Going out to watch a movie, see a sports game, and attend a concert can be a fun way to spend your time, but it can also be quite expensive. But you don’t have to spend much money to have a good time! There are tons of fun challenges to do at home to beat the boredom. Keep reading for some great ideas!
Did you know that American families spend about $3,458 on entertainment every year? Instead of spending your hard-earned cash paying for entertainment, gather up some friends and family and give these at home challenges a try!
32 Fun challenges to do at home
Whether you love speed challenges or fitness challenges, we have just the list of at home challenges for you! These challenges can be done by yourself or with friends and family. Even use them as family night ideas!
That said, here are 32 fun challenges you can do at home that are entertaining and budget-friendly!
1. Accent and impressions challenge
The accent and impressions challenge requires at least two people, 20 sheets of paper, a paper/pen, and a timer.
First, write an accent (i.e., American, British, Scottish accent) on each slip of paper and put the pieces of paper in a pile. If there are more than two players, you can split the participants into two teams.
Then, two players (from the same team) must stand on opposite sides of each other. Have one player pick up an accent card and raise it above their head.
Finally, the other player must speak with the accent shown on the card. If the participant with the accent card can guess the accent being spoken, then the team gets a point. Each team is given one minute to rack up the most points. You can get accent help or confirm an accent is accurate by checking on YouTube!
Alternatively, you can also impersonate famous people and guess who that person is.
2. Psychiatrist challenge
This at home challenge requires at least two players, and no materials will be needed. One player will be assigned the role of the “psychiatrist,” and the remaining players will be the patient(s).
Then, the players must form a circle with the psychiatrist in the middle. The objective of the psychiatrist is to figure out the shared pattern among the other players.
For example, say the players (patients) agree to use a number every time they speak. The psychiatrist will be allowed a maximum of 20 questions to determine this pattern.
Example:
Psychiatrist: Patient 1, who are you?
Player 1: No one (1)
Psychiatrist: Patient 2, who are you?
Player 2: Me too (2), I am no one (1).
If a player (patient) doesn’t follow the rule, the other patients must shout, “Psychiatrist!” That usually gives the psychiatrist a hint as to what the pattern might be.
3. Know that lyric challenge
Are you a song aficionado? You’ll certainly love this fun challenge that you can do at home! The “know that lyric” challenge requires at least two players, 20-30 slips of paper, and a pen/pencil. You can also use a bowl to put the papers in.
First, on each slip of paper, write a song lyric. Then, underline half of the lyric for each slip of paper. Take a look at this song lyric, for example: “Oh say can you see, by the dawn’s early light.”
You would start by singing the first part. Then, the other players would have to jump in and guess the second part (the underlined section). If a player guesses the lyric, then they receive a point. The player with the most points wins.
Try writing different song topics for the best results, and try different genres. For instance, write songs from a category like country music, but also Broadway show tunes and pop music.
I personally love games like this and find it’s great to play for a family game night!
4. Blindfold makeover challenge
The makeup challenge requires at least two players, a blindfold, and the makeup of your choice. One player must apply makeup on the other participant while wearing a blindfold.
Take some pictures after the challenge and share them with your friends. You might be surprised by how well you’ve done! Maybe you will get inspired to try our custom “glow-up” challenge too!
5. Blindfold drawing challenge
The blindfolded challenge for drawing requires at least two players, a pen or pencil, two pieces of paper, and a blindfold. The players must wear a blindfold and draw the same picture from memory.
When finished, remove your blindfolds and compare drawings. Then have a judge decide who drew the better picture and give that person a point.
6. Baby food challenge
Ready to test your senses? Here is a fun challenge you can do at home. The baby food challenge requires at least two players or more, six types of baby food, and a couple of spoons.
Each must take turns eating a spoonful of baby food without spitting it out. If a player keeps the food in their mouths, then they will get a point. The player will get another point for identifying the type of baby food that was eaten.
After going through all six containers, tally up the scores. The player with the most points wins!
7. Tin can challenge
The tin can challenge requires at least two players, eight to ten tin cans, a spoon, and a can opener. First, pick out different types of canned food you find gross, strange, or smelly. Then, pick out several canned foods that you find tasty. You might use beans, tomatoes, etc.
Next, remove the label of each can and place a number on each corresponding can. Write the numbers down and place them in a container (or a hat).
Then, have each player draw a number from the container and open the can with the matching number. Finally, the player must eat a spoonful of the mysterious substance without spitting it out.
