I’m bored! I have nothing to do! What should I do tonight?
If that sounds like you or your family, you’ve the right place. We’ve put together a whole month’s worth of activities to keep you busy and having fun.
Whether you’re looking for outdoor adventures or quiet time at home, I guarantee you’ll find something fun to do tonight on this creative list.
Table of Contents
Board Game Night
Designate a day of the week or month as board game night and prepare to have a blast. Make some snacks and maybe some cocktails for the adults. The best thing is there’s so many board games to choose from and it’s easy to try something new. The Cards Against Humanity Family Edition has quickly become one of our favorites.
Popcorn and Movie Night
Make a big bowl of popcorn and cuddle up on the couch for a movie or binge watch one of your favorite shows. Family movie night is one of my favorite ways to spend a quiet night with the kids.
Bake Bread
If you’ve never done it before, baking bread at home sounds intimidating. But there are lots of bread recipes that are actually quite simple and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. You can find plenty of bread recipes on Pinterest or Google, but the one I like to make is this one. It comes out delicious every time!
Make Some Extra Money
If you want to make good use of your time, use the night to earn some extra spending cash. You can get paid to watch videos on Swagbucks or take short surveys on Survey Junkie. You won’t get rich, but you can earn enough to pay for some pizza and beer.
You can also take advantage of your spare time by drawing or making some popular designs. Then turn these artworks into customized items, such as soft enamel pins, stickers, etc, with the cooperation of a professional manufacturer.
Selling these items on your social channels or online store is definitely a great way to make the most of your free time and earn extra money. Now it is also very convenient to turn a design into a product, you only need to provide the design drawing, and the rest can be handed over to the manufacturer.
Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile
You never know when you’re going to find yourself looking for a new job, so it’s best to stay prepared and have everything ready just in case. When was the last time you updated your resume to reflect your most recent work history and accomplishments? A few hours of effort on a quiet night could potentially earn you thousands of dollars in the future.
Read A Book
To some people the idea of actually reading a book sounds crazy, even if they have nothing else to do. But reading is known to be a habit that most wealthy and successful people have in common. People who spend their free time reading books learn more than people who waste their time scrolling through their Facebook and Instagram feeds.
Video Game Tournament
I’m not much of a gamer, but my ten year old son sure is. Even my teenage daughters don’t mind playing once in awhile, though my wife is strictly a spectator. Though my son is pretty much guaranteed to win most games, we do enjoy some good laughs.
Make Homemade Pizza
Everyone loves pizza right? Have you ever tried making your own? We usually pick up pre-made pizza dough at the supermarket and the kids enjoy making personal size pizzas with toppings of their choice. But I also found the video below which shows a super easy way to make pizza in a sheet pan. Looks delicious!
Start A DIY Project
When you own a home, there’s always some kind of maintenance or improvement that needs to be done. You’d be surprised how much you can get done in a few hours. Try painting your bedroom a new color or installing a new ceiling fan i the family room. Just be careful not to take on a project that’s too big for you to handle.
Look At Old Photo Albums
Whether they’re all digital or old school photo albums like your parents used to have, looking back at old photos is a great way to relive some of your fondest memories. Doing with the kids is even more fun. “Wow Mom! You were hot!”
Review Your Budget
Take some time to go over your spending and make sure your finances are in good shape. If you don’t know where your money is going, you’re on a dangerous path. Look at your bills and cancel any services or memberships (things like Netflix, Costco, or the gym) you don’t use. If you have credit card debt, set up a budget to make sure you’re paying that debt down.
Go For A Walk
Walking has loads of health benefits such as helping you lose weight and reducing stress. I’ve recently gotten into the habit of taking our beagle for a walk every night and the results have been great. The extra activity has already helped me lose a few pounds and when the family comes along it gives us a good opportunity to connect and talk while getting some fresh air.
Start A Blog
Whether you want to start a blog to make money or just for fun, you can lay the groundwork and get started in no time. Pick a topic that interests you and choose a website name. You can set up a hosting account with Bluehost and have your new blog ready to go in less than an hour.
Visit A Brewery Or Winery
The craft beer revolution is in full swing and there are new breweries opening all over the place. Wineries are also becoming more popular, and there’s no better way to get your drink on that right at the source. Most breweries offer sample of different beers, called a “flight”, for just a few dollars. The best part is you get to try beers that aren’t available anywhere else!
Go To A Museum Or A Zoo
It’s always nice to get a little culture in your life. Do a quick Google search to see what kind of options you have in your area. Many museums are free or only cost a few dollars as a donation. That’s a great frugal bargain since you can kill several hours for just a few bucks.
