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What manual activity to do when you're bored? Our 20 ideas!
Mis à jour le✨ Summary
Want to keep yourself busy, alone or with others? This guide brings together 20 ideas for simple, creative, and accessible craft activities:
- Embroider a garment
- Create polymer clay jewelry
- Make a dreamcatcher
- Painting pebbles
- Pour painting on figurines
- Organize a beading workshop with your children
- Create a herbarium as a family
- Create a souvenir photo book
- Try diamond painting
- Coloring mandalas
- Make origami bookmarks
- Braiding Brazilian Bracelets
- Sew washable makeup remover wipes
- Knit a scarf
- Making a tawashi
- Create fabric baskets
- Make your cookie cutters
- Make your own chocolates
- Create labels for jars
- Make Mosaic Coasters
💡 Many of these ideas are available as ready-made kits on JOY!.
Boredom has a bad reputation, yet it's a fantastic source of creativity! Rather than suffering through it, why not take advantage of it to spark your imagination with a craft activity? From customization to decorating to gourmet hobbies... there's something for every taste and skill level.
Ready to say goodbye to boredom? Discover our 20 creative ideas!
🎨 Treat yourself to a creative moment
Explore our selection of DIY crafts : complete kits, modern designs, and projects that combine relaxation and creativity. Let our ideas inspire you and create unique pieces that reflect your style.
See our manual activities🏠 Crafts to decorate your home and clothes
Do you dream of a decor that reflects your personality? Why not create it yourself! Revamping your home or wardrobe with handmade creations guarantees a unique result.
🧵 Customize your clothes with embroidery
Embroidery is the new DIY trend! Decorate a t-shirt, personalize a shirt, or embellish a denim jacket—anything goes. Are you a beginner? Opt for a ready-made embroidery kit ; it contains all the necessary materials and a design to reproduce.
For a more graphic look, try cross-stitch embroidery . This technique is appealing for its retro pixel art effect.
✂️ Want to get started? Discover our complete embroidery kits : all materials included + modern designs to embroider on a t-shirt, tote bag, or jacket.
💍 Make your own polymer clay jewelry
Rings, earrings, pendants... What if your next piece of jewelry was 100% handmade? Polymer clay is ideal for creating colorful and original pieces that harden in the oven for a durable finish.
Beads, charms, flowers, fruits, geometric patterns... By mixing colors and shapes, you will obtain trendy and unique jewelry .
💡 See our DIY jewelry kits : easily create your own earrings, pendants, or rings, even as a beginner.
🪶 Make a dreamcatcher for a bohemian decor
Are you a fan of bohemian style and natural objects? The dreamcatcher is a must-have . Originating from Native American culture, it captures bad dreams and lets the good ones pass through.
To create it: wooden hoop, string, beads, and feathers. Hang on the wall or in front of a window for a soft, natural touch.
🪨 Paint pebbles for a natural decor
A 100% natural and anti-waste activity : collect some pretty pebbles, clean them, then let your creativity run wild with acrylic paint.
🤝 Crafts to share
Because creative hobbies are even more fun when you're with others, here's a selection of activities to do with family, friends, or as a couple.
🐻 Pour painting on figurines
The " pouring bear " trend originated in the United States and involves covering a bear figurine with fluid paint in vibrant colors. Each piece becomes unique thanks to the random blend of shades.
💡 See our pouring painting kits : figurine + paints included, perfect for a creative and fun evening.
🧒 Organize a beading workshop with your children
Fun guaranteed with a colorful bead workshop. Bracelets, animals, or small characters—the possibilities are endless to stimulate the imagination.
Tip: Use chenille wire for younger children, which is easier to handle than regular wire.
🎯 See our DIY kits for kids to get started easily.
🌿 Create a herbarium as a family
Take a stroll, pick flowers and leaves, then dry them to create a beautiful decorative herbarium. A timeless activity that awakens your sense of nature.
Tip: Write down the names and the date of collection to keep a complete memory.
📸 Create a souvenir photo book with friends
Compile your most beautiful memories in a personalized scrapbook-style album. A great excuse for an evening of nostalgia and good humor.