Each person who guesses correctly gets a point, and the person with the most points wins the game! It’s one of those fun challenges to do at home that requires a strong stomach.
8. Eat it or wear it challenge
Don’t mind the mess? Here is another fun challenge you can do at home that you’ll definitely enjoy!
The eat it or wear it challenge requires at least two players. You will also need about 15-20 brown bags, spoons, cups, and random food (mayonnaise, tuna, soda, french fries, juice, and donuts) you may have in your house.
Start the game by having each player go through the bag and remove the item inside. The player can either choose to eat it or dump it over their heads. If the player chooses to eat it, they can dump the remainder on the player of their choice.
The game can get really messy (and smelly!) so you might want to play this at home challenge in your backyard.
9. Whisper challenge
The whisper challenge requires at least two players, headphones, and a device to play music from. Pick one player to wear the headphones, and another to turn up the music so that the other participant is inaudible.
The player without headphones must say a phrase, while the player with the headphones guesses the phrase by reading the other person’s lips. If the player guesses the phrase right, then they get a point. The player with the most points wins.
This is one of the best at home challenges to play. Even Keanu Reeves and Jimmy Fallon have a blast with this challenge!
10. Cookie challenge
The cookie challenge requires at least two players and a cookie of choice. If you enjoy cooking or you like baking, you can make the cookies yourself! First, each player must place the cookie on the middle of their forehead.
Then, they must use their facial muscles to get the cookie into their mouths. The first player to do so wins! The cookie challenge is personally my favorite of all the fun challenges to do at home.
11. Chubby bunny challenge
The chubby bunny challenge requires at least one player and a bag of marshmallows. Stick as many marshmallows into your mouth as you can until you can no longer say “chubby bunny.”
If you are playing with multiple participants, take turns putting a marshmallow into your mouth and saying “chubby bunny.” The person who can fit the most marshmallows into their mouth while being able to say “chubby bunny” wins! If you love sweets, then this is one of the tastiest fun challenges to do at home.
12. Bake off challenge
The bake-off challenge requires at least two people and random ingredients you can find in your pantry. First, give each player 30 minutes to make something from those ingredients. After the 30 minutes is over, have someone taste the creations and decide who did it best.
I love baking so this is one of the best challenges to do with friends, in my opinion. My favorite part is that we get to eat the leftover baking creations!
Alternatively, you can challenge yourself to a bake-off with another player by seeing who can make the best meal from the same recipe. Consider these delicious, frugal meals to try out to level up your game.
13. Egg dropping challenge
The egg dropping challenge requires one person, a raw egg, and materials for the container.
The objective is to build an “egg” armor that can withstand the impact of a drop. Test your design by dropping the egg from a high elevation. If your egg doesn’t crack, congrats, your device works!
14. Yoga challenge
Every yogi will love this fun challenge that you can do at home! The yoga challenge requires at least two players and no materials are necessary. Start by having the first player perform a yoga pose of their choice.
They can either start with an easy pose or jump to something more advanced. The other players must mimic the pose and hold it for at least ten seconds.
Each player who can mimic and hold the pose for ten seconds earns a point. The person who earns the most points wins!
15. Dance-off challenge
Get ready to bust a move with this at home challenge! The dance-off challenge requires at least two players and no materials are necessary.
To start, the first player must perform a short dance move. Then, the next player must mimic the dance move and add a new one.
Each player will take turns performing the previous moves while adding their own. There will eventually be a long sequence of dance moves, so the person who breaks the sequence loses! It could be another great date night idea, too.
16. Relay race
Hosting a relay race among friends can be a fun summer challenge that you can do while you’re home! The relay race requires at least two players, and the materials will vary based on the type of relay race.
There are messy outdoor water activities, like the fill-the-bucket water race or bobbing for coins, and fun indoor games, like necking the orange or passing the balloon. The types of relay races are endless, and are pretty easy to set up!
For your relay race, try to include at least two or three challenges that each person must complete before the next person on their team begins. The first team to finish everything wins!
17. 30-Day jump rope challenge
Jump rope is a great way to get your body moving and your heart pumping, especially if you don’t have that much time! The jump rope fitness challenge is great if you want to squeeze a little exercise into your day. The 30-day jump rope challenge requires at least one person and a jump rope.
Start off with as many skips as you feel comfortable with, then increase your skips in 25-50 intervals each day. By the end of the 30-day challenge, you might be able to get up to 1500 steps or more!
Of course, don’t forget to take breaks when needed. After all, this is supposed to be an enjoyable challenge!
