301 Things to do When It’s Raining
Rain? Quarantine? Zombies?
It doesn’t matter what the reason is, all that matters is you’re stuck inside and super bored. But don’t worry. Help is on the way. (Probably.)
While you’re waiting for said help, here are 301 fun things to do so you don’t go crazy.
1. Start a new book. Nothing passes the time better than getting sucked into a good read.
2. Do a puzzle. This colorful challenge will have a rewarding ending.
3. Play euchre. Find three other people and play this card game for hours. It’s easy to learn, but tough to master.
4. Play Go Fish. If you’re with children, this simple game is perfect. Keep them entertained by adding a silly aspect to the game. Jokes, riddles, etc.
5. Play crazy eights. This can range from two to an unlimited amount of people staying entertained.
6. Play hide and go seek. Great for both toddlers and dogs. Set a time limit and keep score.
7. Play tag if you have room. Run around your house and get active. If you’re stuck in side for days or weeks then you don’t want to get lazy.
8. Do an at-home bodyweight work out. This will get your blood pumping and release toxins. You can find some great 15 minute routines on YouTube.
9. Do a yoga class with your family. Find your peace when you can’t leave the house.
10. Give each other manicures. Men need cute nails too.
11. Give each other pedicures. You may have to do this one solo if your family has smelly feet.
12. Run a bubble bath. Light some candles and live in a fantasy. Don’t drop your phone. Read on a Kindle!
13. Bake a cake. Try a complicated one that will be rewarding and delicious.
14. Make a scrapbook of your family. Add baby pictures to the present day. If you don’t have any printed photos, then make an online scrapbook.
15. Make your own fruit juice. All you need is a blender, water, sugar, and lots of fruit.
16. Camp in your living room. Set up a tent, some sleeping bags, and enjoy. Maybe skip the firepit/marshmallows.
17. Tell each other ghost stories. Make up ones involving each other’s scariest dreams.
18. Play the story telling game. Everyone takes turns saying one sentence until the story is complete.
19. Play the animal guessing game. One person thinks of an animal, the rest ask questions until they guess correctly.
20. Play 20 questions. Find out what you didn’t know before about your family members.
21. Make up a dance together. Choreograph your very own music video.
22. Condition your hair for hours. Let it soak in oil and get super silky.
23. Put coconut oil on your entire body. Your skin will be left insanely smooth.
24. Bake a batch of homemade cookies. Add your family members’ letters for individuality.
25. Make your own movie with your phone camera. Put it together on iMovie.
26. Make your own pretend American Idol. Audition for your parents as they judge.
27. Learn a new instrument you have lying around. You’ll be on it for hours trying to make it sound great.
28. Do a plank contest with your family. See who can hold it the longest.
29. Perfect your cartwheel and do a gymnastics show for the family.
30. Host a tea party for your family. Set up little cups and saucers to either drink tea or pretend to.
31. Make an exfoliant out of sugar and rub it on your body to remove a layer of dead/dry skin.
32. Try to list all states/provinces and their capitals in your country in five minutes.
33. Make your own concoction of makeup products to create the perfect blend.
34. Mix nail polishes together to create and apply the perfect color.
35. Plan a vacation. Look up online where you’d visit and plan it out. Hopefully it stops raining eventually.
36. Write a book together. Everyone can contribute and write one big story.
37. Write competing short stories. One person can be the judge and crown the most entertaining story as winner.
38. Act out your child’s favorite book. Make them the main character and go through the scenes.
39. Listen to an audiobook while relaxing on the couch. Pick one with an entertaining narrator.
40. Make a blanket fort. Get blankets and clips and make a mini house in your house.
41. Do a full house cleaning party. Get every speck of dust off the walls.
42. Play indoor bowling with water bottles and rolled up socks.
43. Have a dance party. Get the whole family involved. Create a dance circle.
44. Make a homemade craft together. Use felt, popsicles, and a glue gun to create masterpieces.
45. Print out some childhood photos and turn them into homemade Christmas tree ornaments. Or forget the photos and just make whatever.
