If you’re feeling listless and bored, then it’s high time to try something new.
It’s common to start feeling as though your life is just the same thing, day in and day out.
With work taking up a good portion of your time and sleep the other, you only have so much time to do things that you enjoy.
However, when it comes to relaxing and having fun, you may find your usual activities lacking.
Here are 30 fun things you can do to break up the monotony.
What Should I Do Today? (30 Fun Things To Try)
1. Gardening
If you want to mix some exercise with fun, then you should give gardening a try.
Gardening is great for your body and mind.
It’s physically demanding in that you need to pull weeds, throw down soil, and water your plants.
If you’ve never gardened before, then you can start small.
You don’t even need to till your yard if you don’t want to.
Instead, you can lay down cardboard to kill the grass beneath it, then cover the area with straw, topsoil, and compost.
If you want to start especially small, you can buy a planter and fill that with soil instead.
Gardening allows you to grow things like flowers, herbs, vegetables, and even fruits.
You can even plant a screen of ivy, trees, or thick bushes to give your outdoor space a natural privacy screen.
By growing your own herbs, fruits, and vegetables, you can also save money at the grocery store.
Another great thing about gardening is that anyone can do it.
Even if you’re in an apartment without any ground space, some plants can grow in small planters that only need a little bit of light.
2. Woodworking
If you’re someone who’s creative or artistic, then you may want to give woodworking a try.
Woodworking is an extremely old craft.
One might even argue that you can trace its roots back to the days of the cavemen and women.
They shaped woods for their needs and the modern woodworker does the same thing.
While some professional woodworkers will have expensive tools and equipment, all you really need to get started is some wood and a chisel.
While it will take you longer, it’s also the most affordable path.
One of the great things about woodworking is that you can do it both for creative purposes and functional ones.
You can make decorative signs, toys, and other knickknacks.
You can also make furniture, wooden cutlery, and other tools.
Woodworking is satisfying because you get to see your hard work come to life before your very eyes.
Getting started doesn’t have to be expensive either.
You can get lessons for free by watching master crafters on YouTube.
You can also sign up for classes at your local recreational center or trade school.
As you hone your skills and become more experienced, you may even be able to start selling your crafts.
3. Chalk Drawing
If you ever had chalk as a child, then you know how fun it can be.
With some colored chalk, your imagination is the only limit to what your driveway or sidewalk could be.
Chalk is often associated with children, but it shouldn’t be.
There are even professional chalk artists who do incredible work making remarkable chalk drawings.
Since chalk disappears with time, their drawings are even more previous.
They’re never meant to last.
That means you always have a free canvas at your disposal.
Drawing with chalk is also a great way to reconnect with your inner child.
You might relive some old and fond memories while you start drawing.
If you have children, you can also pull them into your artistic vision.
Everyone can spend some time outside and draw on the driveway or sidewalk.
You could even make it a usual pastime by setting a theme for each drawing day.
You can even draw an entire city and let your children drive their toy cars from location to location.
For those who don’t have a paved driveway or sidewalk, you can always draw inside.
There are tons of chalkboards for sale that you can use for your medium.
Drawing with chalk can help you connect with your roots or spend time with your kids.
4. Movie Marathon
Sometimes the best thing you can do is relax and watch some good movies.
It’s easy to get burned out in life.
Whether it’s work or social engagements, there are a ton of things out there looking to drain your energy.
Instead of doing something active, it’s a great idea to take some time for yourself and just watch some movies.
There’s no shortage of movies that make for a great marathon.
They don’t even necessarily need to be in a series.
For example, you could have a mafia movie marathon.
You could start with The Godfather series, then make your way through all the other big-time mafia films.
Some movies make marathoning easy.
For example, watching The Lord of the Rings can fill an entire day alone.
This is especially true if you’re watching the extended versions.
With seven films attached to them, the Harry Potter series is another great option for movie marathons.
Those who prefer a little science fantasy can always rely on Star Wars.
Comic book fans will need a few days to make it through the plethora of Marvel films that are out.
DC fans have their fill of various films, too.