18. Riff-off challenge
Love to sing? Then this is one of the most fun challenges to do at home with your friends. The riff-off challenge originated from the movie Pitch Perfect and has been a popular game since. This riff-off challenge requires at least two players and no materials are necessary.
One player starts the game by singing a song lyric, then stops at a word of their choice. Then, the other player has to sing a new song starting off with that particular word.
For example, if the song lyric is:
“I can’t help falling in love-“
The other participant can jump in with:
“-love never felt so good.”
The game ends when a player can’t think of a song to start at that particular word.
19. Alphabet game
The alphabet game has at least two people, and no materials are necessary, making it one of the easiest challenges to do with friends.
Each player will take turns acting out a random scene (e.g. friends at a party, or students in class). The first person must start their sentence off with the letter A, and the next player must start their sentence off with the letter B.
Each player must deliver their line starting with the next alphabet letter. The game’s objective is to go through the entire alphabet without stopping. Give each player about five seconds in between each turn.
If players can’t think of the next sentence before time is up, they are eliminated. The last player standing wins!
I think if you can think quickly on your feet, this is an extremely fun at home challenge.
20. Ice bucket challenge
You’ve likely heard of the ice bucket challenge and the role it played in promoting awareness and donations for ALS organizations. You can still support these organizations using the ice bucket challenge!
The idea is simple. Fill a bucket with ice water and choose a willing participant. Then, dump the bucket of water on their head. The idea is to increase donations for research and a cure for ALS, so try to give if possible!
Get your friends and family involved, challenging each other and donating.
21. Minute-to-win-it challenge
The minute-to-win-it challenge can either be played by one person, a group of people, or in teams. The materials vary based on which games you choose to do.
Make a scoreboard if you are playing with multiple people to track who or which teams win. The list of minute-to-win challenges is endless!
Play defying gravity and try to keep three balloons up for a minute, or see if you can completely wrap your friend up in streamers without exceeding the time limit. Sounds fun? Here are some minute to win it fun challenges to do at home!
22. Word recall challenge
The word recall challenge requires at least two people, at least 4 sheets of paper, and a pen/pencil. Start by having one player write a list of 25 words (preferably 4-letter words) on a sheet of paper.
Then, give the other player two minutes to study the entire list. After the two minutes is over, take the list away and have that player write down every word they remember.
Finally, the players will switch roles and repeat the process. The person who can recall the most words wins!
23. Try not to laugh challenge
This challenge requires at least two players and a compilation of your favorite videos. You can also tell jokes or stories to try to get people to laugh. The players must sit through this without laughing.
The player that goes the longest without laughing wins. This at home challenge will brighten anyone’s day!
24. Photoshoot challenge
The photoshoot challenge requires at least one person and a camera (can be your mobile phone). Have a photoshoot in and around your house. Use your imagination to create backdrops and props from items lying around.
Then, share the silly pictures with your friends and family or on Instagram! Who knows, maybe you will love them so much that you will turn them into a profitable photography side hustle!
25. 100 layer challenge
The 100-layer challenge requires at least one person and 100 articles of the same type of clothing or makeup of your choice. If your clothing of choice is a shirt, then layer on 100 shirts.
If your makeup of choice is lipstick, then apply 100 layers of that lipstick. To play this game with a group of friends, see who can put on the 100 layers without quitting, or who can do so the fastest!
26. Pillow challenge
The pillow challenge involves taking common home decor (like a pillow) and turning it into a wearable piece.
It requires at least one person, a pillow, and accessories of choice. Turn your pillow into a dress or a skirt and embellish your outfit with accessories! Then, have a photo shoot around your house and share your pictures with friends and family!
27. Cleaning challenge
Need to get some cleaning done but don’t have the motivation to do it? Decluttering your life can have a ton of benefits, like reduced stress and increased focus. And decluttering doesn’t have to be boring, either!
It can be one of the most fun challenges to do at home. Simply spice up your cleaning routine by turning it into a game. See how fast you can declutter your room, and try to beat that number each time you clean it.
Want to get your family to enjoy decluttering? Have a competition and see who can clean their room the fastest. Reward the winner with a prize afterward!
28. Getting to know you challenge
Getting to know you is one of the best at home challenges for new best friends or long-time partners. Good communication builds strong relationships and can improve all aspects of your shared life. It doesn’t have to be daunting, either!
The getting to know you challenge facilitates conversation through the exchange of surface-level and personal questions. You can deepen your relationships by learning more about someone and having them learn more about you!
You can make it a challenge by having each person ask a question and then the next person for a set amount of time. Or you could have each person ask several questions in a row and see who runs out of questions first!
