53 Indoor Hobbies You Should Try – Ultimate Checklist 2024 (2024)

The COVID-19 pandemic has finally eased. If you are currently one of the unlucky ones that catch it, the best thing for not just yourself but for others is to stay at home to keep yourself healthy and to prevent others from catching it.

You may be able to work at home or need to look for alternative options that you can do from home. Or you may have nothing to do now that you need to lay low for a few days.

So, how should you spend your spare time? How do you keep your mind occupied when you can’t go out? Instead of whiling away the hours scrolling through social media (which has been shown to have a negative impact on mental health), why not try something new? Hobbies are a great way to keep your mind (and often body) healthy, and an enjoyable way to spend your time.

There are plenty of indoor hobbies for you to take part in. If you are stuck for a few fun ideas then don’t worry, we have you covered. I have listed over 50 brilliant indoor hobbies for you to take part in that will keep you and your loved ones occupied at home. Check them out and let me know what you think!

The Ultimate List of Indoor Hobbies

1. Sewing

Sewing is a highly versatile hobby. You could tailor clothing and put your own stamp on accessories, or create these items from scratch. You can make art pieces or decorative items for your home. Hand sewing and machine sewing both have different benefits.

If you’re in the market for a new sewing machine, we highly recommend checking out Sewing Machines Plus. They’re an award-winning retailer with a large range of machines at great prices.

2. Knitting

Knitting has truly made a comeback in recent years, with knitwear coming back into fashion and knitting rising in popularity as a hobby. Whether you knit socks, blankets, hats, or sweaters, once winter rolls around, you’ll be super cozy. Knitting also has the benefit of being a pretty cheap and easy hobby to get started on.

3. Weaving

You can weave from a whole bunch of materials – wicker, fabric, and even recycled plastic! You will need a loom – which is a kind of frame for weaving. You can order one online, or try making your own. Check out tutorials online for creating a loom and learning how to weave.

4. Making Stuffed Toys

You might think this falls under the sewing category, but making stuffed toys doesn’t necessarily have to involve sewing. So, if you don’t like the idea of needlework, how about making toys with felt and a glue gun instead? Stuffed toys could also make great gifts for cheering up any younger ones in your family.

5. Scrapbooking

A scrapbook is a kind of journal that includes photos, souvenirs, and mementos. You can use a journal to tell your own story or that of your family. If you are stuck indoors, it could be a good way to cheer yourself up by thinking about enjoyable times you have had in the past.

6. Drawing

Don’t worry if you think you aren’t artistic enough to draw. There are an absolute ton of tutorials out there. You might surprise yourself with what you’re able to create. Plus, some pencils and paper are pretty cheap materials for a hobby if you are on a budget.

7. Painting

Painting in a scrapbook and getting all of your ideas down on paper is a wonderful activity.

Painting is another hobby where you have a lot of choices. Watercolors and acrylic are fun to work with. You can even get special crayons where you create your piece using the crayon then paint water on afterward to get a paint effect. Have a look at online art shops for some supplies, or check out job lots on eBay. Fluid Art painting is another form of painting that has been attracting attention recently. And, the classic Paint-By-Number system is a great (and relatively cheap) way to indulge. Here are some popular paint-by-number kitsthat will make you look like a professional!

8. Coloring

Adult coloring has become seriously popular. It’s a hobby that’s relaxing and can help to boost your creativity. It’s thought to help to reduce stress levels and has even been likened to meditation. From swear words to mandalas to nature scenes – there are plenty of choices out there!

9. Making Sculptures

Creating sculptures is an engaging activity that can help to occupy you and increase your mental wellbeing. Use your creativity to make either realistic or abstract sculptures from recycled materials, wax, wood, metal, clay, or, well, anything you can think of! Why not see what you find around the house?

10. Making Mandalas

Mandalas are intricate, circular patterns that originated in the East as a spiritual symbol. They may look intimidating to create, but you do not need to be an artist to make your own. Check out some tutorials online and unwind by making some beautiful and creative patterns.

11. Woodworking

If you have some space to do it – either in the garden or in a garage or shed – woodworking is an excellent way to spend the time. You will obviously need to get hold of wood and the right tools and equipment, but if you order online, you shouldn’t have any barriers to starting to make decorative items and even furniture.

12. Furniture Restoration

Got any old pieces of furniture in a basem*nt or garage that have seen better days? Restoration is a great hobby for keeping yourself busy and learning new skills, and one that leaves you with a beautiful addition to your home that doesn’t break the bank.

