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26 Fun-Filled, Productive Things to Do When Bored at Home

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Stuck at home with nothing to do? Regardless of the reason you’re stuck inside, there’s plenty of productive things to do when you’re bored at home.

Forget the feeling that nothing sounds good. Get creative and find fun things to do at home.

Crummy weather, illness, or short on money, the reason doesn’t matter. There’s plenty of fun to be had at home. Sometimes we can’t leave, and sure, that stinks, but instead of pouting about it, find things to do indoors instead.

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How to Find Fun Things to Do at Home

Do you ever have a day where nothing sounds fun? I’ve been there, and it can be a real drag.

When it comes to how to find stuff to do when bored, you want to change your mindset. Instead of focusing on why you can’t get outside your house, focus on what you can do.

Secondly, change your definition of “productive”. Productive things to do when bored at home doesn’t need to be centered around chores.

Instead, try to focus on the fun. Motivating yourself to complete a huge list of chores when you’re in a bad mood, won’t yield productive results.

Instead, think of productivity as a way to stay occupied. Write down a list of fun things to do at home. Get creative. Be silly. You can make plenty of positive memories from your own home with the right mindset.

26 of the Best Productive Things to Do When You’re Bored at Home

So you’re stuck at home with nothing to do. You don’t feel motivated. Maybe you’re even feeling a little depressed. It’s okay. We’ve all been there, and we’ll probably be there again.

I’ve taken the guesswork out of equation for you with this list of fun things to do at home. Each of these activities helps to stave off bordem and keep you engaged and occupied while you spend time staying in.

1. Learn a New Craft or Hobby

Learn to make something new with a craft idea or exciting new hobby. YouTube offers an array of DIY videos on nearly every imaginable topic. Find something that interests you and try something new.

2. Make a Silly at Home Video

Looking for things to do indoors? How about making a fun or silly video? There are a lot of video challenges out on social media these days. Whether it’s a silly 30-second dance, a fun optical illusion, or even just a music video to your favorite song it’s fun to get dressed up, plan and shoot.

3. Read (or Listen) to Your Favorite Titles

Get caught up on your reading list and escape reality with a good book. Library cards are free and are filled with all the hottest titles and classic reads. Most titles are available digitally and allow you to download all your favorites to your e-reader for a cozy afternoon of reading.

Alternatively, you can listen to a story with audiobooks and services such as Audible. Psst…you can opt into a free trial and not pay a dime.

4. Catch Up on Movies

Never seen Dirty Dancing? Looking to get caught up on your favorite movies? There are tons of streaming services out there where you can binge to your heart’s content. Watching movies is one of the best things to do indoors if you’ve got bad weather or you’re not feeling well.

5. Binge to Your Heart’s Content

But have you seen EVERY episode of Friends? If you’re stuck inside, let yourself binge on all of your favorite shows. Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Video offer up great streaming services to get caught up on your favorite television shows. Make some homemade popcorn, put on your favorite cozy outfit, snuggle up and enjoy the show.

6. Complete a Puzzle

One of the best productive things to do when bored at home is to start a puzzle. Make it a family affair and get the whole family engaged with a large puzzle.

Bored with your puzzle stash? Save a little money and swap with your friends for new-to-you puzzles.

You can also use puzzle glue to frame the scene when you’re finished. Hang it up for some decor when it’s complete!

The Northern Lights

7. Check Out the Northern Lights

Nature lovers will enjoy scoping out the Northern Lights live from the comfort of home. Watch the magical auras dance over the night sky. You can even set the mood by setting up a camping tent with all the creature comforts in your living room to watch.

8. Try a New Recipe

If your stuck at home, take advantage of the extra time and cook something new. Want to try making something complicated? Now is the time, my friend! There’s a double reward when you try a new recipe, you’ll learn something new and eat a tasty meal.

Fortunately, I’ve got an entire arsenal of awesome recipes for you to try. Here are a few of my favorites:

9. Have a Themed Family Meal Night

When you’re looking for fun things to do at home, consider changing up your dinner routine by throwing a mini party for your household. Transform a regular dinner to a themed meal night. Level up the dinner by engaging the whole family to help with the decorating, cooking, and creative ideas.

Throw a Latin-themed taco bar party for your family. Or select a country you’ve always wanted to visit and prepare a feast based on the local cuisine.

You can even take a culinary trip around the world by making a handful of small dishes from several countries. Food is a fun way to celebrate at home and create a festive vibe for the day.

10. Take an Online Fitness Class

Take the time to find something productive to do when you’re bored and invest in your body. Free online fitness classes are a great way to get your blood pumping and endorphins flowing.

You’ll get in shape and get a mood boost. Check with your local gym for online options or use a fitness app to get your body moving.

