Since trying 52 new things a year, I’ve discovered there are lots of free new things to try and it’s been a real mixture of activities.
Whilst this list isn’t exhaustive, I thought I’d put together a post on some of the new things I’ve tried that haven’t cost me a penny, and some that I’ve yet to try.
So whether you’re at a lose end, or planning some free time, you’ll find ideas and inspiration here that you can easily give a go.
Of course, what’s a new thing to me, might be something you tried years ago, or you regularly do now. That’s the beauty of trying new things, it’s different for everyone but there’s always something new to try.
I’m sure there are plenty of free new things to try that I’ll have missed, and I’ll update the post as I find them. If you think there’s something else I should add, please do let me know.
Geocaching - Free New Things To Try
Like a cross between a treasure hunt and an escape room. All you need for this is a phone, something to write with, and access to the internet.
The interactive map shows you the location of the geocache, but you’ll need to follow additional hints and hunt high and low to actually find where it’s hidden.
There are millions of geocaches around the world just waiting to be found. It’s free to sign up so why not have a look to see if there are any near you?
Walk Every Street Where You Live
Set your own perimeter, and walk along every street within it. You’re sure to find things you’ve not noticed before.
I took on the challenge of walking every street within the York city walls, and it was a great way to explore a place I thought I knew really well.
Covering a bigger distance than I’d expected, it helped me to slow down and pay attention to some of the things I’d regularly walked past but never given a second glance.
Hike From The Start To The End Of A River
Walk the length of a river from where it bubbles up out of the ground and follow it to the end. Or follow a stream, or a section of a canal.
This was something I’d wanted to do for a while. Levison Wood had walked the length of The Nile, and whilst that was a bit out of my league, it had got me thinking about whether I could walk from the start to the end of a river.
After doing some research, I set out to walk the length of the River Foss in one day. Hiking through stunning scenery, diverting due to cows, and exploring some gorgeous little villages, this was a fantastic way to challenge myself and learn more about my local area.
Why not take a look and see if there’s a river you can walk the length of?
Go Barefoot - Free New Things To Try
Kick off your shoes and get back to nature by walking or running barefoot.
Being careful where you put your feet, and finding somewhere safe to tread, there are plenty of benefits to letting your soles connect with the ground.
Why not take a look and see if there’s a river you can walk the length of?
Outdoor Swimming
Whether it’s a swim in the sea, or a dip in an outdoor river or lake, this is an invigorating and refreshing activity, especially if you’re trying it in the UK where we’re not blessed with warm waters.
Whilst this doesn’t necessarily need much forward planning, it’s generally a more pleasant experience if you’ve got a towel to dry yourself off with afterwards.
Take care if you do give this a go. Find somewhere safe to go for a splash, beware of tides and currents, and let someone know if you’re going on your own.
Pick Up A Hitchhiker - Free New Things To Try
Although we don’t seem to see them as often as we once did, picking up a hitchhiker is a great way to meet someone new when you’re out and about.
Of course, think safety first and weigh up the situation before letting a stranger into your vehicle.
We picked up our first ever hitchhikers during a road trip in Scandinavia. We met fascinating and friendly people who shared stories of their adventures as we became part of the patchwork of their tales on the road.
Find All Of The Commemorative Plaques Where You Live
When we know somewhere well, we often stop paying attention to the details. We might consider a route we regularly walk to be ordinary, but if you take the time to notice, you might find something remarkable.
Blue plaques across the UK commemorate notable people for things they have done which have made a lasting impact on the world we know.
I took on the challenge of finding all of the blue plaques in York, and discovered some incredible stories of lesser-known people.
There isn’t an overarching site to find all of the plaques across the UK, but if you have a look online you should find a list for your local area and the organisation that is responsible for them.
Activity Taster Sessions - Free New Things To Try
Lots of sports groups or clubs often have a taster session which are free to try. From tag rugby to lawn bowling to handball, softball, korfball, pickleball, goal ball, wheelchair rugby and so many more.
Keep an eye out for taster sessions in your local area. You’ll often find them advertising on notice boards, in local newspapers, on the local radio, and on social media. It’s worth looking on eventbrite too.
Virtually Climb A Mountain
Tougher than it might initially sound, how far will you climb on your own stairs?
Whether you see how far you can climb in a day, a weekend, a week, or over the course of a month or more, you can set your own goals.
Whilst it’s not the same as being out in the fresh air, you do have the benefit of not having to carry all of your kit on your back, the weather won’t get in your way, and you don’t need to worry about losing the daylight.
