24 More Hobbies That Will See You Through the Rest of Quarantine

Beyond Sourdough

As we approach Year 2 of life during a pandemic, many of us are getting pretty antsy when it comes to finding ways to fill our free time. We have done all the jigsaw puzzles we can, tried to crochet a scarf, and baked more bread than we ever dreamed we would. There are still plenty of creative outlets left to explore, though, many aided by online tutorials. Some activities will simply help pass the time. Others will educate or help you improve your mental or physical state. Some may even spark a side gig or career path. Read on for ideas that may just become a new favorite hobby.

Cursive and Calligraphy

Try It: $25 from Airbnb Experiences
If you've had a lifetime of being mocked for your atrocious handwriting — or if it's good but you'd like to eventually pick up some extra cash hand-lettering invitations — get started by signing up for "Hand Lettering and Modern Calligraphy," a 60-minute session led by a Michigan-based, full-time freelance artist. The class includes an overview of the cursive alphabet, basic lettering drills, and specific projects.

Magic

Try It: $18 from Airbnb Experiences

Thinking of days when you'll have to entertain (more than just your dog) again? Think magic. YouTube is filled with free tutorials, but for a more formal experience you can "Explore Card Magic" with Evgeny Moskalov, a Ukrainian magician. In just an hour you'll get a little theory behind the art, have a bit of a show, and learn the basics to be "ready to impress your friends and family with a couple of very strong tricks." Have that deck of cards ready.

Chocolate Bark — Arina P Habich/shutterstock

Making Chocolate Candy

Try It: $29 from Cozymeal
If the pandemic has honed your skills in the kitchen but you want more, it's time to consider "Chocolate Confections 101," a 75-minute, interactive Zoom cooking class that explores types of chocolates, teaches a few candy-making techniques, and culminates in participants making their own chocolate bark. You can order your ingredients online for home delivery before class time.

Grand Central Station — cmart7327/istockphoto

Studying History

Try It: $10 from New York Adventure Club
Were you bored during history class but now find yourself captivated by the past? The New York Adventure Club, noted for its walking tours, has transitioned to digital offerings that touch on the city's art, culture, and history (ranging from Grand Central Terminal or Jazz Age Harlem to Edith Wharton's New York or Central Park) and encompass broader topics ("From Dickens to Downton: The World of Victorian & Edwardian Food," "History of the Bra: From Push-Ups to Protest," "Pre-Historic Hollywood: 100 Years of Dinosaurs in the Movies" and "The Great Paradise Gardens of India and Pakistan").

Online Jewelry Boutique — FroggyFrogg/istockphoto

Jewelry Making

Some find making jewelry meditative. It also brings the rewarding feeling of creating something useful but pretty when done. To test the waters without a major investment, Beaducation offers hundreds of free online jewelry tutorials for beginners (from "Stamping on Metal" to "Introduction to Seed Beads") with access to a library of Facebook Live show episodes and product tutorials. You can also shop for tools and supplies.

Play a Guitar — Africa Studio/shutterstock

Learning a Musical Instrument

Whether you are a frustrated folkie or wannabe rock star, learning a musical instrument takes time … of which we have plenty. For those with an old guitar laying around — or who bought one recently — free lessons abound online. We liked the "super, super, super beginner lesson" offered for free from GuitarJamz on YouTube.

Dance as Exercise

Try It: $23 from Airbnb Experiences
Take your workout mix to the next level. Check out "K-Pop Dance & Music Video for beginners," a hourlong session from South Korea available in English that will have you dancing like a member of the band BTS. Watch a K-pop ("Korean pop") mini concert, then learn the genre's classic dance routines and, finally, create your own virtual music video. The world tour starts in your living room.

Vienna, Austria — RudyBalasko/istockphoto

Armchair Travel

Virtual travel is a great way to escape an otherwise mundane day and fuel daydreams of future journeys. There are many options to "get away," but we'll use this Austrian cultural destination as a prime example: "Vienna Now. Forever" offers a "way to marvel at Vienna" from your own screen, clicking through for virtual tours of everything from the Imperial Carriage Museum to the Austrian National Library to the Vienna State Opera, no money — or passport — necessary.

Looking for more virtual travel destinations? Check out London and New York.

Origami

Buy on $10.40 $12.99

Try It: $12 from Amazon
Origami, the art of paper folding, has long been associated with Japanese culture, though it now encompasses any folding practice. For this craft, you really have to get into the zone — learning not just skills, but patience — to create paper cranes, flowers, tissue covers, and more. Buy a pack of sheets with Japanese washi patterns and get started with "10 Simple Origami Projects for Beginners" from The Spruce Crafts.

Collage

Try It: $20 from MoMA Design Store
Collage is a great hobby for those who feel drawing, painting, and sculpting are beyond their skill set. After all, you just cut things out and glue them down in a pattern of your own making, right? Well, collage can be much more (see artists such as Pablo Picasso or Joseph Cornell), and just a casual search online can spark thousands of collage ideas. You can also pick up the activity book "Extraordinary Things to Cut Out and Collage" by Maria Rivans.

