There are so many things you can do while stuck at home, but how many of them count as being productive? Giving yourself a manicure, catching up on your latest Netflix binge, and kicking butt in Minecraft do not count. Here are a few fun things to do when bored at home that are also educational!

1. Write a Short Story

You may be amazed at how fun it is to write a story when you get to choose the genre and cast of characters. You no longer have to wait for your English teacher to assign you the task of writing a modern sci-fi adventure starring yourself as the lead protagonist. You can write it now! You may be surprised how the outline and structure you’ve learned during class comes to life. The struggle of finding your introduction, conflict, and resolution may come naturally. This activity will come in handy when you’re thinking about what to do when you’re bored at home alone.

2. Take an Online Driver’s Ed Course

You can learn to drive while you are bored at home! In some states, you do not have to sit in a classroom to get credit for taking a driver’s ed course. For California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, and Nevada, you can take driver’s ed online! You can log off and on as often as you like and complete the course at your own pace. For FL, IN, and KY, where the state time requirement is only 4 hours, you can even finish the course in one sitting if you like! You’ll be one step closer to having your driver’s license in a matter of days or hours!

3. Play Scrabble

This game has been around since 1933 and is still a favorite board game among teens and families! For almost a century the game has created competition of the wits across the globe. Try tallying how many words you and your competitor challenged each other to look up per game and see how many words you learned each day! Was it more than you did in English class? For those of you who are competitor-less, try playing against yourself! Give “Player 2” an evil name like “Corona,” or that of your ex. No cheating necessary.

4. Bake Something from Scratch

Cooking is one of the most educational yet fun things to do when bored! Going to school, studying, and football practice may have stopped you in the past from developing your culinary skills. Now you can unleash them! Once you learn the basics, you’ll be surprised what you can do. Oh, and you may have heard that the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but did you know the same rings true for women? Girls of all ages find it endearing when their date cooks for them. Learning a new recipe is one of the best things to do when bored for guys and girls! It is the perfect time to learn how to measure, baste, blanch, and create a dish you’ll love to share with friends and family… and a few that you’ll save for that special someone.

5. Learn a New Language

Learning a new language has been on the list of top teen activities for years. For those who are already studying a different language in school, you can step away from the conjugation overload and focus on knowing where to place the accent and roll the “R.” You can also enjoy getting ahead of the lesson plan so when you go back to school, you’ll sound like a native speaker. For those who did not pick a language as an elective, you can start off casually by learning how to say a few words and your favorite phrases in a different language. There are also many online tools and apps that can assist you as well, such as Duolingo or Spanishdict.

6. Take a FREE DMV Practice Test

If driving a car down a long, windy road towards the beach comes to mind as one of the things to do when bored, but you do not have your driver’s license yet, then taking a free DMV practice test can make it happen! You’ll have unlimited access to quiz yourself until you know the DMV Driver’s handbook like the back of your hand. You’ll probably discover that most of the rules of the road are common sense, but you’ll definitely learn some new defensive driving skills and techniques that will keep you safe and become a better driver.
See how distracted driving affects your driving with this driving simulation video game.

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