How to Entertain Yourself Without Objects

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff | 14 References

Updated: September 5, 2019

Explore this Article Entertaining Yourself With a Friend Entertaining Yourself in Public Entertaining Yourself While Moving Around Article Summary Questions & Answers Related Articles

There’s nothing worse than realizing you have a lot of time to kill and nothing to use to distract yourself. Luckily for you, there are many ways to entertain yourself without objects. You just have to be creative and willing to try a few new tricks.

Part 1
Entertaining Yourself With a Friend

  1. 1
    Play “Would You Rather.” Give your friend two options and ask them which option they’d prefer. For example: Would you rather give up food or give up sleep? For maximum fun, make the choices outlandish or silly.
  2. 2
    Play a game of “Telephone.” Everyone sits in a line or circle and the person on the end whispers a sentence to the person sitting next to them. That person then passes on the message until it travels all the way down the line. The last person says what they heard aloud and the person who started the message reveals what was actually said.[1]
    • For this game to work, you’ll need no less than five people.
  3. 3
    Sing a song. Start singing a popular song and have your friends join in. If you know several songs by the same artist, perform a medley of their music. Have people try to sing the harmonies and trade the melodies off between singers.
    • If you’re feeling really inspired, choreograph a dance to match. Practice the dance and see if there’s somewhere you can perform it, like a talent show or in front of your classmates.
    • You can also improvise a song. To do this, just start singing any made up melody that comes to your head. Have your friends improvise harmonies to go along with your melody. The trick to improvisational music is not to judge yourself.[2]
  4. 4
    Have a staring contest. Sit across from your friend. Pick a comfortable position that you can remain in for a while. Stare into each other’s eyes without blinking or looking away. Whoever blinks, looks away or laughs first loses.
    • You are allowed to make funny faces at your partner in order to try to break them. Be careful that you don’t accidentally make yourself laugh instead.
  5. 5
    Style your friend’s hair. If your friend has long hair, play with it. Braid it or put it up in a ponytail. Experiment with different styles or looks. Having your hair played with is extremely relaxing for most people and is a great way to bond and pass the time.[3]
  6. 6
    Play a hand clapping game. There are many games that only require four hands and some concentration. Ninja Slaps is a great example of this. To play Ninja Slaps, position your hands on top of your friend’s hands, palms facing down. While making eye contact, wait for your friend to try to hit your hands, and when that happens, try to pull them away before contact is made. If your friend hits your hands, switch positions. If not, your friend will try again.
    • Be careful not to hit the hands too hard as this can cause soreness and redness.

Part 2
Entertaining Yourself in Public

  1. 1
    Make a mental to-do list. To-do lists are great because they help keep you organized and allow you to prioritize.[4] In your mind, make a list of everything you need to do that day and figure out in what order you want to complete the tasks.
    • When creating a to-do list, prioritize quality over quantity. Don’t just add something to your list because it’s easy to cross off.[5]
  2. 2
    See how long you can hold your breath. Being able to hold your breath for long periods of time is beneficial for certain sports, like swimming or surfing.[6] It’s also a great way to keep yourself occupied when you have nothing else to do. Try looking at the clock and timing yourself to see how long you can currently hold your breath. Keep practicing and see if you are able to increase that amount over time.
    • Be mindful that holding your breath for too long can lead to health risks, including fatal blackouts.[7]
  3. 3
    Use your imagination. Whatever your fantasy is, live it out in your brain for a few minutes. Imagination is important because it helps you reignite your passions and stimulates your creativity.[8] Let your mind drift off wherever it wants to go. Chances are, you’ll go somewhere fun and the time will pass quickly.
    • If you’re fantasizing while in class, make an effort to at least look like you’re paying attention.
  4. 4
    Reflect on a good memory. Think about a fun trip you took recently or a cool party you went to. Remember all the things that made the experience positive and try to recreate them in your brain. Play a mental slideshow of all the memories you have from those experiences. The walk down memory lane will keep your mind occupied and will help you remember a happier time.
  5. 5
    Take a nap. Time flies when sleeping. Napping for just 20 minutes can help refresh the mind, improve overall alertness, boost mood and increase productivity.[9]