Outside of specific fandoms, however, you can always marathon movies based on directors, genres, or even favorite actors or actresses.
For individuals who consider themselves cinephiles, you can make your way through the list of all the movies that won Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
There’s no shortage of different marathons to be had.
Movie marathons are a great thing to do for those who want to have a lazier and more relaxing day.
5. Window Shop At Local Businesses
If you’re feeling the itch to spend a little money, one of the best things you can do is window shop at local businesses.
It’s a great way to explore your downtown areas, too.
You may discover that it offers opportunities and activities that you weren’t previously aware of.
Local businesses rely on local customers to stay alive.
While some may have the resources to operate in an online space, too, it’s likely in a limited capacity.
With big corporations easily gobbling up most of the consumer base, it leaves local business owners struggling to make ends meet.
Local businesses are your neighbors.
They’re a part of your community.
If you want to support your community, then you need to support local businesses.
Window shopping is fun, too, since you’re never too sure what you might find.
You could end up discovering your new novelty shop or antique store.
Window shopping is a great thing to do since it gets you out of the house to visit your local downtown area.
If you want something fun to try, then supporting your local businesses is a great place to start.
6. Volunteer At An Animal Shelter
Those who want to do something impactful with their time should head to their local animal shelter.
Many animal shelters across the country suffer from a lack of volunteers and supplies.
Considering that these shelters take care of stray animals that have been forgotten by society, it’s worth helping out when you can.
One of the best things about volunteering at an animal shelter is that, although it’s hard work, you don’t have to worry about some of the more pressing matters.
For example, unless you’re a vet, you don’t have to worry about taking care of animals beyond giving them medication.
At most, you’ll help feed them, play with them, bathe them, and comfort them.
If someone comes in looking to adopt, you can help them find the perfect pet for their family.
Animals in a shelter, particularly dogs, can feel abandoned or unloved.
They have to remain in their cages or pens outside of playtime.
Some of them even come from homes that were abusive to them.
By volunteering at an animal shelter, not only do you help out the organization, but you also give those animals a chance to know safety and love.
Volunteering at an animal shelter is a great thing to try for anyone who loves animals or wants to give back to their community.
7. Attend Comic-Con
Back in the day, Comic-Con used to be a single event held in San Diego, California.
It was a place where nerds and geeks came together to celebrate their love of all things nerdy.
Today, you can find a comic convention in almost every state.
Some have grown even as large as Comic-Con, itself.
Attending a comic convention is a lot of fun for everyone.
Even those who don’t consider themselves nerds will likely find the atmosphere and activities interesting, if not amusing.
One of the draws of big-time cons is celebrities.
It’s not uncommon for celebrities to attend a con for autographs and pictures.
You can get up close to them, get a real autograph, and even get a chance to exchange some words with them.
Some celebrities also have panels you can attend.
It offers you a glimpse into who they really are and some details about their lives that you won’t always glean from magazines or professional interviews.
Outside of celebrities, you can enjoy cosplaying, playing games, or meeting fellow nerds.
Attending a comic con is something everyone should try at least once.
8. Attend A Renaissance Faire
If your interests rest with medieval history, then you need to try to go to a Ren Faire.
A Renaissance Faire is an annual fair that’s put on by an organization.
It’s filled with volunteers who dress up and host activities.
Vendors also attend the fair.
You can find everything from medieval clothes to swords to turkey legs for sale.
Depending on the Ren Faire in question, there are also tons of activities.
Some of them are simple stage shows featuring comedy, singing, or sword fighting.
Others put on big affairs like jousts.
You can throw family members into jail where they then have to perform some form of a humiliating act to earn their release.
There’s no experience quite like attending a Ren Faire.
You may find that you enjoy it so much that you attend each year.
If you want to get the full experience, however, then you should try dressing up, too.
Going to a Renaissance Faire is a great thing for those who love history to try.
9. Escape Room Puzzle
If you’ve never tried an escape room before, then you need to try it.
Escape rooms feature themed puzzles.
You and your friends go into a room which is sometimes also connected to other rooms.
You’re given a theme.
Perhaps you’re at a dinner party and one of the guests has gone missing.