46. Write letters to each family member. Say the best things about each person.
47. Pretend you work at a restaurant and wait on your parents like a server.
48. Rearrange your bedroom and feel like a whole new person afterwards.
49. Use a carboard box to make a rocket ship. Paint it and fly to the moon.
50. Create a scavenger hunt in your own home. List household objects for everyone to find.
51. Make a family meal together in which everyone helps. Assign a chef, sous-chef, and veggie choppers.
52. Order an inflatable ball pit online and blow it up in your living room. Fill it with balls and enjoy.
53. Make animal figurines out of clay or Playdough. If you don’t have any Playdough, you can make your own in the kitchen. Google the recipe.
54. Make your own “stained glass window” with plastic wrap and colored tissue paper.
55. Play target golf. Use a makeshift putter and aim a ball at random objects in the house.
56. Do a beep test in your living room. See who has the highest endurance.
57. Have a pool noodle fight. Remove breakable objects from the room.
58. Sit in cardboard boxes and have a pretend drive in movie. Move to the couch once it gets uncomfortable.
59. Play pillow sumo-wrestling. Stuff pillows in your chest and wrestle, safely.
60. Play a rousing game of Twister. See how flexible and balanced your family is.
61. Play keep up with a balloon. See if you can do it without hands.
62. Cut your own ghost costumes out of sheets and try to scare each other.
63. Invent your own song and perform it for each other. Make it about a family member if you wish.
64. Download the highest rated game in the app store and play it all night.
65. Have a costume party. Find silly clothes and dress up like Halloween.
66. Everyone puts on different family members’ clothes and impersonates them. Best impersonation wins a prize.
67. Have a picnic inside. Put a blanket down. Place your favorite foods in a basket and enjoy.
68. Make fancy hot chocolate. Use a cute mug. Add cinnamon, marshmallows, and nutmeg.
69. Eat foods from every part of the world in one night. The more varied and weirder the meal is, the more fun.
70. Go through old photo albums and cry about the past. It’s cathartic.
71. Interview your family member as if you’re on a TV show. Ask them to report the local news.
72. Set up a wall of strings. Try to get through like they’re lasers and you’re a spy. Clumsiest person must do a chore.
73. Start an indoor garden. You can grow almost anything with the right equipment. Try something exotic like hot peppers.
74. Have a Disney classics evening. Watch your favorite childhood animated films and then review each one as though they were brand new.
75. Start a game of Monopoly. End with your family screaming at each other.
76. Pretend you’re filming a cooking show and say the ingredients out loud.
77. Pretend you’re filming a makeup tutorial and talk through your makeup steps. You could even film it and then try to make money later on YouTube.
78. Build your own scarecrow. Find items around the house to make a makeshift person to put outside when it stops raining.
79. Make Christmas cards early. Prepare for the holidays and make glitzy cards. Make some “Thank You” cards at the same time.
80. Have a karaoke night. Blast your favorite songs and put on a show.
81. Build a Lego set. Find your old set in the closet and build treehouses and starships.
82. Build your own jewelry. Use a kit to make earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. The possibilities are endless!
83. Make a pot for a plant out of a lightbulb. Any plant that can grow in water can sit in it.
84. Invent codewords you can use with your family. Made-up words that no one else will understand.
85. Have a mini photoshoot in your living room. Dress up in a sheet and pretend it’s high fashion.
86. Learn how to do calligraphy. Practice a font and make pretty signs.
87. Play Heads Up. Ellen’s app is amazing for passing the time.
88. Create a photo album for the family. Print out your favorite pictures and organize them by section.
89. Make shapes against the wall with your shadows. Make different animals and conduct conversations.
90. Paint a landscape of your home. Ask other family members to do the same and see whose is best.
91. Make music with your family. If anyone has musical ability, they can use it in this jam session.
92. Get a coloring book and fill in the blanks. It’s extremely soothing and relaxing. Adult coloring books are super popular.