13. Quilting

14. Embroidery

Another needlework hobby – embroidery is a great hobby to occupy your minds and hands. Some people even take it up when they’re trying to stop smoking. You can create things like cushion covers or accessories, or even jazz up old pieces of clothing. Have a look at some online resources to get you started.

15. Cross Stitch

Cross stitch is a great hobby if you are new to a needle and thread. There are some super simple patterns out there to get you started before you move onto more complicated creations and even your own designs. Cross stitch, along with other sewing-based activities, can also help to improve your manual dexterity.

16. Calligraphy

Create beautiful lettering by learning the art of calligraphy. It’s a skill you can continue to put into use in the years to come when writing greetings cards. It’s relaxing and will give you a sense of satisfaction. Plus, there are plenty of sources online to teach you how to learn.

17. Felting

Felt is a great medium to play with. There are a bunch of different techniques that you can learn, and you can create clothing, toys, accessories, or just pieces of creative art. And, if you want to take it to the next step, you can even make your own felt out of wool. Plenty to keep you busy without having to leave the house!

18. Origami

The world of origami is magical; as you can see you can make anything you like with origami.

The traditional Japanese folk art of paper-folding, or origami, is also said to be somewhat meditative. Origami is where you create a sculpture out by folding paper. A fun place to start is with paper cranes. In traditional Japanese folklore, if you create 1,000 paper cranes, your wish will come true. This is often a challenge that people decide to try for fun, even if they don’t believe the folklore.

19. Typography

Typography is the art of designing typeface – more commonly known as fonts. Fonts help to express different feelings through text. There are different types (pun intended!) and styles of font that you can learn about and then try your hand at designing. You can then use your fonts in other designs, such as e-cards and so on.

20. Paper Making

Making handmade paper is a relaxing hobby that is also beneficial to the environment by using paper that would have otherwise been thrown away or gone through an industrial recycling program. Get creative by giving your papers different hues and shades. You could save them for making greeting cards or wrapping paper in the future. Here are some other ways to craft with paper.

21. Rubber Stamping

Rubber stamping is a nice way to help you to build up your confidence to be creative if you don’t see yourself as particularly artistic. You can use designed stamps and inks to build up bigger pictures with the intricate designs on the stamp. The Hobby Lobby YouTube channel has some good videos on stamping techniques for beginners.

22. Bead Art

You can make lovely artwork from Perler beads – small plastic beads that you arrange into a pattern and iron so it becomes a solid piece. You could make intricate landscape or animal designs, or some cool, retro Nintendo and Space Invaders pieces. This is also a good one if you have kids, although make sure they mind the iron!

23. Jewellery Making

Jewelry making is one of the most versatile hobby ideas on this list. Make friends and family one-of-a-kind jewelry for special occasions.

Making jewelry can be as easy as stringing beads together or as complicated as intricate metalwork, depending on how in-depth you want to get. You can unleash creativity to make your own accessories or gifts for others, or even sell them online on places like Etsy.

Learning the skill of jewelry making will make gift giving a lot easier. Is there anything more special and unique than gifting a loved one their own special and unique piece of jewelry?

There are heaps of online guides and YouTube videos that can teach you in-depth about making jewelry at home and what tools and accessories you might need for the job. Start small so that you don’t get overwhelmed with the complexity of the project you are working on. Once you have the hang of it you can move onto larger and more intricate projects.

24. Illustrating

Illustrating is another engaging hobby that can improve your hand-eye coordination. Create scenes and characters from your favorite novels or radio plays, or draw images for non-fiction books. If you find you have a knack for it, it is something that you could turn into a career later down the line.

Writing Hobbies

25. Songwriting

Writing songs is a good way to express yourself as well as bring you mental health benefits. It will keep you occupied and if you share your songs with others (which is, of course, optional!), you could help to bring them happiness, too.

26. Poetry Writing

Poetry writing is similar to songwriting in that it can help you to express yourself. However, you don’t have to be at all musical to do it! There are lots of different styles of poetry, some of which have set numbers of lines or syllables. Why not experiment with some different forms?

27. Blogging

Blogging is a great way to connect with others and to keep your mind busy if you are not leaving the house. You could either blog about your life, experiences and opinions. Or you could pick a topic of interest and try to entertain or inform others, for example, with a blog about current affairs, the environment, makeup, and so on.

28. Journaling About Your Life

Journaling is a great way to let your feelings out. You can write about your thoughts, things that you’re doing, communications with your friends and family online, or even write about happy times you have enjoyed in the past, which is thought to help improve mood.

