What manual activity to do when you're bored? Our 20 ideas!

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 and decorating to gourmet hobbies... there's something for everyone and every skill level. Easy to do and rewarding, craft activities promise to help you (re)discover the joy of creating.

Ready to say goodbye to boredom? Discover our 20 creative ideas!

Crafts to decorate your home and clothes

Dreaming 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. You can easily reproduce letters, small patterns, or even inspiring phrases.

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 all sorts of colorful and original creations. This malleable clay hardens in the oven for a strong and durable result.

Let your imagination run wild: beads, charms, flowers, fruits, geometric patterns... By mixing colors and shapes, you'll create trendy jewelry that perfectly matches your outfits. An addictive activity that will quickly inspire you to create your own collections!

Make a dreamcatcher for a bohemian decor

Do you love bohemian style, natural objects, and ethnic touches? The dreamcatcher is a must-have DIY accessory. Originating from Native American culture, this object is said to be able to capture bad dreams in its net.

To make it, you'll need a wooden hoop (ideally willow), string, beads, and feathers. Hung on a wall or suspended in front of a window, your dreamcatcher will add a beautiful, natural and soothing touch to your decor.

Painting pebbles for a natural decor

Looking for a 100% natural, zero-waste activity? Collect some pretty pebbles during your next walk and turn them into decorative objects! Simply clean them and then let your creativity run wild with acrylic paint.

Manual activities to share

Because creative hobbies are even more fun when you're with others, here's a selection of craft activities to share!

Pour painting on figurines

Have you heard of " pouring bears "? This American decor trend is all the rage online. The principle behind pouring art : cover a bear figurine with fluid paint in vibrant colors. A perfect activity for couples or families for a creative and fun evening.

To get started, equip yourself with a pouring painting kit and figurine. Protect your work surface and arrange your bear in a sitting position. Select your fluid paint colors and gently pour them onto the figurine. Let the paint flow and admire the psychedelic result! Each pouring bear will be unique thanks to the random color mix.

Organize a beading workshop with your children

What could be more fun than sharing a creative moment with your children ? If you're looking for an easy craft idea for children , opt for a bead craft workshop. With a few colorful beads and pipe cleaners, your kids will be able to let their imaginations run wild.

Combine shapes and colors to make funny little characters, original animals or pretty bracelets.

Create a herbarium as a family

Looking for a family activity to do during the holidays or on the weekend? How about creating a herbarium? This timeless activity will delight nostalgic parents and introduce children to the nature around them.

Start with a walk in the countryside to collect various plants, flowers, and leaves. Take a notebook with you to write down their names and characteristics. Back home, dry your finds between two sheets of blotting paper. A few days later, arrange them attractively in a notebook with their descriptions.

Create a souvenir photo book with friends

Do you share wonderful memories with your group of friends? Gather your best photos in a scrapbook-style album! This activity is perfect for a nostalgia-filled evening of laughter with friends.

Crafts for Beginners

Dreaming of getting into arts and crafts but not sure where to start? Don't panic, there are plenty of crafts that are perfect for beginners.

Diamond painting, the new trend

You've probably already seen these pretty, sparkling paintings made from small diamond facets on social media? It's diamond painting , the new creative trend that's taking off!

To get started, choose a beginner's diamond painting kit with a design that's not too complex. Settle into a comfortable position with sufficient light, and let's get started! You'll see, the end result is stunning and incredibly satisfying. It's the perfect activity to unwind after a long day.

Coloring mandalas to relax

What if you rediscovered the simple pleasure of coloring? Forget your preconceptions— adult coloring books are all the rage! Among all the patterns, mandalas have pride of place. These circular rosettes, inspired by Indian art, are full of coloring details for a relaxing and meditative effect.

Let yourself be carried away by these harmonious and symmetrical patterns, and choose the colors that inspire you. Dare to try bold combinations or stick to soft shades. A mandala coloring session and you'll be relaxed and light-hearted. The secret for those addicted to a zen attitude!