Maybe you’re a secret agent and you just entered the villain’s laboratory.
Whatever the theme is, you’ll find yourself needing to solve puzzles to get out of the room.
One puzzle will lead to the next until you solve the final one to get out or save the world.
Some people go all-out when going to an escape room.
They’ll learn about the theme, then dress accordingly.
For example, if the theme is set in a steampunk universe, they’ll wear steampunk clothes.
An escape room presents an opportunity for you and your friends to put your heads together to see if you have the smarts to overcome intellectual challenges.
Hints are always available, and even if you can’t solve the puzzles in time, you’re still going to be able to leave.
However, playing in an escape room with your friends is something you need to try.
10. Wine And Painting
Painting is one thing you should try, but you can make it even better by adding wine.
There are a few groups scattered across the country that offer wine and painting nights.
It’s exactly how it sounds.
You go to the building, and professional painters will teach you some things about painting.
They’ll give you something to match or give you a theme or idea to paint.
Then they’ll serve wine, sometimes with cheese, and you and your friends can hone your skills while enjoying excellent wine.
It’s a great time for anyone who wants to dabble in painting but doesn’t want to go through the extra effort of getting all set up.
You don’t have to worry about choosing the type of paint to use or finding out what size canvas you need to buy or even what paintbrush to use.
The business handles all of that for you.
They even provide the wine.
Learning to paint with a bit of wine by your side with your friends is a lot of fun.
You may even discover that you have a natural, artistic, ability.
Going to a wine-and-painting experience is something you should try either alone or with friends.
11. High Tea Party
If you’re more of a tea drinker than a wine drinker, there’s something else you can try.
In some cities, you can find high tea party experiences.
These are activities that look to mimic a high tea affair in England.
Wearing large and fancy hats is usually strongly encouraged.
With your friends, you’ll attend a tea party.
You usually get a few different courses of food while you drink your tea.
Sandwiches and other finger foods are often staples.
Sometimes the tea party will include poetry readings, live music, or another form of entertainment.
The idea is a sophisticated lunch that makes you feel fancy.
If you’ve ever wondered about high society in England, then attending a high tea party can give you a glimpse.
12. Kayaking
A lot of the best things you can do are done outside.
Being outside is good for your health since it gets you under the sun.
Vitamin D is very important for a healthy mind and body.
Not only does it help make your bones stronger, but it can also improve your mood.
One way to get some vitamin D is to go kayaking.
When some people think about kayaking, they immediately think of whitewater rapids.
However, that isn’t the only type of kayaking that you can enjoy.
You can kayak on the ocean, on lakes, and even on calm rivers.
There are several different types of kayaks, too.
Some of them require you to sit inside of them while others allow you to sit on top of them.
Kayaking is a wonderful thing to try since it gets you out on the water.
You can paddle up beautiful riverways and see nature at its best.
Of course, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can also always try whitewater kayaking, too.
13. Paddleboarding
If you’re already a master kayaker, you may want to try paddleboarding instead.
It’s easy to mistake paddleboarding for surfing since both require you to stand on the board.
However, paddleboarding is far different from surfing.
The board is longer and wider to give you a bit more stability.
They’re not designed for cruising at high speeds down waves either.
Instead, paddleboarding is best for casual and relaxing drifting along rivers and lakes.
You can also use them in the ocean, but you might find the strong currents a bit more difficult to contend with.
On a paddleboard, you use a paddle and push yourself along the water’s surface while standing on the board.
It’s another great way to take in some beautiful sights that not everyone will get to see.
You can also find groups that offer paddleboard tours.
They’ll take you through the various rivers and lakes and show you incredible views as well as local wildlife.
There are even some groups that offer paddleboard yoga classes.
Paddleboarding is something to try for those who want a relaxing and athletic thing to do.
14. Snorkeling
If you’re on vacation or near a body of water, you should give snorkeling a try.
Snorkeling is usually associated with coral reefs and tropical waters.
You don’t always need that type of water or ecology to snorkel, though.
As long as you have a relatively deep body of water, you can go snorkeling.