Part 3
Entertaining Yourself While Moving Around

  1. 1
    Exercise. Lots of exercises can be done without equipment, using only your body weight. If you’re bored, exercising can be a great way to not only exhaust your body, but also to stimulate your brain.[10] Try doing one of the following exercises that require no objects:
    • Pushups
    • Sit ups
    • Jumping Jacks
    • Lunges
    • Squats
  2. 2
    Stretch your body. Stretching is not only good for your flexibility, it also helps your memory and mood.[11] For stretches that will keep you loose and entertained, try touching your toes or extending your arms overhead for a full body stretch.[12]
    • For maximum stretch benefits, try stretching at least once a day.[13]
  3. 3
    Give yourself a hand massage. Between your phone keyboard and your computer keyboard, your hands get quite the workout. To relax them, rub your fingers across the heel of your hand in a circular motion.[14] Also try rubbing the muscle between your forefinger and your thumb.

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • Question
    What can I do when waiting in line?
    Community Answer
    Talk to friends or think. Imagination is your best hope. You can even make up your own video game and play it in your head.
  • Question
    Are there any tips for someone who's going on an 18 hour trip?
    Community Answer
    In a car, bus, or train, look out the window and try to spot certain things such as 32 street poles or certain types of birds or animals. You could also try counting the cars or counting types of cars, shapes, colors, etc. Or just nap. In an airplane, nap, draw, color, eat, watch other people, or just look out the window. If you're on a boat, feel the ocean air and take in your surroundings.
  • Question
    I am attending an event for two hours and I am not allowed to bring anything. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    You could think of making a phrase no one else has ever thought of before, or try to see if you have a mole or a little red dot you've never seen before. Count how many people in the room have watches, and if they have short or long hair. Try to read everything on the walls and count everything in the room. Try to remember all of the lyrics to really long songs and sing them in your head. Make a mental to-do list of what you want to do over the next week, month, year, etc.
  • Question
    What happens if I am on a really long plane trip and do everything on list over again and get really bored?
    Community Answer
    You could try sleeping or talk to someone, draw, count how many teeth you have, imagine all the clothes you own, read a book or more. The possibilities are endless.
  • Question
    How do I keep myself entertained in school?
    Community Answer
    Learning how to enjoy certain classes (or, at least, parts of them) is the best way, because you can both learn what you need to and be entertained. The purpose of school isn't entertainment, though: it's education. Look up silly videos on your phone during breaks or at lunch, if you like.
  • Question
    How do I entertain myself at a family event where I will be the only child?
    Community Answer
    Talk to your family, take a walk, play with a pet, explore the event location, or just sit down and daydream.
  • Question
    How can I entertain myself in a hot room without WiFi?
    Community Answer
    You could go for a walk, read a book, or take a long, cool shower.
Unanswered Questions
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    • When it comes to entertaining yourself without objects, the sky is the limit. Your imagination is your best friend, so rely on it heavily to come up with ways to pass the time.


    • Avoid entertaining yourself in class whenever possible. Too much time spent not listening to your teacher will have a marked effect on your grades and academic successes.

    Article SummaryX

    To entertain yourself without objects, try singing a song or choreographing a dance. Or, you could experiment with different hairstyles, like braids or a ponytail. Alternatively, you can give yourself a hand massage or do some full-body stretches so you feel more relaxed. You could even see how long you can hold your breath for and try to beat your best time. To learn how to entertain yourself with a friend when you're both bored, read on!

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    Article Info


    Categories: Fun Activities

    In other languages:

    Español: entretenerte sin cosas, Italiano: Divertirti Senza Nessun Oggetto, Русский: развлечь себя, не используя посторонние предметы, Português: Se Distrair Sem Objetos

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