Have you got tired of this Boredom that takes over you now and then, even if you find very little time for yourself and desperately try to find a way out of it? Then worry no more; this is not something usual just for you.
We all get this unwanted boredom strike several a time in weeks and sometimes in days even. And you know what? It is fine to get bored; it provides you with a space to think about yourself and recharge your brain.
The only problematic factor is the frequency of boredom strikes, which develops the procrastination mindset.
To get yourself rid of such repeated boring moments in your life, we have curated 48 intriguing games to play when bored, both indoor, outdoor, and virtual, that can be executed alone and in a group as well.
Best Time Killer Games to Play When Bored
1. Paper Dance
The perfect game for a sleepover with friends or an after-party, the paper dance is super fun! Collect a few old newspapers and place them on the floor as the dance stage for each participant.
The rule is that they must dance on the newspaper, and, lest one of their feet touches the bare ground, they’re out.
Keep folding the paper after each round such that, by the end of the game, the size of the folded paper is as small as can contain only the feet of a participant.
2. Jenga
One of the most popular games to play when you are bored is Jenga. It involves making a tower using wooden tiles to stand firm without support.
Once the tower is set, every player has to take turns removing one block from the lower or middle rows and set it on top.
The catch is that you can use only one hand to do so and, during the process, not cause the tower to topple over.
3. Lego
This was initially not meant for adults. However, due to the massive hype it received as one of the top games to play when one is getting bored, Lego has now been specifically designed for adults.
It consists of building blocks, and you can create maps, ships, towers, spaceships, and other interesting objects. You could cultivate it as a hobby to hone your creative skills in your fast-paced daily routine.
4. UNO
Hands down, UNO is one of the classic games to play. And the best part is, you can take it anywhere, that is, you can play it in your living room or even carry it while traveling so you never get bored even for a minute.
This is a card game where every player gets 7 cards initially. Following the rules, the players have to eliminate the cards that they have with themselves—the one who can shed all the cards first wins.
5. Truth or Dare
Whether chilling out at the beach or having a meet and greet with your closest friends after the longest time, this is a must-play.
A great way to connect with your buddies and family, the truth and dare game never gets old. Use a bottle to rotate or any other object that will rotate at the slightest force to point towards any one player.
Ask them whether they would like to answer a question (only blatant truths!) or perform a daring task. There is no winner or loser in this game, and it’s purely just for fun.
6. Monopoly
Monopoly is one of the strategic games to play when you are bored. It helps develop strategic thinking and critical analysis, so if you have dreams of entrepreneurship, maybe this game is where you should start.
This board game consists of players buying or renting properties (hypothetically), and each player gets turns by throwing dice and landing at different properties that they can either choose to buy or rent.
The one who ends up with the most amount of money and the number of properties is the winner.
7. Never Have I Ever
We bet there aren’t many (or probably any) adults who have not played or, at least, heard of this game. It is one of the most fun games, and we recommend playing it solely with your closest friends.
Every participant can say a sentence describing a situation they’ve never been in. For example, “Never have I ever gotten a speeding ticket.”
The person or persons who have gone through this will drink the liquid poured into the glasses (usually alcohol) of every participant.
8. Two Truths and a Lie
Thinking of tricky games to play when you are bored? Think of two truths and a lie. Every player has to say three sentences about themselves when the turn comes.
Out of these three sentences, two would be true, and one would be false information. The other players have to guess which among the three is the lie, and the one making the right guess gets an extra score!
9. Sticky Face
The Sticky Face has got to be one of the most engaging games to play. There will be a bunch of sticky notes in a bowl on each of which the name of an object will be written.
One of the participants had to stick the sticky note on their forehead (without seeing it). The other person has to see what it is and give clues to the one on the opposite side of what is written.
This way, the person with the “sticky face” has to guess the name of the object written on the note stuck on their forehead. Each player will take turns.
10. Dumb Charades
It’s not a dumb game, as the name may imply; this is one of the most fascinating games to play when bored.
Divide the number of players into two groups, where the members of one group pick a member of the opposite group to say the name of a movie, an activity, or anything else.
The members of the opponent group have to guess what it is by taking hints from their chosen group member who has to enact the scenario. The team with the highest score wins.
11. Ping Pong Beer
Want some exciting and super fun games to play when bored after your wedding ceremony or a weekend party? Try ping pong beer, and before doing so, hoard a few paper glasses and fill them up to half with beer.