Make origami bookmarks

Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. An ancient technique that allows you to create all sorts of three-dimensional creations from a single sheet of paper. Origami is all the rage and seduces with its magical and soothing qualities.

To get started, try making bookmarks. You'll find many beginner-friendly designs online, such as hearts, stars, and flowers.

Create Brazilian bracelets

Remember those cute friendship bracelets we used to exchange in the playground? It's the perfect time to reconnect with that childhood memory by making your own Brazilian bracelets. A perfect way to get started with DIY!

To make them , you need cotton threads of different colors and a little patience. Follow a tutorial to learn how to make the basic knots then let your creativity run wild by varying the colors and patterns. You can add beads or charms for a personalized finishing touch. Enough to adorn your wrists with your unique creations!

Useful crafts for the home

What if your next DIY creations were both decorative and useful? That's the whole point of DIY activities: making beautiful objects yourself that will make your daily life easier.

Sew washable makeup remover wipes

Want to reduce your bathroom waste? Swap your disposable makeup remover pads for homemade washable wipes! Not only are they better for the planet, they'll also be gentler on your skin.

Choose fabrics with patterns you like, preferably made of natural fibers like cotton or bamboo. Cut out squares about 10 cm on each side and join them together in pairs, right sides together. Stitch all around, leaving an opening, turn inside out, and close by hand. And there you have it, pretty wipes ready to use!

Knitting a scarf for winter

Looking for a project to fill your winter evenings? How about making your own wool scarf? It's the perfect activity to learn the basics of knitting while creating a warm winter accessory.

Grab some beginner-friendly needles and a ball of colorful yarn. Then follow a pattern explaining garter and stockinette stitches. Work your way through row after row while watching your favorite TV show, and you'll soon have enough yarn for a soft scarf.

Make a tawashi, the zero-waste sponge

Tawashis are small crocheted Japanese sponges. They're perfect for replacing disposable synthetic sponges and giving a second life to your orphaned socks!

To make a tawashi, recycle a sock by cutting it into thin strips and tying them together to make a thread. Then, using a crochet hook, crochet a round, gradually increasing the number of strips until you reach the desired size. You can use colorful socks for a vibrant result that will brighten up your kitchen.

Create fabric baskets for storage

Storage is often a headache... What if the solution was DIY? By making pretty fabric baskets yourself, you can store and organize your home in an aesthetically pleasing and practical way.

Choose fabrics that match your decor or dare to go for original prints. You can choose your baskets in different sizes to store your bathroom accessories, your toys in the living room, or your favorite magazines in the bedroom.

Crafts for foodies

Do you enjoy spending time in the kitchen preparing delicious meals? Why not use your creativity to create your own delicious treats?

Make cookie cutters for original biscuits

Tired of classic cookie shapes? Unleash your creativity by making your own cookie cutters!

The best tip? Use tin cans! Grab a pair of scissors and cut out the lid and bottom. Then, using pliers, shape the metal into the shape of your choice: heart, star, letter... Your cookie cutters are ready to make a batch of fun and original cookies.

Make your own personalized chocolates

What if you made your own chocolates to impress your loved ones? It's easier than it looks! Melt couverture chocolate in a bain-marie, adding spices, nuts, or flavorings if desired. Then pour your mixture into uniquely shaped silicone molds.

Let it harden in a cool place for a few hours and carefully remove your chocolate creations from the mold. You can package them in pretty bags with a handwritten label.

Create labels for spice jars

Do you make your own spice blends or like to store your herbs in glass jars? Personalize them with pretty homemade labels!

There are several techniques available to you: write calligraphy directly on the jars with erasable markers, write on self-adhesive labels to stick on, make small engraved wooden blocks to hang...

Make mosaic-style coasters

Have your cork coasters outlived their usefulness? Why not replace them with new, creative, and durable pieces? Mosaic tiles are a perfect way to create colorful coasters.

Recover broken earthenware or small colored ceramic tiles. Assemble the pieces on a square or round surface, gluing them with a suitable adhesive mortar. You can create geometric patterns or leave it to chance for abstract compositions. Clean the joints, wait 24 hours, and you're done!