[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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- Single-player games: a roundup of time-killing games
- Get Caught? Or Not!? Simple Ways to Kill Time During Class
- 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.
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!
Traditional playground games techniques
Kendama and spinning tops may seem difficult at first, but when you keep trying and finally succeed, you’ll feel a real sense of “I did it!” As you practice, you steadily develop fine finger movements, body balance, and hand-eye timing—that’s a key benefit.
Focusing while you play also nurtures perseverance and a never-give-up attitude.
If you practice and show off your tricks with friends or family, their “That’s awesome!” will give you courage and confidence.
These toys help both mind and body grow while having fun, so give them 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?