[Solo Time] A roundup of ways to kill time without using your smartphone
You can do just about anything with a smartphone these days—keeping in touch with people, surfing the web, watching videos, even working.
But every now and then, you might find yourself wondering about this lifestyle of relying on your phone for everything.
In this article, we’ve put together some boredom-busting ideas to support your intention to “put your phone down and try something different” as a little change of pace.
It’s not quite a full-on digital detox, but you might be surprised at how refreshing it feels once you give it a try.
Start with a small try!
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- Recommended ways to kill time that you can do alone at home
- [For Middle School Students] Recommended Ways to Spend Your Free Time
- [For 2 Players] Easy Pen-and-Paper Time-Killing Game
- A collection of personality quizzes perfect for killing time
- [Starting Today!] Recommended Ways to Kill Time on Sleepless Nights
- [Fun For Solo Adults] How to Enjoy Your Time at Home
- Recommended games for two people that you can enjoy without any equipment
- [Killing Time] A Roundup of Fun Without Spending Money [Saving Money]
- [For Adults] Make the Most of Your Free Time! Ideas to Kill Time
- Perfect for killing time! Games you can play with two people.
[Me Time] Offline ways to kill time without a smartphone (21–30)
home vegetable garden
With a balcony, anyone can get in touch with plants—that’s what a “balcony garden” is.
Even if a full-fledged home garden feels like a high hurdle, a small space with planters lets you grow vegetables and fruit, so it’s highly recommended! If you’re tired of being on your smartphone, getting your hands in the soil can be refreshing, too.
Growing veggies and fruit may not be easy, but trial and error is part of the charm of home gardening! Imagine harvesting and cooking vegetables you grew yourself, and give it a try.
Meditation
When you hear the word “meditation,” you might picture something spiritual, but it’s actually perfect for solo time because you can do it in just a few minutes.
In today’s world, where smartphones and social media flood us with information, intentionally cutting off all input to calm the mind can be crucial for mental stability.
It also helps release the stress that easily builds up in modern life and boosts self-esteem, making it ideal for anyone worn out from work or relationships.
Keeping your mind quiet and centered is important in any situation, so if you have a moment alone before meeting someone—whether for work or in your personal life—give it a try.
Aquabeads
Aquabeads are easy and fun: just place the small beads on a tray and stick them together with water.
Kids can focus on their own, creating all kinds of shapes and colors at their own pace.
Using their fingertips improves fine motor skills, and thinking about what design to make really expands their imagination.
Plus, there’s no glue or ironing, so cleanup is quick and easy! It’s also great because kids can feel a sense of accomplishment by completing projects on their own.
Once they get used to it, they can even make 3D creations—give it a try!
Make and Play! Solo Balloon Volleyball
Balloon Volleyball is a game kids can play on their own using a balloon and a rubber band.
It’s fun indoors not only for elementary schoolers but also for younger children.
For example, by connecting balloons with a rubber band, kids can tap or return incoming balloons gently, which helps them control their strength and play safely.
Watching the balloon float softly and chasing it slowly also naturally nurtures focus and a sense of timing.
You can even try kicking it like in soccer—simple tweaks make it a game you can enjoy over and over.
It’s perfect for indoor play, so give it a try!
New block play
Here’s a new way to play: use a construction toy as the base and run a Plarail track underneath like a bridge! It feels like an idea you could have thought of, yet somehow hadn’t.
Construction toys also help nurture children’s thinking skills.
How can we make it taller? Will it collapse? As kids stack blocks while pondering these questions, they start inventing ways to make it sturdier.
Another great point for indoor play is how absorbing it can be—when they’re focused, they can forget the time.
After fixing and rebuilding it over and over, finally completing it with a triumphant “We did it!” brings a huge sense of accomplishment.
If you’ve got these toys at home, give it a try!
Pocket Coloring Book
Pocket Coloring: print your favorite drawings on small sheets of paper and take them anywhere.
Kids can easily enjoy them while out and about or during wait times, like on the train.
Coloring with their fingertips helps develop fine motor skills and pencil control, which leads to better handwriting.
Choosing colors nurtures imagination and a sense of color, and the sense of accomplishment when they finish builds confidence and self-esteem.
Prepare a variety of illustrations kids love, and keep them together with colored pencils in a pouch so they’re easy to carry.
As children naturally build the habit of focusing, both kids and adults can enjoy coloring together!
Build a full-fledged plastic model
@kisk_cr My 7-year-old son's creative process. It's a video a little over a minute long, and I'd be happy if you could watch the quiet scene of him making things.#CapCutLife with childrenPlastic modelAirplane#7years
♬ soft background music with piano string bells(1283463) – earbrojp
Plastic models are growing in popularity across all ages.
Building detailed kits like airplanes by yourself is especially recommended for elementary school children, as it helps develop dexterity.
Carefully examining the parts and assembling them fosters concentration and thinking skills, and the process of asking “How can I make this work well?” builds problem-solving abilities.
Seeing the finished model and thinking “I made this!” gives a strong sense of pride and boosts confidence.
Kids can also enjoy choosing colors and stickers and adding their own personal touches.
How about making a favorite plastic model as an indoor activity?
Let’s try cat’s cradle!
Cat’s cradle is a game you can enjoy anywhere with just one string! It’s great for kids to play indoors, and you can make various shapes even by yourself.
It might look difficult at first, but with practice you’ll get the hang of it.
Start with easier ones like “Easy Rubber,” then try “Broom” and “Star,” and once you’re used to it, you can even make the advanced “Ladder.” Moving your hands also helps your brain work well.
It’s fun to use the string to come up with and create your own original shapes, too.
You’ll lose track of time playing, so give it a try!
Let’s try making a tangram
Here’s an idea for making a handmade tangram, a puzzle that’s popular with children.
There are many store-bought options, but you can make one yourself if you have construction paper.
Creating it on your own also leads to discoveries about numbers.
Tangrams let you freely choose colors and shapes while having fun, and they nurture creativity and spatial awareness.
As kids cut out the pieces and arrange them, they naturally develop fine motor skills and concentration.
Completing a figure or making an original design gives them a sense of accomplishment and boosts their confidence.
A handmade tangram isn’t just a toy—it becomes a warm, enriching experience that supports children’s intellectual and emotional growth.
Trump Tower
A heart-pounding, nerve‑racking card tower where you carefully stack playing cards.
It’s great fun with a crowd using rules like “whoever knocks it down loses,” but you can also enjoy it solo with quiet tension.
Because you can focus entirely on your own world, it naturally nurtures concentration and dexterity.
Even if it collapses, if you don’t give up and try again, you’ll experience the joy of success—“I did it!” The more you find your own tricks and stack it higher, the more fun it becomes.
You can take it slow at your own pace, build confidence, and it’s a perfect recommendation for solo indoor play.