Hold A Family Dance Challenge
Ok, this one takes a little guts and a willingness to make a fool of yourself. But the kids will absolutely love you for doing this. Just make sure no one is recording you or you’ll never hear the end of it!
Family Wiffle Ball Game
I grew up playing wiffle ball in the driveway with my dad, my older sisters, and their boyfriends. It’s lots of fun and doesn’t require a ton of skill to play. Plus, you can adjust the rules to make sure each team has a fair chance.
Cornhole Tournament
In our group of friends, almost everyone has their own set of cornhole boards. Maybe that’s because there’s a local guy who makes custom boards that look pretty freakin awesome. But you don’t need handmade boards to get a game going. There are plenty of great cornhole boards available on Amazon.
Prep Dinner For Tomorrow
If you have a little extra free time tonight, why not use it to get ahead for tomorrow too? Slice up some vegetables, marinade your meat, or get a slow cooker going overnight and tomorrow’s dinner will be ready to go.
Take An Online Course
Udemy is an amazing resource with online courses covering just about every topic you can imagine. You can learn how to do yoga, how to play piano, or become a master of software like Photoshop or Excel.
Have A Backyard Bonfire
What a great way to spend an evening in the summer or fall. I like to use a fire pit with an extra deep fire bowl like this one available on Amazon. In addition to firewood, I can also burn sticks and brush from the yard. I just love pouring a glass of wine, pulling up a chair and staring into the fire for hours.
Backyard Star Gazing
I’m a huge space geek and I love watching documentaries on the Science Channel. But you know what’s better? Spending a clear night sitting in the backyard and gazing up at the stars. If that sounds fun to you too, check out the Sky View app (the Lite version is free). It’s basically a map of space and when you point it at the sky it tells you which star or planet you’re looking at.
Instant Dad joke: “Hey kids, look! I can see Uranus!”
Go “Camping” Indoors
I’ve done this a few times with my kids and it’s always a big hit. Teenagers may not like the idea of sleeping on the family room floor, but young kids love the adventure of “camping” with the security of sleeping inside.
Reach Out To Someone You Haven’t Talked To Lately
There’s nothing wrong with using a free night to do something for yourself, even if you just watch a movie and go to bed early. But it’s also a great opportunity to connect with someone you haven’t seen in awhile. Whether it’s a call to your mom or FaceTime with an old friend from high school, it’s important to keep relationships going.
Clean Out Your Closet
We all have that one closet we use as a dumping ground. You know the one I mean…the one you toss all sorts of things into just to get them out of sight. After awhile, the closet gets so stuffed you can barely even close the door. Well, now’s the time to get it cleaned up.
Volunteer
There are so many people in need and so many good causes that need people like you and me to help out. Get off your butt and volunteer at a local soup kitchen or pet shelter. You’ll feel a lot better about yourself for helping others instead of eating a whole cheesecake by yourself while watching re-runs of The Golden Girls.
Head To The Playground
Take the kids to your local playground and let the climb on the jungle gym, give them a push on the swings, and toss a ball around. An hour at the playground will make memories to last a lifetime.
Hold A Paper Airplane Race
All you really need to have fun is a few sheets of paper. Everyone has to make their own paper airplane and whoever goes the furthest is the winner. You can hold a whole tournament and whoever wins is the champion and gets bragging rights. Don’t know how to make a paper airplane? The video below has stap-by-step instructions for you to follow.
Learn A Foreign Language
Obviously you can’t learn to speak a new language in just one night. But you can started and take a lesson or two. Start by learning a few useful words or phrases like “Where is the bathroom?” or “Uranus is showing.”
Play Hide And Seek
When I was growing up the whole neighborhood of kids would get together for a game of hide and seek. But you don’t need a dozen kids to have a good time. Even a simple game of hide and seek inside the house with your kids can be a great time. Just remember, it’s a lot harder to find hiding places as a full grown adult!
Get Artsy
I can’t even draw a decent stick figure, so if you’re not into drawing or painting I get it. But there are so many options when it comes to arts and crafts. A quick Google or Pinterest search will give you plenty of project ideas you can complete with materials you already have at home. Personally, I’m saving up bottle caps from various beers so I can do something like this.
The Final Word
I hope by now you realize that no one can ever truly say “I have nothing to do! What should I do tonight?” and come up empty. There is always something fun to do if you get creative. This list is a great start, but we want to hear from you too. Drop a comment below and tell us what you do when you feel like you have nothing to do!