Divide the total number of players into two teams. For each turn, one player from one team has to throw a ping pong ball into the glasses placed on the opposite side of the table, where the opponent team is standing.
If they do so successfully, one player from the other team has to drink a glass of beer.
12. Flip the Cup
It would be best to have paper cups for one of the “seemingly” easy games to play when bored.
Every player has to throw a cup upwards and try to flip it in a way that lands the right side up on the table or the ground. They cannot touch the cup once they’ve flung it into the air.
13. Tug of War
It’s not a war, but it’s one of the fun games to play. You can play it at picnics with your kids and have a gala time.
Two teams (each comprising 5-10 players) try to balance a rope with all their might without setting a step in the marked territory of the rival team.
The team that fails to do so falls and loses. Get hold of a sturdy and long jute ropebefore commencing the game.
14. Chess
ess is more than just one of the games to play when bored. It requires concentration, critical analysis, and strategic placement of the chess pieces against a rival.
For science and maths enthusiasts, this is a popular game. It helps improve concentration and analytic capabilities.
15. Memory Word Game
All adults should resort to memory games to play when bored. Play it with your friends or family members not just as a form of entertainment but also to improve your cognitive skills.
Every player says a word, and the next one has to add another after repeating the word said by their predecessor.
This way, the list of words keeps getting longer. When one of the players misses out on one word, they are eliminated.
16. Word Chains
One of the lesser-known word games to play when you are getting bored, this game is more enjoyable when it involves more than two players. The game starts with one player saying a word (any random word).
The next player has to say another word starting with the last letter of the previous word. This way, the game continues until one player cannot find a new word within the set time limit.
You get to learn so many new words this way!
17. Crossword
This puzzle is one of our favorite word games to play when you are bored since childhood. You can play this game all by yourself, making it a perfect game for the ones who live alone.
Grab your thesaurus and dictionary to find new words you need to know to solve the crossword puzzle. Get your friends to join along for more enthusiasm.
18. Scrabble
This word game took over the internet like a raging storm during the pandemic. Of course, why not? Unlike other usual word games to play when bored, you don’t lose in this.
Instead, you keep learning, and your vocabulary expands. Play it on a physical board or virtually, and you will learn just as much.
19. Word Search
In other words, games to play when you are getting bored, you have to develop new words. Well, the Word Search game gives you the flexibility of not having to wrack your brains to play this.
Instead, it involves a structure similar to the crossword puzzle, filled with letters. It would be best to find the words written in a maze-like pattern of letters.
20. Sudoku
Enough with word games, right? Okay, let us move on to games to play when boredthat involve numbers. And yes, you guessed that right. It is Sudoku that we are talking about. And you don’t have to be a maths lover to enjoy this game.
Instead, it would be best to focus on the strategic placements of single-digit numbers in a row or column of 9 without repeating the same number. It sounds easy, but once you try it, you’ll understand why it is a brain development game.
21. Whispers
You may think this is a kid’s game, but in our opinion, it is one of THE MOST engrossing games to play when bored. And especially so when everyone is in the mood for fun, like at a sleepover or an all-nighter.
So, a group of people join to play this game, which begins with one person whispering a sentence to the next.
This continues till the end of the line, and when it ends, the last person in line has to say the sentence. If it matches the original sentence that the first person said, the entire group wins!
22. Tic-Tac-Toe
It is an amusing game of Xs and Os; we all have played this in our childhood. It’s time to revive it again in your adulthood and play when bored.
Only two players can play this game, and whoever succeeds in completing a row of 3 Xs or 3 Os wins. Perfect for playing with your colleague during an office break, this game helps refresh your mind.
23. Dots and Boxes
Rejuvenate your mind with one of the simplest games to play when bored. This board game consists of a blank page where you arrange multiple dots in the same number of rows and columns.
Now, create as many boxes as you can. This game is therapeutic, calms your mind, and soothes your nerves.
24. Chinese Checkers
Loved Geometry as a child? Then you’ll love Chinese Checkers – one of our favorite board games when bored.
It involves 2 to 6 players playing for different colors. The board is star-shaped, with each hand of the star housing 10 pieces (or pins).
Now, you must abide by the rules and regulations and capture the other star’s hand by overcoming obstacles and moving the pins to the opposite side.
25. Rock, Paper, Scissors
This is one of the games to play that can take you back to your school days. Two friends can play the game at a time.