Follow A YouTube Workout For Something You’ve Never Tried
You can find a YouTube video for almost anything. From Krav Maga, pilates, plyometrics, yoga, calisthenics, quigong, Thai chi, seated workouts, street dance, kitchen raving and even a Barbie workout! There’s an incredible array of exercises you can follow along with.
During the covid lockdowns, I ended up doing random YouTube workouts for 400 consecutive days. The constant new exercise routines meant I never got bored, and never dreaded what was coming up, because I never knew what was coming up!
Visit A Museum You’ve Not Been To Before
When you live somewhere, it’s easy to neglect the touristy things such as museums and tours, so why not see if there are any you’ve never been to and learn about the heritage of your location.
Many museums are free, or offer discounts for residents, so take a look at what’s on your doorstep, or plan a visit to a free museum next time you’re in a new destination.
Blind Contour Drawing - Free New Things To Try
The idea is that your pen never leaves the paper, and your eyes never leave the subject.
You can pick any subject you like, whether it’s someone or something infront of you, a photograph or a picture in a magazine.
It’s not as easy it it might sound, and because you don’t look at your paper until you’ve finished, it’s a surprise to see what you end up with. There are lots of quick tutorials on YouTube to get you started.
My attempt looked like a strange sort of early Picasso, and didn’t resemble the subject particularly well, but it had been fun to try!
Draw A Caricature
Find a picture of someone. It could be a celebrity, a relative or just someone from a magazine. Transform them into a caricature, so they look like a cartoon but are still recognisable.
It’s easier said than done! There are lots of useful videos on YouTube to help you learn some techniques.
Write Something You’ve Never Written Before
Have you ever tried writing a rap, a song, a poem, a quiz, a haiku, an instruction manual, a script, a review, a joke, or a speech?
Perhaps you could try writing something you’ve written before, but in a different way. For example, have you ever collaborated on a poem?
Whatever you choose to write, it can be helpful to set yourself a time limit, otherwise it can be tempting to think you’ll come back to it later and never actually add another word.
Even if you don’t intend for anyone else to ever read what you’ve written, let the words flow, let the creativity out, and just write. You might surprise yourself with what you create!
Perform At A Spoken Word Open Mic Night
If you do write something you’ve never written before as mentioned above, you might consider performing it at a spoken word open mic night.
They’re usually a mix of insightful, thought provoking and funny performances delivered by people from all walks of life.
Not only do you get the opportunity to share your own words, you’ll hear a variety of topics performed in different styles, that is sure to give you more inspiration.
It’s usually free to participate, although you’ll probably have to pay for any drinks in the venue.
Give Blood - Free New Things To Try
If you’ve never given blood before, it’s a great new thing to do that really can change lives.
You’ll be looked after by friendly nurses who will do everything they can to keep you comfortable, and make sure you are alright throughout the process.
In the UK, you need to register to give blood, and the website has lots of frequently asked questions to help you feel more at ease about what happens.
Take a look at the Give Blood website for information and dates and locations for making a donation.
Listen To Something You’ve Never Listened To Before
Instead of turning the radio on to the station you usually listen to, or pressing play on your existing playlist, or listening to the next episode of a podcast you already listen to, why not explore something new with your ears? There’s so much available for us to hear.
We can listen to things from around the globe, introducing us to new ideas, different perspectives, and other cultures.
One of my new year’s resolutions was to listen to song from every country in the world which introduced me to some exceptionally talented people, and some different views on the world.
Try Streaking - Free New Things To Try
Before you recoil at the idea of whipping off your clothes, (or you’re already excitedly undoing your buttons!), I’m not talking about that kind of streaking. I mean doing something over a consecutive number of days.
It’s amazing how quickly you notice improvements, and how new ideas start to form when you begin doing something more regularly.
You pick the duration for your streak, and you pick what you’re going to streak at, then give it a go! You might be surprised by how you get on.
There are lots of 30 day yoga journeys on YouTube that you can follow. You could set yourself a challenge to take a picture every day, write something everyday, or begin to learn a new language everyday and see how much you pick up.
Strip Off On A Nudist beach
If you were disappointed in what the ‘try streaking’ suggestion above involved, and you actually wanted to get your kit off, you could always dare to bare on a nudist beach.
Feel the sea breeze blowing across parts of you that haven’t been exposed to the elements before, and don’t forget your sun cream!
To the uninitiated, it may seem like a strange thing to want to do, and often induces nervous laughter, but have you ever actually tried it?
Many regulars find it to be an incredibly liberating, and non-judgemental experience. With all shapes, sizes and ages, people become more accepting of their own bodies, and others.
I haven’t experienced this yet, and it’ll be a huge step out of my comfort zone, but I’m open to giving it a go.