93. Use face paint to give each other masks. You can be a clown, a tiger, or a wolf. The options are endless.
94. Set up an obstacle course around your house. Try to get through it as quickly as possible. Time yourselves.
95. Make tie-dye clothes for yourself. Get dyes, white t-shirts, and elastic bands and go crazy.
96. Make your own sock puppets. Put on a show for other family members.
97. Make a mini market in your home and sell different goods. Pretend to negotiate and haggle with each other.
98. Do the cornstarch and water science experiment. Try to figure out if it’s a liquid or solid.
99. Play some indoor badminton. Try not to smash any flowerpots.
100. Draw caricatures of each other. Try not to be too mean with the exaggerated features.
101. Make a homemade pizza with your family. Add your favorite toppings, like pineapple.
102. Act out your favorite scene in a movie with your family. Preferably not one involving violence.
103. Make your own radio show. Invite your family and friends on as guests.
104. Make your own animation. Draw an object over and over in a booklet with slight changes to each page, so that when you fan through it it’s like animation.
105. Get a stick and learn how to twirl a baton. Give a performance after you learn.
106. Learn how to beatbox. Put on a rhythm and pretend you’re the beat to the song.
107. Start your own blog and talk about your interests. Connect with other bloggers online.
108. Watch YouTube videos. Try to learn a new skill. The Crash Course series is fun, simple, and a quick way to learn the basics of useful subjects like statistics and economics.
109. Play a rousing game of Jenga. Make your own with wood and a saw if you don’t have the game.
110. Play a game of backgammon. Learn some strategy online and blow away your opponent.
111. Read a short story and make up discussion questions. Each family member gets to discuss their viewpoints.
112. Practice karate. Learn online tutorials and learn how to fight with your siblings even more.
113. Try to make your own bread. It takes a long time but will be delicious.
114. Host your own wine tasting. Try small amounts and describe the taste, even if it’s super cheap.
115. Make your own candles. Dip a string in wax over and over until a candle is made.
116. Make your own shirt. Grab some fabric, a design, and get started on your masterpiece.
117. Practice latte art. Froth some milk and pour it on lattes in cool designs.
118. Read some chapters out of books you used to love. See if your opinion has changed.
119. Cosplay as your favorite superheroes. Speak and act like they would. Make a mini movie!
120. Browse online ads for local stores and clip some coupons. When the rain stops, you’ll know what to buy and where all the best deals are.
121. Learn how to knit. Try to make yourself a scarf out of your favorite color of yarn.
122. Do a crossword puzzle. Ask your family for help with clues.
123. Play a game of pool. Since you probably don’t have a table, you can make one out of tennis balls, tape, cups, and a large table.
124. Learn and perform a ballet routine. To the best of your ability.
125. Learn how to DJ. Mix your favorite songs together and enjoy.
126. Become a mixologist. Mix different liquids together until you create the perfect drink. (Doesn’t have to contain alcohol!)
127. Embroider something on your favorite pillow. Your favorite quote or anniversary.
128. Watch the rerun of a sports game no one has seen before. Take bets on who will win.
129. Get into fantasy football. Create you best team to beat your friends’ lineups.
130. Clean your fish tank if you have one. It will look so shiny and nice afterwards.
131. Arrange a bouquet of flowers. Mix two you already have to make a multicolored display.
132. Learn the basics of a foreign language with an online course.
133. Build a furniture set you’ve been putting off for a while. Put on some music and get it done.
134. Play your favorite videogame. There’s a reason everyone’s addicted.
135. Make a gingerbread house. Even if it’s not Christmas time. Decorate it with gumdrops and sprinkles.
136. Design yourself a logo for your name. Use a font that describes you as a person.
137. Improve some aspect of your home. Start a DIY project and try to finish it before it stops raining.
138. Get a hula hoop and try to hula for as long as you can. Even if that means half a second.
139. Write down your greatest dreams in a journal. Write down the ways you can make this a reality.
140. Learn how to juggle. Pick three unbreakable objects start with that.
141. Make your own javelin. Use a stick and pocketknife to sharpen the end. Once it’s nice out, go throw it (safely).
142. Learn how to tie cool knots. You can whip out this skill at the next boat launch.
143. Brew your own kombucha. The health benefits of tea are huge.
144. Learn how to pick a lock with bobby pins. This will come in handy if you’re on the run from zombies and find a locked room full of weapons. (Hey it could happen.)