That’s because there’s no shortage of things that you can find at the bottom of them.
For larger lakes, you can sometimes find old wrecks of boats and ships.
Even in smaller lakes, you can sometimes find old toys that have rested there for years.
Besides finding old objects and shipwrecks, snorkeling also allows you to get up close to some fish.
If you snorkel in a big lake, you can sometimes come across some big fish.
While they won’t be as big as whales or as terrifying as sharks, they may cause you a fright in their own right.
Snorkeling can also make you aware of how dirty or clean your local bodies of water are.
That might also set you down a path to help protect your local water sources.
Snorkeling is something fun to try whether you’re near a coral reef or not.
15. Learn To Ballroom Dance
There’s dancing and then there’s ballroom dancing.
If you want to impress your partner, friends, or just anyone, learning to ballroom dance is a great way to start.
There are tons of different ballroom dancing styles.
If you want to be more sensual, you won’t go wrong with the classic tango.
For those who want to sweep their partners off of their feet, learning how to waltz is a great choice.
Even learning how to do Salsa can be a lot of fun.
Ballroom dancing provides you with an opportunity to improve your fitness and coordination, and it gives you a good reason to laugh with your partner.
After all, you’re likely going to be stepping on each other’s toes and running into each other.
However, with enough time, you’ll be sweeping along the dance floor like professionals.
Ballroom dancing is a great thing to try for those who want to impress their partners.
16. Make A New Flavor Of Ice Cream
There are tons of ice cream flavors, but there can always be more.
If you like to experiment with different flavors, then discovering a new type of ice cream flavor could be something you should try.
First, you’ll need to learn how to make ice cream.
Then you can start adding different ingredients until you find the world’s next big flavor.
You may even be able to make money off of it.
At the very least, making a new flavor of ice cream can jumpstart your creative juices and give you an excuse to eat a lot of ice cream.
17. Enter A Food-Eating Tournament
If you love to eat food, then you need to enter a food-eating contest.
While there are always big ones at special food events hosted locally, you can also find small ones at certain restaurants.
For example, a restaurant might have a hot wing challenge.
Another restaurant might have a pizza-eating challenge.
You can try the challenge at one of those restaurants if there isn’t a festival going on in your area.
If you don’t happen to have any nearby restaurants that offer a challenge, then you can always make your own.
Playing in a food-eating challenge or hosting one is a great way to bring the community together.
18. Go Hiking
If you’ve never gone hiking before, then you need to give it a try.
Hiking doesn’t have to consist of long miles or several days either.
You can hike for an hour and call it done for the day.
The point of a hike is to get outside, hit a trail, and enjoy nature.
Most cities have parks and trails just outside their city limits for you to enjoy.
For rural areas, hiking is even easier.
As always, it’s worth researching the trail first and ensuring you have plenty of water and protein bars before getting started.
Hiking is a great thing to try for someone looking to connect to nature.
19. Go Camping
Whether you’re hiking or not, you should certainly consider going camping, too.
Camping is a lot of fun since it requires you to either focus on your friends or family.
There are few distractions provided by the internet or work.
You can play board games, card games, or just relax and socialize.
Camping can be as rustic or as luxurious as you want it.
At the very least, it’s another great way to connect to nature and unwind.
20. Go On A Ghost Tour
If you have an interest in the supernatural, you should consider going on a ghost tour.
Most large cities have at least one building that’s considered haunted.
You can find ghost tours that explore the building and discuss the history of the ghost.
You may even have a chance to see a ghost with your own eyes.
Going on a ghost tour is a lot of fun for someone who wants to do something late at night.
21. Ghost Hunt
If the supernatural really interests you, then a simple ghost tour may not be enough.
One thing to try is to do a little bit of ghost hunting yourself.
You can sometimes find certain hotels or other businesses that allow you to set up and do some ghost hunting.
It’s free publicity for them, after all.
While it helps to have some gear to properly ghost hunt, you can always go in with nothing but your own senses.
Ghost hunting on your own or with friends can be a lot of fun.
It’s something to try if you don’t mind getting a little scared.
