a cake using only items in your cupboards.
6. Listen to public radio.
7. Read a book you haven't touched in years.
8. Give your finances a check up. What subscriptions are you paying for?
9. Take a free drawing tutorial on YouTube.
10. Clean and refill a bicycle, car or motorbike.
11. Perform a random act of kindness.
12. Learn the all the lyrics to a song you like.
13. Stretch out and examine your posture.
14. Learn an new language with the free app Duo-lingo.

Random, Silly Things to do

1. Try not to think of pandas. It’s harder than you think it is.
2. See how many marshmallows you can put in your mouth.
3. Check that I have not missed any numbers on this list.
4. Try to lick your nose.
5. Play a practical joke on someone.
6. Say a word continuously until it loses its meaning.
7. Say the alphabet backward.
8. Slide down a flight of stairs on a mattress (be careful).
9. Make a prank call.
10. Memorise five good jokes. They’re always useful for dinner parties.
11. Go through a newspaper and draw funny features on all the photos.

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Activities that Benefit Others

1. Give money to charity.
2. Cook a fancy meal for friends or family.
3. Get paid for helping others with digital tasks on the freelance site Fiverr; alternatively, you could hire someone to help you.
4. Volunteer at a charity shop to help those less fortunate.
5. Plan a surprise party for a friend.

Things to do with Friends

1. Have a pillow fight.
2. Arrange a night out.
3. Plan a hypothetical (or real) holiday.
4. Go bowling.
5. Throw a spontaneous party.
6. Play a board game.
7. Play a multiplayer video game
8. Watch a film outside using a projector and a bed sheet.
9. Check your local heritage website for an exciting place to rent out for a night.
10. Host an all-night gaming marathon.

“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”

— J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Things to do Alone

1. Collect stamps or coins.
2. Watch a film.
3. Buy a new book from a physical book store.
4. Go to church.
5. Practice your shower singing.
6. Make an omelet—experiment with new flavors.
7. Think about and research getting a pet.
8. Start a woodworking project (e.g., a CD holder or shelf).
9. Find and subscribe to a magazine. There’s a magazine out there for everyone.
10. Start planning your next holiday.
11. Read your local news. You can buy your city’s paper from a local shop.
12. Buy a poster or picture for your wall.
13. Buy a box set of your favorite television series.
14. Register to vote.
15. Sort your CD/book collection.
16. Plant something in a pot on your window ledge or out in the garden.
17. Star gaze

Self Improvement Activities

1. Enter a triathlon.
2. Write down some 1-, 3-, and 5-year goals.
3. Train for a 10km race.
4. Work on your math skills.
5. Go to the gym.
6. Try to eat healthy all day—or all week!
7. See what courses are available at your local higher education center.
8. Make a small investment (e.g., shares, ETF).
9. Give your brain a workout. Do a puzzle in the paper or take a quiz online.
10. Take an online personality test such as ’16 personalities’
11. Update your resume.

Things for Couples to Do

1. Make a cake without following a recipe and see how it turns out.
2. Rearrange your furniture.
3. Buy your town’s local produce.
4. Have a pillow fight!
5. Rent a movie series and buy a big bag of snacks to eat as you binge.
6. Plant vegetables. Look online to see what you can plant this month.
7. Make homemade ice cream.
8. Lie down and listen to music.
9. Make a list of things you both want to achieve in the next ten years.

Activities to Get You Outside Your Comfort Zone

1. Call or message a friend you have not talked to for a while.
2. Clap randomly while walking down the street.
3. Go into a shop and buy a food product that you have never tried before.
4. Pay for the person behind you in a coffee shop.
5. Skydive!
6. Attempt an amazing but complex dessert recipe.
7. Try learn a new language

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2020 JT Hauge