Maybe it goes back to the idea that we all want what we can’t have, but it seems like on the afternoons when there’s a torrential downpour, that’s when I desperately want to spend the afternoon at the park, or the beach, or simply walk around the block in circles, causing my neighbors to question my sanity.

For those days when I’m blanking on what to do instead (and I can’t stand the idea of spending the whole afternoon binge-watching TV), I’m going to turn to this list of things to do on a rainy day. But honestly, they’re just as useful on a sunny day, when you feel out of sorts, ramshackled by ennui…just plain bored.

60 Things to Do on a Rainy Day

1. Check out a local stand-up routine at a nearby comedy club.
2. Bust out a journal and answer these 22 questions to ask yourself before you die.
3. Visit a thrift store with the goal of finding one item for $5 or less that you can reinvent or repurpose, like painting and adding a new shade to a tired old lamp, or turning a shirt into a tote bag.
4. Play one of these awesome board games.
5. Create a board game. (Here’s a quick guide, or you can even order a kit on Amazon, if you’re willing to wait for delivery.)
6. Make your own candles.
7. Plan a scavenger hunt at a mall.
8. Want to stay at home? Host a Zoom scavenger hunt with friends instead.
9. Bust out the sketchbook or watercolors and paint something.
10. Take a YouTube yoga class.
11. Give yourself a manicure/pedicure.
12. Visit the aquarium.
13. Go to the library. Read a book based on a stranger’s recommendation.
14. Scour GoodReads for your next book to buy. Check it out at a bookstore to see if it’s truly a good fit.
15. Make this snack mix and watch a comfort movie, like Barbie.
16. Visit a coffee shop you’ve never been to before.
17. Entertaining bored kids? Bust out any craft supplies you have, let them create their own costumes or cardboard box floats, and host an indoor parade.
18. Download the most popular free app and test it out. Leave a review.
19. Bake your favorite cookies.
20. Solve a Rubik’s cube.
21. Learn a magic trick.
22. Test out an adult coloring book.
23. Play dots or hangman with a friend.
24. DM or text 3 people you haven’t talked to in at least 3 months. Not sure what to say? Try any of these 20 questions to kickstart conversation.
25. See how long you can hold a plank position. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t last as long as the Guinness World Record holder…because 4.5 hours sounds torturous, if you ask me.
26. Try a slow cooker meal (and make your home smell great in the process).
27. Make your own rock candy.
28. Organize your closet by color and sleeve length (Marie Kondo would be proud).
29. Try your hand at no-churn ice cream.
30. Put fresh-cut daisies in water with food coloring, and watch the flowers slowly absorb the color. People will pretty much think you’re a wizard.
31. Review your Pinterest boards. Commit to actually making one of those pins.
32. Declare a thumb war against someone.
33. Stretch your brain with a crossword puzzle. Or five.
34. Look at your recently called list and call the seventh person listed, just to catch up.
35. Learn how to create a fishtail braid.
36. Check out some of the Backyard Scientist‘s latest experiments.
37. Sneak in a Pound workout. Even if you think you have no rhythm, you’ll be surprised at how much fun you have—and how surprisingly coordinated you are—with this cardio drumming session.
38. Find 5 things in your home you can donate to Goodwill or another organization.
39. Check out Meetup for any groups that celebrate something you geek out over. Commit to going to one meeting.
40. Watch one episode or movie that Netflix recommends for you. (How well does that algorithm know you, anyway?)
41. Paint your own pottery.
42. See how many M&Ms you can toss in the air and catch in your mouth in a row.
43. Watch a local play.
44. Try an unexpected twist on a classic, like putting bread flour in brownies or spiced rum in cookies.
45. Find the nearest place playing live music. Go there, just for a drink or dessert, and take in a few songs.
46. Play laser tag. You are never too old for laser tag.
47. Bring the restaurant experience to your home with a copycat recipe, like Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
48. Write a joke. See if your delivery can make someone laugh. (Or at least smirk.)
49. Put on a face mask and listen to this 10-minute sound bath; it’s like a massage for your brain.
50. Fold an origami dinosaur.
51. Watch the Eras tour and make a Swift-inspired bracelet.
52. Search for an indoor ice or rollerskating rink and do a few laps.
53. Go indoor rock climbing.
54. Attempt to arm-knit a blanket.
55. Do indoor putt-putt at one of those glow golf places (often found in the hollowed-out carcass of a former Books-A-Million or Blockbuster).
56. Visit an escape room.
57. Try your skills at an axe-throwing bar.
58. If there’s no thunder/lightning, throw on some rain boots (or flip flops, depending on the temperature) and stomp in puddles. I don’t care how old you are; a walk in the rain can be strangely liberating. Not to mention refreshing.
59. Buy a cheap ukulele from Five Below, Target or (if you’re willing to wait) Amazon, and commit to learning one song.
60. Attempt to draw a caricature of your favorite celebrity. Or take turns with a friend or family member drawing each other.

Note: This article originally ran in April 2016. It has since been updated and expanded to offer new ideas and ensure the links all worked.

Lead Photo: Candace Braun Davison