11. Practice Daily Meditation

Daily meditation does wonders for your mental health. Thanks to apps, YouTube, and even Roku channels, you can meditate for free. Headspace, Smiling Mind, and Insight Timer all offer free and paid meditation services. Get in touch with the present and let your stress slip away with meditation.

12. Journal for Gratitude

Starting a gratitude journal is one of the most productive things to do when times are tough or you’re bored at home. Let’s face it, if you’re unexpectedly stuck indoors for a period of time, it’s easy to slip into a negative mental space.

Rather than getting stuck in the negativity, set aside 10 minutes to focus on the best parts of your day. Create a journal that lists all of the things you’re grateful for. You may be surprised to see just how many things are going well for you at this very moment.

Spa candles with white flowers in the background.

13. Give Yourself a Facial, Mani or Pedi

Treat yourself to a little self-care with an at-home spa day. Use supplies you have on hand, or create your own facial products with at-home ingredients.

If you’ve got a bathtub, now is the time to use those fancy bath bombs and favorite candles to indulge in a relaxing bath. A cocktail is optional but recommended.

14. Learn a New Language

If you’re looking for things to do indoors (or out) consider learning a new language. Duolingo is a free app that lets you learn from a variety of languages. Make it even more fun by recruiting a family member of friend to join you. You can practice your new language skills on each other.

15. Take an Ivy League Online Course

Do you have unfulfilled Ivy League dreams? Cross this off your bucket list and learn something useful during your time at home with hundreds of free online Ivy League courses. You can learn about everything from personal investment concepts to the history of poetry.

16. Deep Clean Your Home

Feeling antsy indoors and want to be productive? Consider deep-cleaning your home. Opt to attack one room at a time or indulge in one activity throughout the whole house. You’ll feel like your house got a refresh, and you got a workout.

17. Declutter and Donate

Can’t park your car in the garage? Got a closet that spits out stuff when you open it? Declutter and donate!

Take some time to do a little spring cleaning and get rid of stuff you don’t use anymore. If you’re short on cash, you can even sell certain items on eBay.

18. Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets

Does your pantry give you anxiety? Organize it! You may find you’ve got lots of excess food which means it’s a great time to start a pantry challenge.

Or perhaps your cabinets are filled to the bursting point. Do yourself a favor – get organized and inventory your most cluttered cabinets for some peace of mind.

Side view of a stack of old photos.

19. Organize Your Photos

Raise your hand if you’ve got thousands of photos stored on your phone! Just me? This is a great time to go through and organize all your photos.

Download your pics and create digital albums (don’t forget to backup your photos). If you’ve got boxes of physical prints, take time to sort through them. You can even opt to print some of your favorite shots through online services.

You’ll enjoy the trip down memory lane when you organize your photos and have a sense of accomplishment finishing up this task.

20. Set Up a Virtual Game Night

Chat with friends and family with a virtual game night. In today’s age of tech, you can find a variety of online games for free. Use your gaming system or simply look up free platforms for your favorite games. Invite friends and family to a video chat and play!

21. Video Chat with Friends and Family

When you’re stuck at home, it’s can be difficult to maintain social interactions. Make an effort to reach out to friends and family to stay connected. Instead of texting, opt for a video chat with friends and family. You’ll feel connected and happier.

22. Write a Letter (Yes, Really)

Whip out that pen and paper and send someone a hand-written note. Remember how awesome it feels to get an actual letter in the mail? Choose a family member or friend that lives far away and connect the old fashioned way.

Various travel items on a white wooden flatlay with Let's Go Travel.

23. Plan Your Dream Vacation

If you’re looking for things to do indoors and you can’t travel, plan your dream trip instead. Get into the nitty-gritty details by researching places to stay and fun things to do at your destination.

Who knows? By planning your trip, you may actually find yourself going on your dream getaway sooner than you think.

24. Take a Virtual Tour of Your Favorite National Park

Can’t go to your favorite national park? Visit the parks virtually instead. Many national parks have cameras set up for virtual tours (just visit their websites), or you can access through Google Earth.

25. Animal Watching

If you love animals, take advantage of live zoo cams or even African wild game cams to scope out your favorite animals in action. You’ll get a mood boost watching the penguins or seeing elephants in the wild.

26. Go for a Walk

Don’t underestimate the value of a walk. Get outside locally by going for a walk or a quick jog around the neighborhood.

You can even opt to get outside at a nearby park. Pack a light picnic or take a bike ride to enjoy the outdoors near home.

Once you get a little creative, you can beat the boredom blues with this list of fun things to do at home. What are some of your favorite things to do indoors?

The resources in this list are current as of the publication date.

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