Beer Brewing

Try It: $13 from Airbnb Experiences
Elevate your beer experience with an hourlong introductory "Craft Beer Workshop" from Milan that explores beer styles, components, and history, capped with a tutorial on tasting (you supply the two beers you want to try). If it sparks a wish to craft your own, check out Williams Sonoma' IPA Craft Beer Kit ($50).

Learning About Wine

Try It: $17 from Airbnb Experiences
Wouldn't it be nice to go to a fancy restaurant and know what to look for when handed a wine list? Plan for that post-pandemic day by taking an hourlong virtual trip through the wine country of Argentina in a decidedly playful "Fun Argentine Wine Class." The class, hosted by a local sommelier, is filled with "cool facts, jokes, and hip stories about our wine world."

Mixology

Try It: $17 from Airbnb Experiences
Up your bartending game with a 75-minute "Cocktails Masterclass" going over the basic types of cocktails, the dos and don'ts of mixology, and general cocktail culture. Participants will be shown how to whip up the perfect Cosmopolitan, Moscow Mule, and finally, one of a UK-based expert's signature cocktails.

Bird-Watching

Buy on $14.79 $16.95

Try It: $13 from Amazon
Tired of looking at the same four walls? Take up a hobby that will get you outdoors — or at least to the nearest picture window. Bird-watching has a storied history, and you can join in with a couple of simple purchases starting with the classic "Sibley's Birding Basics," which explores how to identify birds from "feathers, habitats, behaviors and sounds." You'll probably need some binoculars too.

Model Building

Try It: $58 from The Wooden Boat Store
If you think building models hasn't been done since the 1950s, think again. Whether it's an airplane or sailboat, helicopter, car or rocket, building a model takes precision and patience, skills that can translate to other areas of life. Get started with "Coaster," a Two-Masted Schooner kit featuring a sleek, 16-inch model that actually sails.

Poetry Writing

Try It: $25 from The Poetry Society of New York
If you've a lot to say and are not sure how to say it, perhaps poetry will be your outlet. There are many forms that appeal to as many personalities, from sonnet to haiku, elegy to limerick. The Poetry Society of New York offers editing services ($25 per poem or $50 for up to three) that include feedback, line editing, and advice and resources for submitting to a publication. Write on.

Juggling

Buy on $12.97

Try It: $13 from Amazon
Maybe you think you're juggling enough these days, but the literal act of juggling objects can still be a captivating hobby (and future party trick) that reportedly dates back thousands of years. YouTube has plenty of tutorials — or you can grab an instructional kit such as "Do You Want to Learn Juggling" with Will Roya.

Growing Herbs

Buy on $24.99 $32.99

Try It: $25 from Amazon
If pandemic-inspired home cooking has you tackling ambitious recipes, you've no doubt been introduced to herbs and spices you didn't often use. How great would your dishes taste if those herbs were fresh instead of commercially produced? Take a step into the world of gardening — an easy one — with an Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit featuring four non-GMO herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro, and chives).

Cake Decorating

Buy on $39.99 $43.99

Try It: $44 from Amazon
If you've binge watched "The Great British Baking Show" and can't miss the "Kids Baking Championship" on the Food Network, but know you're not a baker, that doesn't mean you're not a cake decorator. Grab an unadorned cake at the supermarket (or even a quick, anybody-can-do it mix) and go to town on the decorating. Stock up on a 120-piece Cake Decorating Supplies Kit and "Cake Decorating for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide to Decorating Like a Pro" ($14).

Badminton

Try It: $40 from Decathlon
If the furthest you're venturing for recreation is the backyard or local park, the racquet sport of Badminton is not just the game of British country estates — it's fun and can be surprisingly competitive. Consider it a healthy way to work out that cabin-fever frustration with a Perfly Easy Set including a portable net, racquets, and shuttlecocks.

Palm Reading

Buy on $13.95 $15.99

Try It: $14 from Amazon
Plan for the days we can once again spend time with people. You'll have newfound popularity if you tell your long-missed friends you can see what's in their post-pandemic future through studying palmistry. (So long as no one the readings too seriously.) Check out "Palm Reading for Beginners: Find Your Future in the Palm of Your Hand" by Richard Webster.

Soap Making

Buy on $43.49 $49.99

Try It: $50 from Amazon
Pampering is popular no matter the season or situation, and these days we need it even more. Soap making encourages self-care, but also allows you to savor a sensory experience and make thoughtful gifts for friends and family. Get started with a DIY Soap Making Kit by CraftZee that features four fragrances.

Find Your Own Pace — filmstudio/istockphoto

Yoga

If one more person suggests yoga can help with stress, I'm gonna … just kidding. But many people have explored the benefits of yoga during the pandemic. If you've been curious but haven't tried it, start with "30 Days of Yoga with Adriene," a free YouTube tutorial.

Meditation

Try It: $25 from Airbnb Experiences
Perhaps meditation is the hobby most people have been talking about this past year, since it's been scientifically proven as beneficial. There are a variety of apps (from Headspace to Calm), videos such as the "Daily Calm" offerings on YouTube, and this "Relax Heal & Meditate with Sound Bowls" class from a practitioner in California's Joshua Tree National Park. (Not to mention an array of books and other products.) No matter how you approach it or fit it into your routine, meditation might prove to be the hobby or practice that will help us get through the rest of the pandemic and the world beyond.