29. Creative Writing

If you’ve ever fancied yourself a bit of a writer, or even if you’ve never thought of it before, creative writing is a great hobby to help you to use your imagination and fill your time. You could try short stories or even take on the challenge of writing a novel! Why not share your stories with others as gifts or to make them feel good?

30. Write to a Pen Pal

Sometimes it’s important to have a break from the internet – you could try writing to a pen pal (which will be safer via email at the moment). You might be helping someone else feel a bit less isolated, or to practice their English. There are plenty of sites where you can find yourself a pen pal, such as Global Penfriends.

Online Hobbies

31. Gaming

Whilst playing video games all day every day is probably not the healthiest way to spend your time indoors, gaming has been shown to bring cognitive benefits, for example, improvements to memory, attention, multi-tasking, and problem-solving skills. There is even some evidence that gaming can slow cognitive decline in older people.

32. Make e-cards

Cheers up your friends and loved ones (and yourself) by creating e-cards to send. You can use photos and even music, or create free designs yourself on sites such as Canva. Websites like Office Holidays will tell you who is celebrating what around the world. Your sister might not be expecting a card for Portuguese Freedom Day, but it might put a smile on her face.

33. YouTubing Your Skills

Creating your own YouTube channel is a fun and absorbing hobby that will let you learn new skills and help you use your influence to entertain others or teach them something. You could start a workout channel, makeup channel, or gaming channel. There are loads of free tutorials out there to get you started, and small YouTuber communities all over Facebook and Reddit if you need to ask questions.

34. Podcasting Your Thoughts

Podcasting is another engaging hobby in which you can use your creativity. Planning a series of podcasts – regardless of the topic –is a good way to keep your mind active. You will also learn new things such as how to edit audio and how to promote your podcast to get more listeners.

35. Run a Virtual Event

Plenty of people are getting together over video calling software these days, but why not run an event such as a discussion group, quiz, or book club? It’s really important to maintain social (albeit virtual) contact when you are in isolation, and you may help to provide some structure to your day as well as help others get the contact and stimulation that they need.

36. Volunteer Online

Although many volunteering opportunities have been put on hold whilst people are in isolation, there are still ways that you can help others from the comfort of your computer. Have a web search for ‘volunteering opportunities online’, and you will be surprised by the different tasks you could do for charity.

Indoor Exercise Hobbies

37. Yoga

Yoga is good for the mind and body, and there is no shortage of online yoga classes and videos to get you bending and flexing. To start with, it may be worth finding a teacher to help you over video calling to make sure that you’re doing the poses correctly.

38. Pilates

You can attend pilates classes or work on your moves at home.

Pilates is great for strengthening your core, which is especially important if you are doing more sitting down. Like yoga, it’s important to get the exercises right to begin with so you don’t pick up bad habits, so see if you can find a teacher online to help you.

39. Weightlifting

Building up your strength is a great activity to keep you in good shape if you are not leaving the house. You should build up slowly with your weights so that that you don’t overdo it, and it’s also crucial to make sure you have the right technique so that you can avoid getting injured.

40. Dancing

Ballet, street dance, jazz, belly. Of course, going to a class is always going to be helpful for getting feedback from an instructor, but there’s no reason you can’t learn to dance from home. And, like some of the other forms of exercise above, you may be able to find a teacher online that can guide you.

41. Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a combination of relaxation, deep breathing, and flowing movement. It has been shown to have both physical and mental health benefits. It’s a low-impact workout and can be helpful for people who can’t do more strenuous activity. There are some great Tai Chi YouTube channels that you can check out.

Indoor Learning Hobbies

42. Learning to DJ

There’s never been a better time to be a bedroom DJ! Okay, so you might not be rocking out any clubs any time soon, but DJing is a great way to get you motivated to find new music and be creative with the music that you love. Why not try some free-trial software first to see if you enjoy it?

43. Learning a Language

Learning a language is beneficial in a bunch of different ways. It improves your memory, decision-making, multi-tasking, academic performance, and even your use of your first language! You can also build confidence by using a second language and it gives you the possibility of making friends all over the world.

44. Learning How to Program

Programming is becoming an ever more essential skill and you can give yourself a wider range of opportunities in life if you know how to program. Online schools such as Codecademy give you a solid foundation that you can build on, allowing you to build websites, apps, and more. If you are logical and enjoy solving problems, you might find coding really fun!

