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Paperback · Books & Puzzles
Full-color activity book

Bored? Start Here: 100 Things to Do When You’re Bored at Home

One hundred things to do at home, on your own, with what's already there: quick challenges, card games, puzzles, small skills and a few surprises. Open any page and you can start in minutes.

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A person on a couch by a rainy window reading Bored? Start Here, open to the Quick Starts pages.

Take a look inside

These are real pages from the book. Every activity gets its own full-color page, with the time and what you need at the top. Choose a page, then tap it to see it full size.

Two real pages from the Quick Starts section: activity #001, Go on a Color Hunt, and #002, Play the Last-Letter Sprint.
Quick Starts, #001 and #002: ten minutes or less, with the rules, an extra round and a space for your result.
Format
Paperback, 110 pages
Page size
7 x 10 inches, full color throughout
Inside
100 activities in six sections
Time
Ten minutes to a whole evening
Answers
At the back, on pages 107 and 108
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Six ways in, one for every mood

You do not have to read it in order. Pick the section that matches your mood, or the time you have, and start one thing. Here is a small taste of each.

  1. Quick Starts

    #001–017

    Ten minutes or less. Start now.

    • Go on a color hunt
    • Play the last-letter sprint

  2. Make Something

    #018–034

    Photos, stories, scenes and small builds.

    • Shoot a forced-perspective photo
    • Open a tiny museum of your stuff

  3. Move & Groove

    #035–050

    Movement, rhythm, sound and a few physical challenges.

    • Cross the room without touching the floor
    • Hold a one-person karaoke set

  4. Play

    #051–068

    Card games, puzzles, strategy and small skills.

    • Solve the case of the last slice
    • Roll a coin across your knuckles

  5. Enjoy It Now

    #069–085

    Good food, drinks, music, stories and screens, done properly.

    • Make a café drink at home
    • Walk a far-off city on Street View

  6. Surprise Me

    #086–100

    Let chance, a rule or a random page choose for you.

    • Play Boredom Bingo
    • Roll the make-move-play machine

Every page tells you how to start

Each activity opens with how long it takes and what you need, so you know before you begin. Then come the rules, an extra round for when you want more, a space for your result and a Done box to check off.

  • Pick by timeAn index sorts all 100 by ten minutes, half an hour or a whole evening.
  • Pick by what you haveAnother sorts them by what's within reach: nothing, paper, cards, coins or the kitchen.
  • Keep scoreRate each one, then record your best results on the personal bests page.
Quick challenge · #001

Go on a color hunt

5–10 min

One color. Five finds. A new way to see the room.

What you need Nothing
The rules
  1. Look around and choose a color you can see from where you sit.
  2. Find five things in that color without opening a drawer or cupboard.
  3. Line them up from palest to deepest, or fit all five into one photo.
  4. The hardest one to find usually ends up being the best.
Extra round Pick a color you're sure you don't own, then prove yourself wrong.
DONE Would you try it again?
Activity #001, as it appears in the book: every page follows the same simple pattern.

Can't choose? Let the book pick

Surprise Me is a whole section of the book, with dice, coins and random pages deciding what you do next. Try a small version here: each pick is a real activity from inside.

Make Something · #023 15 min

Shoot a forced-perspective photo

Line it up just right and a mug becomes a mountain.

What you need: Phone camera and two objects of different sizes

Bored? Start Here open to Boredom Bingo on a wooden table, a hand ticking a square in pencil, with a deck of cards, coins, a paper plane and a coffee nearby.

Start with what's already at home

No page needs a shopping trip. The book sorts every activity by what it uses, so you can start with whatever is within reach.

Nothing at all
8 activities
Paper and a pen
20 activities
A few coins
7 activities
The kitchen
6 activities

The rest of the list is in the book, so you can find something to do with whatever is within reach.

Who will love it

Anyone home with nothing planned

Open any page and you are minutes from something to do. Every activity works on your own, with no group, setup or planning.

People who want a break from scrolling

Card games, puzzles, small skills and things to make. Most need only paper, a pencil or whatever is in the room around you.

Gift shoppers

A cheerful, full-color gift for a friend, partner or student with quiet time ahead, and one they can use the same day.

Looking for a few ideas to try right now? Read our free guide, 30 Fun Things to Do When You’re Bored at Home.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the book for?

Anyone at home with time to fill and no plan for it. Every activity works on your own, so you do not need a partner, a group or any setup. It suits a quiet evening, a rainy afternoon or any day that runs out of ideas.

Do I need to buy anything to use it?

No. No page needs a shopping trip. Many activities need nothing at all, or just paper and a pen. Others use things most homes already have, like a deck of cards, a few coins, the kitchen or your music. If a page asks for something you don't have, swap in something similar.

How long does each activity take?

Each page shows its time at the top. 45 of the 100 take ten minutes or less, 51 take about 15 to 30 minutes, and 4 are worth an hour, an evening or a few days. An index at the front sorts every activity by time, so you can choose by the time you have.

Are the answers included?

Yes. The riddles, codes and logic puzzles have their answers at the back of the book, on pages 107 and 108.

Can I write in it?

Yes, it is made to be written in. Pages have space for your result, a Done box and a "Would you try it again?" rating, and a personal bests page keeps your top scores.

What size is the book?

It is a 110-page paperback, 7 x 10 inches, with full-color pages throughout.

Where can I buy it?

It is sold on Amazon. Use any "View the book on Amazon" button on this page to see the current price and delivery options.

Bored? Start Here tied with a coral ribbon on a wooden table, beside a mug of hot chocolate, a deck of cards and a blank gift tag.

A gift for anyone who says “I’m bored”

For a friend with a free weekend, a student home for the holidays, or anyone who finishes a busy week and does not know what to do with the quiet. Every page is something they can start the same day, with what's already at home.

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