One hand is used to depict a random object out of the three, and the other is used for keeping score.
Scissors defeat paper, and paper defeats rock, which is how you decide who gets a score in each round. The one scoring the highest wins.
26. Tongue Twisters
“She sells sea shells on the seashore.” Repeat this faster. Repeat this as fast as you can. There you have it – one of the most enjoyable games to play. And you don’t even need someone to play with.
All you have to do is come up with a tongue twister either by yourself or by searching it on the internet. Keep repeating it and keep track of how many times you can say it without getting tongue-tied.
The result: You end up laughing and feeling wonderfully relaxed.
27. Brain Teasers
This is one of the games to play when bored that doubles up as a productivity hack. Tricky questions, as found in brain teasers, sharpen your brain and increase its ability and capacity.
So, the next time you find yourself scrolling mindlessly just because you’re bored, try solving some brain teasers. This is a super-efficient way to improve your brain function.
28. Trivia Questions
You could either play it online or with a group of friends in person. Make a set of questions on any topic (personal, quizzical, random – just anything).
Now, ask these questions to your friends and set a timer for it (keep the duration super short, say, like, 5-10 seconds) so they blurt out (mostly funny) answers they can think of within that time.
You could also be on the receiving end of these questions in the next round.
29. Darts
After all, who does not look for games to play when getting bored without having to go out or invite people over? And that is why it is always a good idea to buy a dart board for your living room.
You can play after a long day during the weekends or any other time that you wish to. This game helps improve one’s mental prowess and stabilizes focus. Therapists recommend this game as a stress-buster.
30. Bowling
Whether at a club or at a friend’s house who is an expert at creating stuff from scratch, try your hand at bowling. Involving physical skill, this is one of the games to play when bored with your gang.
If at home, use spare bottles that will end up in the trash and get a ball instead of a bowling pin. This could be a makeshift to play with at home when bored.
31. House of Cards
Who said cards could only be used for playing poker? Try playing the House of Cards – one of the most innovative games to play when bored.
It is a game of balance and precision where you stack up cards in a pattern that resembles a house-like structure.
You do so by placing the cards horizontally first, followed by vertically placing cards one less than the number of cards in the previous row.
You alternate these vertical and horizontal rows, and it ends when the house falls over.
32. Musical Chair
Picnics and outdoor parties are incomplete without a game of musical chairs – one of the most competitive yet friendly games to play when bored. Sounds paradoxical, right? Not really.
The heat and excitement of the game enthrall you as you pass others to sit on the last chair left. But then it’s all about deriving pure joy whether you manage to do so or you lose out and get eliminated.
33. Poker
The building blocks of the house of cards have been used since olden times as part of games to play when bored. Poker is one of the most ancient games that has captivated royals and peasants alike.
The card game can be played in several ways, but nearly every adult is adept at playing the basic version. It involves tactics and, thus, helps sharpen one’s mind.
34. Karaoke
It’s not a game, but it’s a fun play to participate in when bored. It is a lighthearted activity that you and your friends can indulge in when you don’t want to go out or get tipsy.
At the same time, you want to enjoy and feel lively and cheerful. Tune into your favorite music and sing along. Who cares if you’re out of tune or your voice cracks? It’s just for feeling good, isn’t it?
35. Guess What?
Haha, no, you don’t have to guess anything in this listicle of “games to play when bored.” Instead, you can take the time out to play this game of guessing the object or food blindfolded. Yes.
So, in this game, you would be blindfolded while your friend or friends hand you an object or food. You have to guess the item by feeling it with your hand.
You may or may not be allowed to ask questions verbally or taste the food.
36. Pictionary
An interesting combo of pictures and a dictionary – this is one of the most interesting games to play when bored. After all, Sheldon Cooper played it with his friends, remember?
There will be two groups, one group saying a word or event that one member of the rival group has to explain to the co-members of his group.
This is done by drawing pictures on a whiteboard, and verbal hints are not allowed.
37. Bean Chopsticks
Who said you couldn’t have fun with a pair of chopsticks? Try one of the innovative games to play when bored – the Bean Chopsticks. Gather a few pebbles in a bowl and keep an empty bowl beside it.
Use chopsticks to transfer the pebbles from one bowl to another. You could play it with someone else, and the one able to transfer all the pebbles in the least time wins.
Or, you could play it single and count the number of pebbles you could transfer in a stipulated time frame.
