Fun Sober Activities

Finding your place  in the sober community and making connections with supportive people are key to getting healthy and staying sober.

You may have dedicated a large amount of time to your substance use and are now unsure of how to live without alcohol, drugs, or tobacco. Staying busy with activities that bring you natural joy will help you develop strategies to cope with stressors on your path to recovery. Learn more about how and why you benefit from including sober activities into your lifestyle. The following list may have some ideas that appeal to you and inspire you to try something new, fun, and challenging. Many of these options are even more enjoyable when shared with your family or friends.

• Try a new exercise routine - Focusing on fitness is a great way to get healthy! Walking, running, swimming, lifting weights, bicycling, martial arts or a group exercise class are all fun ways to spend time and make yourself look and feel great. Facilities like the Shasta Family YMCA have affordable programs with financial assistance as needed, volunteer programs, childcare, swim lessons, weight lifting, and many exercise classes to choose.

• Bird watching is a hobby that you can do anytime and anywhere, even in your own backyard. All you need is a field guide that has pictures of each bird and the areas that you can find them. You can download free bird-watching field guide apps like the Audubon Bird Guide: North America and eBird onto your phone. Binoculars are also helpful in identifying birds. This hobby is fun to share with family and friends. You can listen to recordings of bird songs to help you identify birds online for free at “North American Bird Songs and Sounds”.

• Dance classes - Local classes offer styles such as ballroom dance, hip hop, ballet or barre. Dance classes are offered through the City of Redding Recreation with more information in their online activity guide.

• Yoga - You can find yoga classes for free through the Shasta Community Health Center (SCHC). You can do yoga along with an online tutorial or find classes at many places in Shasta County, including at the Shasta Family YMCA. Sign up for the free yoga class or any of the other free classes at SCHC. Availability of classes may be affected due to COVID restrictions.

• Join a sports team - Big League Dreams offers adult leagues from beginner to advanced in softball, volleyball, kickball, and hockey. Find out more league information at Big League Dreams.

• Volunteer - Local pet shelters like the Haven Humane Society need volunteers to complete a variety of tasks involving the care of the animals. They even offer the Junior Haven program for kids from age 10-18 to make a difference in a shelter animal's life. Learn more about volunteering at the Haven Humane Society. 

• Join A Local Meeting Group - You can find groups in the Redding area that have similar interests or hobbies at Meetup.com.

• Healthy Shasta has numerous recreation opportunities listed on the its website. You can also find a walking page and a biking page, with local groups and times provided.

• Cooking - Shasta Community Health Center offers free classes to learn to cook and eat healthier. Please see webpage for updates to class availability and details.

• Sewing or knitting - Hokema's in Redding offers a variety of sewing classes from kids to adults. Find out more on their Classes for You page. You can learn the basics of knitting by watching this free video. They even show you how to knit with two pencils instead of knitting needles!

• Take a class - Whether you want to learn more about photography for fun or want to set a goal to reach a new career, there are a variety of classes in Shasta County to meet your needs. Online courses are a great option, if traveling to a class is not feasible. Shasta Community Health Center provides a variety of free Patient Education & Health Promotion classes. Find the list of these classes here. Or visit the Shasta College Online Home page to find out more about the online courses that they offer.

• Find an outdoor adventure or activity - Visit the Get Outside and Explore page on the Visit Redding California website for a broad listing of outdoor activities found in the Redding area, including hiking, fishing, waterfalls, paddling, and "inspired family fun" listings.

• Arts and Crafts - You can get great ideas by browsing Etsy and Pinterest.

• Read - Books can be a great way to immerse yourself in a new world. Digital versions are easy to take with you anywhere and can be read from your phone or tablet. Many classic books like Pride and Prejudice can be found in the digital form for free. Get the free Nook App here. Get the free Kindle App here.

• Disc golf - Enterprise Community Park in Redding has a disc golf course (played with frisbees) and is a fun game to play with friends or family. The park is located at 4300 Victor Ave, Redding, CA 96002.

• Board games - Playing board games with your family or friends can provide time for conversation while you are having fun. Even puzzles can provide hours of fun family time spend together while focusing on a shared task. Check out "20 Family Game Night Ideas" article that has great games to play with your whole family.

• Learn to play an instrument - Have you always wanted to learn to play guitar? The flute? The drums? Local classes can be found at music stores listed on the linked page or Shasta College music department page. You can even watch tutorials for free on Youtube.

• Learn a new language - Even if you just want to learn a few phrases or more about a different culture, you can find local classes, online tutorials, or language instruction on CD's at the local library. Redding Language Exchange offers the chance to learn a foreign language from someone who would like to learn more English in exchange. The website Duolingo offers free, online interactive language classes with a variety of languages to choose from. Another fun, free website and app where you can learn a language is LanguageZen.

• Meditation - This relaxation technique is easy, free, and effective. You can find free guided meditations online at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center.

• Adult fitness classes - City of Redding Recreation offers different fitness classes every season such as martial arts and yoga, more information in the online activity guide.

• Find more things to do - Visit the Family Friendly Things To Do page on the Visit Redding California website for a comprehensive list of activities in the area.