145. Listen to your favorite album the whole way through. See if you notice anything you didn’t before.
146. Listen to a highly recommended podcast. It’s like a free storytelling session.
147. Learn a simple magic trick. See if you can fool your family members.
148. Build a house of cards. Don’t let anyone with heavy feet walk by.
149. Practice makeup on your family members. Try not to make them look like clowns.
150. Make origami swans among other shapes. See how well you can fold.
151. Finger paint on a canvas. Make a family memory in a painting.
152. Play with your cat or dog. Rile them up and have a dance party.
153. Study photography online and try to get some cool shots of household objects.
154. Learn a new song on a musical instrument you play. The piano is always a good choice.
155. Press flowers in a scrapbook. Steal some from your mom’s bouquet.
156. Make your own plates and mugs with pottery. If you have a wheel at home, this will be a great use of time.
157. Do online quizzes on what type of person you are. Find out who your soulmate is meant to be.
158. Build a railroad with toy tracks. Make the train go through as much of your house as possible.
159. Refinish a cupboard. Stain it a nicer tone.
160. Find a Rubik’s cube and see how fast you can solve it. Or, if you can solve it at all.
161. Make a scrapbook with family pet photos. No pets? No problem. Use photos of your favorite zoo animals.
162. Bleach your white shoes. Nothing screams productive and put together like brand-new looking shoes. Also screams neat freak but oh well.
163. Sketch a photo of your favorite animal. Hang it on your fridge and accept the praise from your parents.
164. Scroll through social media. There is a ton of interesting content to keep you busy.
165. Take turns doing stand-up comedy for the family. Re-tell your family’s funniest stories.
166. Put a cookie on your forehead and then try to eat it without dropping it on the floor. Set a time limit.
167. Play Ping-Pong. If you have a Ping-Pong table, great. If not, use a regular table and paper plates.
168. Play with a pet. Play fetch indoors or teach them some new tricks.
169. Make a video and edit it. The editing process takes a while and will cure any boredom.
170. Watch a horror movie. You may not be able to sleep, but at least you won’t be bored.
171. Stream a new series online. You can get through a whole season in one night, trust me.
172. Lift some weights. Or your heavy siblings. Get in shape for when it stops raining and you can hit the beach.
173. Run around the house. See how long you can run until you die.
174. Jump rope. This is fun and great exercise. You can add tricks as well.
175. Do a Zumba workout on the T.V. Find one online and follow along.
176. Make a charcuterie board. They take precision, effort, and lots of yummy food.
177. Make a funny sign for your guests to see when they walk in, such as a pun on your last name.
178. Make a bird house to put outside. You’ll get to see a variety of interesting birds.
179. Edit a Wikipedia page. Find what you’re an expert in and submit additional comments.
180. Make your own wine. In other words, squish some grapes with your toes and drink it.
181. Carve your favorite animal out of a wood chunk. It will take up a lot of time while remaining entertaining.
182. Write your own short story. Use a character that represents yourself and do all the things you want to do.
183. Do a Pilates class. Put it on the T.V. and follow along.
184. Do an arm workout. The Selena Gomez personal trainer one is fun.
185. Do a wordsearch. Get a really complicated one to keep to occupied for hours.
186. Make your own wordsearch online. Print it out and watch your family members struggle.
187. Roast marshmallows inside. Get a candle or use your indoor fireplace. (Don’t start a fire in the living room.)
188. Find your old action figures and play with them. Act out your favorite childhood scenarios.
189. Go through your antique jewelry and try to refurbish some of it. Bring back the shine.
190. Browse art pieces online. See if you can find any you’d love to hang.
191. Look on Pinterest for your dream wedding gown. Start saving now.
192. Find new books to read online. Read the premises for each book and decide on some favorites.
193. Write postcards to your friends far away. It’ll feel so much sweeter than a text.
194. Plan out a food guide for yourself. Decide what you want to put in your body for the future.
195. Find your old barbie dolls and play with them. Put them in their clothes and shoes and strut them around. Toys are relaxing, even if you’re an adult.
196. Start a massage train with your family. Everyone wins, except the person in the back.
197. Study. Start an online course and get into the material.
198. Play online casino games like blackjack. Maybe not with real money, just for fun.
199. Listen to new music you’d always been wanting to try. See what ones you love.
200. Sell items you don’t use anymore online. See if you can declutter.
201. Put on a vinyl record. Listen to music how it should be.
202. Set up a target in your garage and throw knives at it. Get permission first.
203. Set up a dart board and play a game of darts. Use magnet darts for little kids.
204. Conduct a fake beauty pageant. Do the evening wear, swimsuit, and talent sections for your parents.
205. Play box with your siblings. Use real boxing gloves if you have them and be careful.
206. Learn how to play bridge and play with three other family members. This is very difficult and will be time consuming.