38. Temple Run
One of the virtual treasure hunt games to play – the temple run game has amassed a record number of fans within a short time.
It cultivates your motor skills and keeps you entertained when you are bored or have a brain fag. You could compete with your friends by comparing scores and always with yourself by achieving a greater score than before.
39. Candy Crush
This game has taken the population’s love for candies to a new level. It is one of the most engrossing games to play when bored, and people of all ages love this game.
The bright colors look fun, and the process of elimination feels even more fun. The candy matching game is undoubtedly popular, and the ones who play it know exactly why.
40. Ludo
There are four groups (or houses) represented by four colors, namely, green, red, blue, and yellow. Involving four players, one for each group, the game involves four pieces of the same color.
The players take turns throwing the dice and take each piece of their house color to a designated “home.” The player who brings all the pieces of their color to the home wins.
41. Snakes and Ladders
This is one of the most enthralling board games to play when bored. As the name suggests, there are snakes and ladders, and when your counter lands on a ladder, you reach a higher number.
When it lands on a snake’s fangs on the board, you go lower along the number board, marked from 0 to 100. The players move their counters according to the number indicated by a dice throw—the one whose counter reaches 100 first wins the game.
42. Try Not to Laugh
In this list of games to play when you are getting bored, this is one of the quirkiest games. Your friend has to tell a joke, and you have to try NOT to laugh.
This process alternates with one friend telling a joke in one round and trying not to laugh in the next. The one who ends up laughing loses the game. You can play it with one person or friends or family.
43. Play Dough
If you are looking forward to relaxing games to play when bored, try the play dough. Despite what you have been told, this is not just a game for kids.
Rather, therapists nowadays recommend this game as an effective stress-buster. Mold the dough into characters of your choice.
Who knows, maybe even you will be surprised by your skill level at this creative game. Try it and feel the stress making its way out of your body.
44. Treasure Hunt
We all want to go back to our childhood days, right? If you are one among them, you’ve got to meet up with your homies to play one of the most exciting games to play when bored.
Make up a story or play Dungeons and Dragons for treasure hunting (theoretically). The amount of dopamine your brain releases during the game is sure to elevate your mood and reduce your fatigue.
45. Pokemon Go
Contrary to other virtual games to play when bored, this game encourages its players to go outside. It promotes physical activity and, hence, is one of the most popular games for adults and kids alike.
You will be given a location for collecting a (virtual) Pokemon, which will help increase your scores. But unlike other games that you play online, you have to go to the live location physically.
46. Jigsaw Puzzle
One of the mental games to play when bored involves pictures instead of numbers. We all played jigsaw puzzles as kids. But as adults, you can derive as much pleasure by playing it just by increasing the difficulty level.
This can be done by adding complexity to the puzzle, for example, by making a larger-sized jigsaw puzzle or by increasing the number of pieces in the puzzle.
Jigsaw puzzles for adults are available that come in mini pieces and help improve problem-solving skills.
47. Pacman
Recorded as one of the most-played arcade games when bored, Pacman suits all ages. Most importantly, it will never go out of style. Unlike other online games that mess with the brain, Pacman has multiple benefits.
It helps boost concentration, speeds up decision-making, and teaches the importance of independence. It has been scientifically proven to reduce the risk and speed of cognitive decline. Hence, it is great for adults.
48. Bingo
Bingo is a simple game that you can play, especially when you don’t want to overwork your brain but relax. It consists of a group of situations (very much like the “Never Have I Ever”).
All you have to do is circle or tick the situations you have faced yourself. It is like a checkbox of your goals (travel goals, personal goals, reliving school memories, etc.).
You could even create a Bingo sheet by yourself and tag your friends on social media, asking them to fill up the blank template and post them.
No winning or losing, this game is far from competitive and helps you relive your happy (sad and embarrassing) memories.
Conclusion
With this, we conclude the list of comprehensive details on how to get rid of your boredom strikes. These games are good to go with in all circumstances based on the situation you are currently in.
However, there is some essential advice: if you are a victim of repeated boredom strikes, you can use that time to regain your focus and get your concentration in the best possible manner to practice things that help in some way or the other or anything that is associated with your passion.
However, make sure that while enjoying the list of these games to play when bored, you keep a tab on the timing so that you don’t go on to waste your time, which is common practice as well.
This is it from us! Do let us know how you feel about this list, and please drop in your ideas about what you do to eliminate the boredom.
