101 Fun Things to Do at Home Alone | Fun Ideas to Pass the Time

Are you looking for fun things to do at home alone? I've got you covered with the big 'ole list of boredom busters and hobbies to do by yourself!

I'm not gonna lie. Staying home for weeks at a time is not something we're used to in our GO GO GO society. So I've asked some friends for ideas, and we've compiled a list of Fun Things to Do at Home Alone.

Here we go!

Fun Ideas to Pass the Time

1. Study the trees in your yard or pasture. Learn to identify trees by their leaves and bark.

2. Play I spy while walking around - this is fun for kids AND adults!

3. Wash windows. Short on windex? Learn how to make your own glass cleaner.

4. Catch up on podcast episodes. Some of my favorites are the Growing Small Towns Show and Squad Life.

5. Challenge your mind with a crossword, word search or jigsaw puzzle. 1000 pieces is nothing when time is on your side!

6. Handwrite a note to a relative you admire or care about and actually mail it to them. They're looking for fun things to do at home alone too and what better way than the gift of words?

7. Dust off an old instrument. Play your piano, bust out the trumpet, heck - use your kid's tambourine. Better yet, make like the Partridge family and sing, "Come on Get Happy".

8. Bake mini loaves of Hawaiian banana bread to leave on a neighbor's doorstep.

9. Have a backyard campout! Find some twigs and roast some s'mores. Plus, roughing it is way more fun when you can go in your own house to use the bathroom.

10. Tour one of ten virtual museum tours.

11. Handwrite a note to your local first responders, grocery store, or anyone making a difference in your life right now.

12. Go through your big drawer of user manuals and discard the ones you no longer have. That toaster that caught on fire in 2011? You probably don't need that manual anymore.

13. Organize your freezer and start a freezer inventory sheet. You'll operate more efficiently when you know what you really have (which is likely more than you think!)

14. Start a recipe journal like this one from Heart of the Farm Planner. What better time than to slow down and document?

15. Plan a garden or container garden. This is my first year of doing this and I'm having fun with all the planning. It's soon enough to get started with easy kits.

16. Tackle the random piles of paperwork around your houses. File it or get rid of it if you don't need it.

17. Have a bonfire with your family and roast s'mores. Sing some old camp songs while you're at it. I still remember a lot of mine from Girl Scout Days and I just know my kids have been waiting for the day when I sing "Make New Friends" and "Kookaburra" to them! I know they'll thank me someday.

18. Look for shapes in the clouds.

19. Make that Shutterfly album you've been meaning to do. Personally, I have five years of vacation waiting to be captured. Gulp.

20. Do trash pickup in nearby ditches. This is something I do every spring anyway. Wear gloves - you'll be amazed or maybe horrified - of what you find.

21. Handle seasonal upkeep on your lawn mower, weed wacker, etc.

22. Take a nap, no guilt required. These are the best!!!

23. Call someone older than you. Ask them when hope returned after the Great Depression era, war, etc. You'll gain some insights and perspective. One of my friends did this and learned about her Mom celebrating V-J Day in August of 1945. Kids had a parade, complete with banging pots and pans.

24. Get ahead on farm bookwork. Because it doesn't ever end, amiright?

25. Give yourself a manicure or pedicure. Maybe you're husband will help paint your toes. Mine won't but maybe yours will! 😉

26. Ask your parents, children, relatives to pen a recipe in their own hand on a good old fashioned recipe card.

27. Check out craft ideas and fun recipes on Pinterest.

28. Try to meditate, or at the very least, breathe. I mean it!

29. Start a gratitude journal. Even though we're staying put for a while, there's always something to be grateful for.

30. Go through your closets. Those pants you were hoping to fit into from ten years ago? It's time to let those go. Oh, and while you're at it, go through your sock drawer and discard the mismatched socks.

31. Organize your computer or laptop. Those 120 items crammed on my desktop should probably be taken care of.

32. Exercise!

33. Plant grass in an indoor planter. Not only does it make a pretty and colorful centerpiece for Easter (you can totally put colored eggs nested in it) but your kids can help trim it.

34. Have a "virtual" coffee date with a friend you've been meaning to hang out with. Do it via FaceTime, Zoom or a similar platform.

35. Make your own spice blends. Now is a great time to stretch what we have and use our pantry ingredients to the best of our abilities.

36. Wash and put away winter items like snowpants, gloves, etc. If your family won't fit in them until next year, add them to your donate pile!

37. Learn how to braid your hair or your kiddos hair. I really need to do this.

38. Don't want to donate an item? List it on ebay, Varage sale, etc.

39. Pull a book off the shelf to read. I've been astounded by the books I "meant" to read but haven't. With the libraries closed there's no better time. No books? Chances are your local library has an online loan program, or you can listen to audiobooks on Audible. You can get your first month of Audible for free here.