207. Make your own cheerleading routine. Memorize the movements and shout everything you say.
208. Play shuffleboard with coins. See how far you can slide the coin without it going off the table.
209. Set up a mock debate for something you care about. Pick family members to argue either side.
210. Everyone makes a five-minute power point presentation and presents in front of the group.
211. Make a meal from all the weird stuff you find in the cupboards. Tuna sandwich? Sounds great.
212. Watch old sports games online. If it’s a sport you love it’ll still be entertaining.
213. Watch other people play videogames online. The best of the best will make it an enjoyable show.
214. Learn judo online. Try to master some of the easier moves.
215. Watch makeup tutorials online. Learn how to better apply your makeup.
216. Play indoor hockey if you have a large basement. See if you can score on your parents.
217. Have a nerf gun battle. Go crazy but don’t knock over any lamps.
218. Organize a game of Texas hold’em. Play with fake money and see who has the best poker face.
219. Make your own jam. Use mixed berries to make a brand new thing.
220. Practice volleyball in a safe, non-breakable basement. Pass, pass, set, hit, over and over to improve.
221. Meditate in your living room. Put on soothing music or complete silence and relax your mind.
222. Play Operation. Turn your kids into future surgeons with this electrifying game.
223. Make your own playdoh with flour, oil, water, salt, corn flour, and food coloring.
224. Build your pet a home. Make them a personal space to hide away.
225. Play freeze-tag. Things won’t break as much if the tagged people must stop running.
226. Make homemade biscuits. Add cheddar and jalapeno for flavor and spice.
227. Make your own treasure hunt. Hide something in the house and provide clues until it’s found.
228. Use hard pasta to make art. Glue them to a card and create fun shapes.
229. Build your pet a home. Make them a personal space to hide away.
230. Play the drawing game. One person describes a photo back-to-back with someone drawing it. See how accurate you can get.
231. Play never have I ever. Find out things about your family you wish you didn’t.
232. Play a game of hangman. Pick random words and see if people can guess before the body is hung.
233. Throw a party. What better way to pass the time than to turn up the music and have a soiree?
234. Jump on the bed like it’s a trampoline. If you can’t go outside to trampoline, bring the fun to you. (Maybe ask your parents first.)
235. Play spike ball. Go into a large basement and practice this fun mini volleyball game.
236. Have a pillow fight. Put on knee and elbow pads and get ready to rumble.
237. Paint your pots. Put a floral design on your pots for your floral display.
238. Have a paper airplane contest. The farthest throw wins. Give prizes.
239. Learn how to throw cards like you’re in Now You See Me. Aim at a bowl until you get the right technique.
240. Paint rocks with cute patterns. Place them in a bowl of rocky memories.
241. Conduct your own fashion show. Force every family member to showcase their best outfit.
242. Create your own doll house out of a shoebox. Make little people out of popsicle sticks that can live inside.
243. Make music out of makeshift instruments. Make a string guitar with a tissue box and drums with wooden spoons.
244. Make your own popsicle. Use your favorite juice and add a mixture of fruit for a fancy treat.
245. Write a letter to your future self. Put your goals, hopes, and current thoughts in it. Open it in six month. See how much life changes!
246. Make boats out of juice boxes. Paint them. Use the straw as a sail. Put them in the tub and watch them float.
247. Make your Halloween costume way in advance. What better time than a rainy day with nothing to do?
248. Make finger puppets from felt. Create little animals and people to chat with each other.
249. Stick googly eyes on all your household appliances to bring them to life when you go to sleep.
250. Use string to make complex friendship bracelets. You can give them to friends and family.
251. Do a white elephant exchange out of household objects. Gift them to your family members.
252. Draw out your own family tree. Ask both of your parents to see how far back their memory goes.
253. Make your own magazine cover. Place your favorite photo of yourself on the cover and add articles you would write about yourself.