45. Learning How to Build Apps

You can either program apps yourself or use an app builder if you have a good idea. Maybe you can use an app to solve problems that other people have, or create apps that help people connect more easily when they are in isolation.

46. Learn How to Repair Household Items

If you’ve always been someone who relied on a handyperson to fix things when they’re broken, or you’ve tended to replace those items with new ones, why not learn how to repair things yourself? You will save money and keep yourself engaging with learning new skills.

47. Playing an Instrument

If you have some time on your hands, learning to play an instrument, such as the guitar,piano, or drums is a great way to spend that time. Playing an instrument uses lots of different areas of your brain. It can improve your hand-eye coordination and memory, and also help to improve your mental health.

48. Making Music on The Computer

If you don’t fancy handling an instrument or you like electronic music, you could make music using software like Ableton, Logic, or Cubase to create music. There are loads of online courses and even free tutorials to get you started.

Other Indoor Hobbies

49. Making Eco-Bricks

Society’s single-use plastic problem is unlikely to have escaped you. You can reduce plastic pollution by making eco-bricks out of old plastic drink bottles and other plastics. These can then be used for various building projects. Make sure you find out the correct method so that your bricks are solid enough to use and don’t get bacterial build-up inside.

50. Cooking

Cooking can be both exciting and relaxing. Experimenting with new recipes and ingredients in the kitchen is a fun way to spend your time and if you find healthy recipes, a good way to look after yourself. It’s also much cheaper to make your own meals from scratch.

51. Baking

If you are able to keep sweet treats in the house and not eat them all at once (not me!) then baking could be a great way to save some money, occupy your mind, and use your creativity. Why not follow some famous bakers on social media to get some inspiration?

52. Singing

Singing has been shown to lower your cortisol levels (that is, your body’s stress hormone) and relax your muscles. It can also be a form of exercise which helps with your posture and sleep, as well as making you feel good. You could try taking some online singing lessons or just finding YouTube videos of your favorite songs. Tip: Type in your favorite song and ‘lyrics’ for your own in-house karaoke!

53. Brew Beer

If you’re a beer fan, a fun way to spend your time at home is learning how to make your own homebrew. You can experiment with different styles of beer and make sure you always have a good stock of your favorite drink. Have a look at some blogs and videos online to teach you how to get started.

54. Candle Making

Candle-making sounds a lot harder than it is. You can make candles in whatever shape or size you want. Candles these days are very different from the candles that were made just 20 years ago, with the help of modern technology, candles have become a luxury of life.

If you want to be really fancy, you can make scented candles that can really change the ambiance of the house. You can make candles at home in just a few easy steps. Here is how to do it:

Sort your working area. Make sure you have a clean and flat surface to work on before you begin.
Weigh the desired amount of wax and melt it.
You may add the fragrance oil of your choice.
Pour the wax into a mold.
Add the wick and secure it in place.

55. Meditating

There are so many types of meditation techniques out there, you can meditate through dance, laughter, and so much more. Meditation takes a bit of time to work on as it is certainly a skill that needs to be developed.

Use background music to help yourself calm down and get in the zone if you like. You might find a guided meditation soundtrack easier to meditate with the first couple of times.

56. Listening to Podcasts

Podcasts are very informative and you will most certainly learn something new every time you listen to one. Other than learning about different subject matters, listening to podcasts rather than watching them forces you to use your imagination. This helps develop new skills and works on your creativity.

Conclusion

Remember, if you need supplies for your hobby, try to order them online and avoid contact with others. You may not have planned to spend so much time at home. But with the right hobbies, you can use your time in isolation as a way of learning something new and doing something that you might not have otherwise tried. For more hobby ideas, check out our 100+ list of hobbies to try this year!

FAQ

Q: What indoor hobbies are there?

A: Take a look at the hobbies listed in this article, they are just a few examples of the hundreds of hobbies you can take part in indoors.

Q: Can I do indoor hobbies at home?

A: Of course you can! Make sure you have all of the equipment that you need and some space for your hobby and you can do almost anything at home. Get your family members involved in your hobbies too by thinking of group activities like treasure hunting.

Q: Are hobbies worth it?

A: Yes, having hobbies is extremely worth it! Taking part in positive activities is great for your mental health and they will have a positive impact on many parts of your life.

Q: Are hobbies expensive?

A: They don’t have to be. You can participate in budget-friendly hobbies.

Q: What activities can adults do for fun?

A: Adults can cook, sew, knit, go to classes, and much much more. If you want some inspiration activity ideas, take a look through our articles.