29. Escape room challenge
An escape room challenge takes some prep time, but it’s worth it and is a memorable way to spend an afternoon.
First, find a place to create your escape room, which could be an empty room or space in your home. Then, make clues and a puzzle that must be solved, each clue leading to the next one like a scavenger hunt. The final clue should solve the puzzle or open the door to the room.
It’s also fun to have a time limit so that there’s a sense of urgency during the game. See who can escape the room first or solve whatever the puzzle is!
30. Mannequin challenge
The mannequin challenge will put your skills to the test! Each participant must remain completely immobile, like a mannequin, at the start of the challenge. You can then see who can stay still the longest, or you can play music and have people freeze as you turn the music off and use a point system.
Be creative with this game, and try out different versions!
31. Cooking challenge
For this game, you need an impartial judge and 2 or more participants. Each person will be given a time limit (usually between 1 and 3 hours), and they must create a delicious meal. You can have everyone use the same ingredients or give people time to shop for their own.
If you are having everyone use the same ingredients, try to include some unique flavors that present a challenge, like watermelon or hot sauce. Or add a unique twist, like, the meal must involve chopsticks.
At the end of the time limit, they’ll serve their meal to the judge and be graded on things like originality, flavor, presentation of the food, etc. It’s a fun idea if you’re an amateur chef trying to perfect your craft or if you’re just having fun!
You can do multiple courses if you want, but the best part is that everyone can eat the food at the end!
32. Save money challenge
A money saving challenge like this is ideal if you have a bit of time and you want to improve your savings game! You’ll need at least two people for this challenge, though you can include as many as you like.
To play, agree on an amount of time, like a week or month. Then, see how much money you can save during that time.
For instance, you might see how much you can save in ten days. But remember, you must start from zero and not include previous savings!
A quicker version is to see how much cash you can find and save in a single afternoon. You might check your change jars, under the sofa, or in your car. In the end, see who found the most change.
If you want, treat yourselves to something fun, like ice cream, with the money you find!
Expert tip: You can still have fun spending time at home
Personally, I’ve discovered that trying out a fun at home challenge can save me a ton of money. It also helps me bond and spend quality time with my friends and family. Doing something like this can help you out if you’re on a strict budget or want to save a lot of money for a goal.
You can still spend time with your friends without spending a fortune. Pick one night a week, every two weeks or once a month to try out something fun!
What challenges can you do at home for kids?
There are so many fun challenges to do at home for kids, and some ideas include the accents and impersonation challenge, the blindfold makeover challenge, the blindfold drawing challenge, the whisper challenge, and the dance challenge.
Make sure to choose a challenge that will be entertaining or educational. Competition challenges can also be fun, but make sure that kids don’t get too competitive! Instead, help them remember to have fun and do their best.
What at home challenges can you do by yourself?
On your own? Not to worry, there are several challenges you can do at home alone that are a ton of fun!
For example, you can try out the chubby bunny challenge, the egg-dropping challenge, the 100-layer challenge, the cleaning challenge, and the 30-day jump rope challenge.
Another great challenge is the saving money challenge. You can compete with yourself to save more money each week or month than the one before.
Be sure to check out our list of things to do when you’re bored!
What are fun challenges to do at home with friends?
Some fun challenges to do with friends include makeup or drawing challenges, baking challenges, and even money challenges. It’s important to pick something that interests you and your friend group.
To find the right games, I like to consider whether my friends and I enjoy competition, art, or practical games. Then, I choose things that will be both entertaining and help me spend quality time with the people I care about!
Why is it more fun to do a challenge with friends or family?
It’s more fun to try out a game or challenge with people you care about because it can help you become closer. You’re spending quality time together and doing something fun and memorable!
Additionally, some challenges can be fun on your own, but others are better with a group. You’ll create fun memories and may discover hidden talents you didn’t even know you had, such as cooking or drawing.
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Try these fun challenges to do at home!
These at home challenges are an excellent way to enjoy the day without spending a bunch of money. Even if you are a working mother of three kids, a full-time graduate student, or a working professional, you are never too busy to have fun. “Playing” as adults can have lots of benefits, and can be considered a form of self-care.
The best part is that having fun can be completely inexpensive and guilt-free! Learn how to incorporate “fun” into your budget by creating a budget that works for you with our completely free budgeting course! You can also make saving money fun by trying out some different money-saving challenges.
Check out the Clever Girls Know podcast and YouTube channel for more fun ideas on how to save money!