40. Plan your Mother's Day gifts. While you're at it, tackle Father's Day too!

41. Talk to your animals. I've been known to talk to our cows in addition to our dog. They're very good listeners and I swear just being around animals minimizes stress.

42. Give yourself a facial. I've been working on my skin care routine the past week and have truly noticed a difference!

43. Create an obstacle course for your family to tackle. It's time to go old school!

44. Play "Chopped" in the kitchen to see what you can make from ingredients on hand. It's oddly addictive. Ask my family 🙂

45. Start a journal to document your experience during this crazy time. Someday, you (and your kids) will be able to look back on this time and realize how strong we are!

46. Learn how to do calligraphy or word art.

47. Bust out the board games. I'll admit I loathe Chutes & Ladders but it's not nearly as bad when there's no where to go.

48. Get the cards going! Euchre, Speed, Rummy - teach your family how to play.

49. Clean your junk drawers. See if you can find where the random parts belong. Nine times outta ten you won't even need half the stuff.

50. Bake allllll the cookies. You can freeze the dough, for later, too!

51. Draw yourself a bath. I like to put in two hands of Epson salts, a few drops of essential oil, and soak for 20 minutes. Read a book while you're in there.

More Fun Things to Do At Home Alone

52. Color or Paint by number.

53. Attend a virtual cattle drive.

54. Foam roll or self massage to get the kinks out.

55. Track your daily water quota. It's healthy and good for you. You can join my free water drinking challenge here!

56. Do yoga. You don't have to be good at it, no one will see you!!

57. Play with your hair. This used to be my stay at home, I don't have a date night activity. Learn how to make curls with your flat iron or style a new style.

58. Wake up early to catch the sunrise. Don't photograph it, just take it all in!

59. Go for a walk or hike.

60. Make a vision board. We all seem to reflect at the start of the year and then again in times like this. What do you want your life to look like when it goes back to "normal"?

61. Stage an at home photo shoot. Better yet, stage your spring break photos at home. It can actually be pretty funny!

62. Meal prep for the coming week. You know I couldn't resist that, right?

63. Have a dance party at home. Just Dance is fun but so is cranking up the music (80's anyone?) and get moving.

64. Craft a bucket list. What have you always wanted to do?

65. Write your honey an old fashioned love note.

66. Write your kids an actual letter. Make it a keeper!

67. Watch a documentary or read up on an admired person in history.

68. Clean your inbox.

69. Light a candle or start an essential oil diffuser to energize or calm.

70. Clean your makeup brushes. Mine are long overdue.

71. Dabble in a new language. Our kids use Duolingo and I like to play along, too!

72. Rearrange your furniture or organize your kitchen. I know my spouse LOVES when I move things around. kidding.

73. Try a new recipe. How about you use this time to get to know your Instant Pot?

74. Brew a cup of tea, find a snuggle blanket and a quiet corner.

75. Stretch

76. Play your kids video games. We still have a Wii (yes, so old school) or get your kids to show you how to play on the PlayStation or XBox.

77. Buy gift cards from local businesses to show your support.

78. Make an indoor scavenger hunt.

79. Make a Tic-Tok video. They're fun! I can almost hear my teenager cringing from the other room.

80. Check out your public broadcasting station - join Rick Steeves on a European journey or explore restaurants throughout the country from the comfort of your couch!

81. Work on your taxes. Boring, but necessary!

82. Teach your dog a new trick. Arf.

83. Bust out the mega blocks, legos or magnatiles.

84. Do a reverse social media binge. Pick one day to tune out completely and resist the urge to pick up your phone.

85. Look through old photos or videos.

86. Join a virtual tour. There are all sorts of fun activities from home like joining in a cattle drive.

See? There are fun things to do at home alone you never would have imagined, right?

87. Clean out your purse or switch to a new one.

88. Watch videos of baby goats.

89. Deep clean your refrigerator. A pain the butt but sooooo worth it!

90. Detail your car. We're not really going anywhere so it'll stay clean for a while.

91. Have a picnic outside, even if it's in your backyard.

92. Listen to birds and try to identify which ones are robins, blue jays, etc. My personal favorite? The coo of a dove!

93. Pick up rocks from the field (if it's your farm). It's a great all in one workout.

94. Teach your kids how to cook some basics like an over easy egg, grilled cheese or mac and cheese. Got a college student at home? Teach them how to make a few basics for the "adult" world!

95. Make bread from scratch - because why not?

96. Learn about farming and agriculture with an Ag in the Classroom lesson. Whether you're sharing a lesson with your kids or learning yourself, there's much to be discovered!

97. Visit an aquarium online!

98. Binge watch HGTV or Food Network.

99. Tackle a new skill like crochet, knitting, or even making a homemade pie crust.

100. Make your own play dough.

101. Have a nerf gun war.

I hope this list of fun things to do at home alone helps you to pass the time. If you have ideas for additions, I'm totally open to that! Leave a comment and I can add to the list as we go.