22. Learn An Instrument
Enjoying music is one thing and having an appreciation for it as a performer is another.
If you’re a big music fan, then you should give learning how to play an instrument a try.
A lot of music stores allow you to rent equipment which can save you a lot of money if you find out that playing isn’t quite right for you.
There are tons of tutorials and lessons on YouTube, too, that can help you learn how to play.
You’ll find lessons about how to play the guitar to how to play the harmonica.
Not only will learning how to play an instrument give you something fun to do, but it can also give you a new talent.
23. Play A Video Game
Video games are more accessible than ever.
You don’t even need a console worth $500 to play them anymore.
For more passive players, there are tons of fun video games to while away the hours on your smartphone.
For more serious gamers, you’ll find no shortage of new games to play on your console or PC.
It’s worth trying out a genre that you don’t normally play to break the mold.
You may find a new favorite.
24. Cook On A Fire Pit
If it’s nighttime and you’re feeling bored, the number of things that you can do is small.
Most businesses aren’t open, and you may have to measure your noise level to keep from waking other people up.
One of the things you can do is go outside and cook in your fire pit.
Fire is quiet, albeit smelly, and allows you to cook everything from steak to smores on it.
You can get the whole family together to enjoy cooking some smores on the fire.
Sitting around the campfire is a great time to connect and share fun or spooky stories.
25. Host An Adult Sleepover Party
Back as a kid, you probably enjoyed a few sleepovers with your friends.
As you became older, sleepovers became a thing of the past.
They don’t have to be.
If you’re looking for something to do, then you should consider trying to host an adult sleepover party.
Invite your friends, plan some events, then make sure everyone gets enough sleep.
The primary difference between an adult sleepover and when you had one as a kid is that sleep should be a priority.
26. Learn To Bake
If you love watching baking shows, then you should give it a go yourself.
Baking requires a special understanding of how various ingredients work together.
Even being a little off can have a serious impact on your final product.
Learning how to bake means you can start baking your own bread, cakes, pies, and doughnuts at home.
You may even start to get competitive with it.
Baking is a great thing to learn and try.
27. Go To A Museum
There’s never anything wrong with looking to expand your knowledge.
Visiting a museum allows you to do just that.
One of the cool aspects of museums is that they regularly change what they’re showing.
There’s always some sort of exhibition room with new and exciting things to see and learn about.
Visiting your local museum is a great thing to do when you’re feeling bored or restless.
28. Play Tabletop Games
Original Edition by Exploding Kittens – Card Games for Adults Teens & Kids – Fun Family Games – A Russian Roulette Card Game – 15 Min, Ages 7+, 2-5 Players
If you prefer your games to be more tactile, you should invite your friends over for some tabletop games.
While you can always play classic games like Monopoly and Life, you can also look into more complex games like Elder Sign and Mansions of Madness.
There are also tons of card games to play like Munchkin and Exploding Kittens.
For those who really want to get into tabletop gaming, then you need to look into RPGs.
Dungeons & Dragons is perhaps the most famous example.
However, there are tons of other tabletop RPGs like Vampire: The Masquerade, Call of Cthulhu, and the various games using the Cipher system to try.
Playing tabletop games can be a lot of fun, and there’s no shortage of new ones to try.
29. Write A Book Or Memoir
If you’re feeling particularly reflective, you may want to try writing a memoir about your life.
You can always read it later in life and reflect on who you were as a person while you writing it.
You may even want to write a memoir about another family member.
If you want to take on a creative challenge, then you may want to try writing your own book.
With tons of different genres out there, you’re sure to find something that fits your interests.
30. Play A Sport
A final fun thing to try is to play a sport.
If you already have a sport that you love to play, you can always play that.
However, it’s also worth exploring sports that you may not be as familiar with.
Not only does it give you something new to learn, but you may find that you’re a natural at it.
At the very least, you’ll enjoy the exercise and you and your friends might have a few laughs.
Conclusion
Boredom can settle in at any time.
If you need something new and fun to do, then you should try one of the 30 activities and hobbies listed above.
You may just discover a new favorite thing to do.