🌱 Crafts for beginners
Want to get started with arts and crafts but don't know where to begin? Here are some simple, relaxing ideas that are perfect for getting started.
💎 Diamond painting, the new trend
Create beautiful, sparkling paintings from tiny diamond facets. Simple, soothing, and ultra-satisfying.
💡 See our diamond painting kits to get started easily with all the materials included.
🖌️ Coloring mandalas to relax
Mandalas, inspired by Indian art, offer a moment of relaxation thanks to their harmonious shapes. Perfect for releasing stress and stimulating creativity.
📖 Make origami bookmarks
The Japanese art of paper folding allows you to create small, useful and elegant objects. Start with simple designs like hearts or stars to mark your reading pages.
🧶 Create Brazilian bracelets
A timeless classic: Weave colorful threads to make friendship bracelets. Add beads for a personalized touch.
🏡 Useful crafts for the home
Combine creativity and utility with these DIY ideas that will brighten up your daily life while helping you.
🧼 Sew washable makeup remover wipes
Swap your disposable cotton pads for homemade washable wipes. Gentle on your skin and better for the planet.
🧣 Knit a scarf for winter
Try your hand at knitting by making a warm, personalized scarf. Choose a soft yarn and colors that you like.
🧽 Make a tawashi, the zero-waste sponge
Recycle your old socks to create an eco-friendly Japanese sponge. Ideal for reducing household waste.
🧺 Create fabric baskets for storage
Make pretty fabric baskets to match your decor to store your things in an aesthetic and practical way.
🍪 Crafts for foodies
For those who love to express their creativity in the kitchen, here are some ideas that are as pretty as they are tasty.
⭐ Make original cookie cutters
Create your own cookie cutters from tin cans. Give them unique shapes to personalize your cookies.
🍫 Make your own personalized chocolates
Melt couverture chocolate, add spices or dried fruit, then pour into uniquely shaped molds for a delicious, handmade gift.
🏷️ Create labels for spice jars
Personalize your jars with calligraphy, sticker, or engraved labels. A practical and attractive addition to your kitchen.
🟦 Make mosaic-style coasters
Assemble pieces of colorful ceramic on a support to create unique and durable coasters.
❓ FAQ – Manual activities
💡 What are the easiest crafts to start with?
If you're just starting out, focus on simple projects that don't require a lot of technical training. Some of the most accessible include:
- Diamond painting : simply stick colored rhinestones onto an adhesive canvas.
- Pebble painting : ideal for expressing yourself freely with little material.
- Brazilian bracelets : easy to weave and perfect for relaxing.
💡 At JOY, we've noticed that these activities are often popular with those who want to get started without pressure and quickly see a rewarding result.
🎯 How to choose your creative activity?
To find the right activity, ask yourself these questions:
- Would you like a relaxing time (coloring, embroidery) or a dynamic one (fluid painting, group workshops)?
- Do you prefer to create for yourself or as a gift ?
- What budget and space do you have available?
💡 The activities offered on JOY are often classified by level and type (decoration, jewelry, DIY for children), which helps you make a choice suited to your desires.
📦 Where can I find materials for creative hobbies?
You have two main options:
- Purchase each item separately in a specialty store or online.
- Opt for a complete DIY kit , which contains everything you need and prevents you from forgetting anything.
💡 The kits offered by JOY are often designed so that even a beginner can succeed in their project without having to look for additional materials.
⏳ How much time should I allow to complete a manual activity?
It all depends on the project chosen:
- Small, simple projects (coloring, mini-origami): 30 min to 1 hour.
- Intermediate projects (jewelry, sewing wipes): 2 to 4 hours.
- Long projects (knitting a scarf, mosaic): several days, in short sessions.
💡 In JOY product sheets, the estimated duration is sometimes indicated to help you plan your creative time.
🌿 Are manual activities good for your health?
Yes, and the benefits are multiple:
- Stress reduction : Focusing on a creative act helps you relax.
- Improve fine motor skills : handling tools or wire develops precision.
- Cognitive stimulation : creating boosts imagination and problem solving.