Check online to find a nudist beach to visit and follow any rules on etiquette.
Volunteer With A Charity
From bucket collections, to marshalling events, do something you’ve never done before, and do good at the same time.
Charities rely on volunteers to help raise money and run events. You’ll often hear incredible stories from people who’ve been helped by the charity too, so you know that a donation of your time is helping them to do good things.
Many charities advertise for volunteers in the local papers and through their own websites. You can also take a look at the NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) website where many opportunities are listed across the UK.
Volunteer With Parkrun - Free New Things To Try
The free weekly community event of parkrun relies on volunteers. With a wonderfully friendly atmosphere, it’s no surprise it’s so well attended.
From setting up the course, to marshalling the route, to pacing, tail walking, and scanning barcodes, there are lots of roles that you can get involved with. Even if running isn’t your thing, you can still be a part of it.
You can read more about it and find your nearest event at the parkrun website
Do Good With GoodGym
GoodGym is a community of people who get fit by doing good, and it’s open to anyone. They run, walk and cycle to help local community organisations by doing practical tasks, and those tasks can be extremely varied!
From clearing up green spaces, to wrapping presents delivering leaflets, and so much more, this friendly bunch make a big difference in their local area. Take a look on the GoodGym website to find your local group.
Wear Something You Wouldn’t Usually Wear, In A Place You Wouldn’t Usually Wear It
A posh dress in a supermarket? Wellies in a library? A Santa outfit in the summer? Sportswear in the cinema?
What outfits do you have that are specific to a certain situation, and where else could you wear them?
It’s an interesting experience to see the reactions of other people when you’re looking a bit out of place, and can reveal a lot about human behaviour.
I once wore a wetsuit to work. My work definitely didn’t need me to wear a wetsuit as I was behind a very dry desk. Even though I had numerous online calls throughout the day, I had to point out my unusual attire, and it was a great talking point.
Guided Meditation
Some people seem to easily be able to meditate whilst others, myself included, struggle to switch off the thinking mind.
You need to give yourself the time and space to pay the attention guided meditation needs, but also don’t worry if you find your mind wanders, it’s all part of the process.
YouTube has lots of guided meditation videos of differing styles and lengths. Whether you’re short on time or have the opportunity for a longer immersion, there are plenty to choose from to give it a go. The experience is different for everyone, what will it be like for you?
Be An Extra - Free New Things To Try
Find out what goes on behind the cameras by being an extra in a TV show or film.
These roles are usually non-speaking so there are no lines to learn, and they help to bring a scene to life by adding some realistic background movement.
No qualifications are needed, although a little patience is usually required, and then you can have fun pointing yourself out to people when you watch the finished production!
Enter A Quiz On The TV Or Radio
It’s usually free to enter competitions on the TV or radio, and you never know, you might get through and go live on air! You might also win!
A quiz might be a simple phone in, meaning it needs little to no planning and you can do it from the comfort of your own home.
Or perhaps you could enter a quiz where you are a contestant in the studio? There are lots of different types of programmes available to participate in, so why not see what you could be part of?
Be In The Audience For A TV Show
If you don’t want to be infront of the camera, you can still experience the lights, camera and action of a show by being in the audience.
You often need to book to be in the audience, but it’s usually free.
In the UK you can find tickets through
What will you be at the filming for?
Give A Talk - Free New Things To Try
Offer to give a talk to a group, or sign up to speak at a PechaKucha night or how about registering to give a TED talk?
Public speaking can be nerve wracking, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. A great way to get started is to be proactive and seek out some speaking opportunities.
From tales of adventure, passion projects, everyday discoveries, or just something you want more people to know about, everyone’s got something they can share. What will your story be?
Try Guided Breathing
Simple to do with an incredible array of results. Guided breath work can help you to feel grounded, give you a boost of energy, and help you to feel relaxed and in control
Of course you’ll get more feedback and in-the-moment guidance with an in-person experience.
However, you can also find lots of guided breathing techniques online which you can follow along for free – perfect if you’re trying it for the first time.
Play At Open Decks - Free New Things To Try
If you’ve ever wanted to have a go at being a DJ, why not try getting behind the decks and playing your own playlist?
You can find open deck nights in many pubs or clubs, and they’re often free to play. You will just need to pay for any drinks you have.
Simply sign up for a slot, and spin your tunes. It’s usually a welcoming crowd, and the other DJs are happy to help if you’ve any questions or queries.
What's Missing?
I’m sure there are plenty more free new things to try, but I think it’s a good list to get started.
- Which ones have you already tried?
- Which would you like to have a go at?
I’ll keep updating this post as I find anything else, and please let me know if you’re aware of anything else that you think I should include.