This post will show you the ultimate list of things to do when bored, that are also safe and social distancing approved.
Now that the weather is getting a bit cooler and there’s not as many beach days, I’ve been stumped as to what to do when boredom strikes. Many of my favorite activities like concerts, restaurants, and even cuddling up with friends and watching TV still aren’t open or safe yet.
Thankfully, I’ve been able to brainstorm a few new hobbies, activities, and fun things you and a friend (or just you) can do while still being safe. If you’re looking for something to do in the cooler weather of fall, you’ve come to the right place.
{RELATED POST: 9 Things to Do When You’re Bored This Week}
Here are 17 out-of-the-box hobbies to try out alone or in a socially distanced group. We hope you find something new and safe to do!
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Have a Cupcake Sampling
This is one of my favorite ways to support a local business AND get some sweet treats out of the deal.
Buy a bunch of different flavors of cupcakes, cookies, or pastries (or just make them yourself) from a bakery and have you and your friends rank and judge them to see which flavor is best!
You can do this distanced outside or do it indoors with family or your “quarantine pod”.
Pick Out $20 Outfits
Another super fun activity if you’re comfortable going to an inexpensive chain or thrift store is to bring a friend and pick out outfits for each other.
Set a price limit ($20 for example) and a time limit (like 10 min) and try to pick out an awesome look for the other person.
A fun twist to this activity is to choose a theme like picnic, night out, or wild west so that the outfits are a bit trickier to find and a lot more creative to make! Plus, you may even find yourself snatching a new piece you wouldn’t have picked out for yourself.
Watch a Drive-In Movie
With COVID shutting down a lot of typical movie theaters, drive-in movies have become popular again. Many are extending late into the fall season so you’ll still have the opportunity to see an old favorite or a new flick.
If there’s no drive-ins near you, many stores are selling projectors and sheets to set up an outdoor movie in your own backyard! Once the weather gets colder, you can also set up a sheet in your garage if you have one to escape the winds.
Write a Letter
One of my favorite rainy day activities is to write a letter. If you can’t think of anyone to send a letter to, get creative!
Try writing a letter to your past self, a family member or friend you haven’t talked to in forever, or an old teacher from school. You don’t have to send the letters, but writing them can be a fun and therapeutic exercise.
Pick Out Snacks
If you haven’t seen the “Target Challenge” on Tiktok, this is a fun activity to do with a friend or partner.
Go to a store like Target or Walmart and try picking out a snack and drink for the other person to eat. It can be something they know and love or it can be a new snack you think they should try – either way it’s guaranteed fun!
Send a Message in a Bottle
If you live near a body of water, this is a great way to touch someone else’s life even through a pandemic. Write a message about your life, the world right now, or anything you can think of and seal it in a bottle to be left in the ocean. Make sure to put your contact information so if someone finds the bottle they can reach out and let you know!
Although this is a short activity, it’s a meaningful way to make your mark on the world and brighten someone’s day.
Learn A Tiktok Dance
I still haven’t done this yet (I know, I’m behind on the times) but you should take the time to learn a dance!
Tiktok dances are a great way to get up and get moving when you feel like you’ve been sitting for too long. These can be fun to do with friends but can also be a cool activity to try when you’re alone and bored.
Make A Charcuterie Board
One of my recent favorite hobbies has been to make themed charcuterie boards. In case you haven’t made one before, here’s some inspiration.
A few cool ideas you can try are to make a Halloween themed board, a color themed board, or something random like a candy or junk food themed board – the possibilities are limitless!
Play Truth Or Dare
This is a classic middle school favorite that’s still fun to play, even years later. Best enjoyed with a group of friends (you can totally do it via House Party or Facetime), take the opportunity to play this game with more thought-provoking questions. That way, you can learn more about your friends and have the game be a little more interesting than it was on the bus!
Have a Drawing Challenge
Drawing is super fun because it’s an activity that can be done independently or with a friend. If there’s a show, place, or character you like, try your hand at drawing that! If you’re with a friend, try a drawing challenge to break out your competitive side.
You can have a timed challenge, you can each draw the same thing, or you can draw portraits of each other for a fun and cute bonding activity.
Visit a Weird Statue/Museum
This is an easy and unique thing to do when bored. Every state has those weird tourist attractions – perhaps you went on a field trip in elementary school or perhaps you’ve never been at all. Now is the time to start aggressively Googling weird artifacts in your area and pay them a visit!
Safety permitting, taking a trip to see something wacky is a fun adventure and a great way to make memories that will last.
Watch the Sunrise
If you haven’t already done this, it’s the quintessential teenage experience to watch the sunrise. Alone or with someone else, it’s a breathtaking way to see the world and a refreshing way to start your day!
I love to watch the sun rise and set by a bridge or somewhere with a great view of the horizon. If you’re near a beach, try that out too! Nature is so much more quaint and quiet in the morning when the sun rises.
Write Notes
This is a great activity to spread the love and brighten someone else’s day! At school, work, or even just around town, write inspirational notes and hide them for others to find. Receiving a random act of kindness like this can feel so good on a bad day and inspire others to spread the love.
Have a Dollar Store Photoshoot
Grab a friend or family member (or go solo), head to your local dollar or thrift store, and make the magic happen! Find as many wacky props, costumes, and decorations you can to create the perfect backdrop. Put it all together, dress up, and snap away!
Some of my favorite ideas for a photoshoot like this are decorative flowers, balloons, glitter, and funky costumes. With just a dollar or thrift store, you can create a moody, glamorous, fun, or stylish photoshoot for you and a friend.
Bake Something New
Do you have tons of untested Pinterest recipes you never have the time to make? Fortunately, baking is one of the most productive (and yummy) hobbies out there!
Try your hand at making something a little complex and taking the time to learn how it’s made. Or, find a way to incorporate ingredients you already have into a recipe. You can feel proud of yourself and what you’ve accomplished while staying full, too.
Invent a Tea or Coffee Drink
This is one of my favorite things to do when bored! If you’re a coffee drinker, become the barista of your house by inventing a new drink with different flavors, brews, or milks.
I know you all enjoyed the whipped coffee trend back at the beginning of quarantine, so take it a step further.
If (like me) you’re a tea drinker, do some research on different tea leaves, flowers, and herbs you can infuse into tea. Start experimenting with making your own blends and find that signature drink!
Have a Word Search Competition
Bring some competition back into a favorite childhood game! Grab one of those giant word search books, a friend or family member, and duel it out.
Time yourselves to see how long it takes to complete a puzzle or how many puzzles you can finish in a certain amount of time. These games are much more fun when it’s a competition.
What are your favorite things to do when bored?
Have we helped you discover any new hobbies or rediscover any old favorites? What’s something you’ve been doing to combat boredom this fall?
Let me know in the comments!
Love some of these, but as much as messages in a bottle sound cute, there’s already more than enough litter in the ocean ^_^
I love these ideas! Especially the 20 dollar outfit one, it’s giving me some blog post ideas of my own.