254. Make a newspaper about your family. Interview each family member and write an article for them.
255. Use fabric to make your own throw pillow. Fill it with synthetic down and put it on your couch.
256. Make a route for marbles to travel through your house. Make a video and post it on YouTube.
257. Play I Spy around your house. See if you can stump your family members.
258. Play math games. Download an app and refresh your memory of basic algebra.
259. See how fast your dog can pop balloons. Set them up in a row and see if your dog can beat the record.
260. Use a kangaroo ball to get around the house. Race against your siblings.
261. Write your own play. Get your family to act out the characters.
262. Play the classic games of charades. Put your favorite things in a hat and try to act them out without using words.
263. Do online activism. Set up a website for a charity and advertise for donations.
264. Play the rhyming game. Go around the circle rhyming words until someone loses.
265. Play the dance repetition game. One person does a dance move. The next person does the same move and adds a new one. Keep going until one player can’t remember the sequence.
266. Go through a Sudoku book. Once you get the hang of it, it’s super fun.
267. Play Telestrations. If you’re all adults, try the after dark version.
268. Play word associations. Read a list of things and see what word pops into your family members’ heads.
269. Write in your diary. Make sure you lock it afterwards so that people don’t read your thoughts.
270. Watch a documentary about a professional sport you love. It’ll let you see behind the scenes action.
271. Bring the movie theatre to your living room. Dim the lights, make some popcorn, and time your cellphone to go off in the middle.
272. Make your Christmas and birthday list. The prettier the writing, the more likely you are to get the stuff. That’s how it works.
273. Have a smoothie contest. Everyone tries to make their best frozen drink.
274. Play hairdresser with your family. Braid and style their hair. If they trust you, cut it.
275. Do every family member’s makeup. Even if they don’t usually wear it.
276. Make a superhero mask for yourself. Either a famous one or one you’ve invented yourself.
277. Play musical chairs. Set up all your chairs in a row and fight to the death.
278. Play Simon Says. See which of your family members listens the best.
279. Set up a dominoes trail. See which weird surfaces you can place it on and still make it successful.
280. Make your own cake pops. You don’t need to go to Starbucks to enjoy this moist treat.
281. Make your favorite mocktails. Find different juices and fruits to put together and make the shiniest mocktail in the bar.
282. Make a tin-can telephone. Get two cans, attach a string, and try to hear watch the other person is saying.
283. Play telephone. Go around the circle and try to understand what your family member is saying. Use different accents to make it more fun.
284. Host a talent show. Ask every family member to perform a hidden talent, like whistling bird noises.
285. Plan your next overseas vacation. Travel planning can be a lot of work, so what better time than when you’re stuck indoors wishing you were somewhere else?
286. Stretch your muscles. From your ankles to your neck, do a full body stretch to relax.
287. Take a nap. Sleep is important for all-around health. If you have the time, use it to sleep.
288. Get into teams and hand the other team a bag of random items. They have fifteen minutes to create a skit with whatever’s in the bag.
289. Make indoor hopscotch with tape. Tape squares on the floor and see how fast you turn into a little kid again.
290. Make your own balance beam with tape. See if you can walk a faux tight rope across the room.
291. Set up a slack line in your basement. See how well you would do as an acrobat.
292. Play clapping games such as Kit-Kat and Bake Me a Cake. Embrace your childhood.
293. Create your own beach indoors. Set up the tub, get some water wings, and splash around in a bikini.
294. Set up a romantic tub night for one. Place candles, rose petals, and bath salts around and in the bath. Relax with soothing music.
295. Make a touch-and-feel box. Put random objects in a box and make your family members touch them to guess what they are.
296. Play a mini game of indoor basketball. Set up garbage cans in faraway places and aim your paper ball. Curry with the shot.
297. Create your own haunted house. Get one person to walk through as everyone else hides to scare them.
298. Play slow-motion tag. This way, nothing will break from kids running around. Save the vases.
299. Carry an egg on a spoon across the room. Try it with your eyes closed. Last one to drop their egg wins. Please do it on hardwood floors, not carpet.
300. See how many marshmallows you can fit in your mouth. Then, try to have a full-on conversation.
301. Play the reindeer hunt. Everyone gets a clothespin. They must try to tag their partner with it, without them knowing, before getting tagged themselves.
