We all had tons of hobbies when we were kids: soccer, ballet, guitar, maybe even something like chess or trivia. But as we get older—and spend more time tending to obligations like work and family—these hobbies often fade away. When you find yourself with a spare hour or weekend, you may even find yourself wondering: Hey, what do I like doing, anyway? In later decades, you might not want to return to the super athletic pastimes of your youth—but that doesn't mean you're limited in what you can do. Here, experts share the easiest, most fun hobbies you can pick up without ever leaving the house.
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1 | Cardmaking
Cunaplus_M.Faba / iStockIf you find yourself drawn to creative hobbies, give cardmaking a try. All you need to get started is paper and a few art supplies.
"Cardmaking can be a hobby you invest more money into as you spend more time on it and learn how to make watercolor cards, embossed cards, and cards made from stamps," says Olivia Dreizen Howell, certified life coach and clinical hypnotherapist who specializes in fresh starts.
Plus, once you're done making your cards, you can fill them with thoughtful notes and send them to friends and family. "Community care is self-care, so spend some time making cards and showering the people you love with love," she adds.
2 | Beading
Dragon Images / ShutterstockBeading is a hobby that can take on many forms, from making beads yourself to creating jewelry to forming images from your beads.
"It's a perfect hobby to do without leaving home, and the joy lies not just in creating beautiful pieces but in the meditative state of flow during the creative process, the empowerment of personal decision-making, and the thrill of self-expression," says Jamie Yoshida, owner of The Bead Gallery, Honolulu, and a jewelry designer, maker, and teacher.
Head to a local beading or jewelry-making store or pick up a kit online to get started.
3 | Pottery
CandyRetriever / iStockYou don't need to drive to a studio to try this hobby. There are online kits you can buy that have all the supplies and instructions you need—and you'll be amazed by what you can create without a professional pottery wheel.
Samantha Wolfson Hoff, founder of Pottery With a Purpose, enjoys this activity because it's hands-on, tactile, and immersive. "When something requires focus, and my hands are busy or dirty, it helps anchor me to the present moment and quiet my mind," she says.
4 | Scrapbooking
iStockThis is another artistic hobby you can pick up with minimal effort. "Scrapbooking is a wonderful hobby you can begin at home and a fantastic way to reuse old books, magazines, and photos to create art," says Dreizen Howell.
You can create scrapbooks using old family photos or go the collage route and make a page a day using small mementos and images that inspire you. Add a handwritten note to each scrapbook page for a personal touch.
5 | Reading
iStock / ZinkevychYou might think you're simply not a reader—but have you ever tried reading purely for fun?
"The trick with reading as a hobby is that you need to read books that you're excited to read—not for work or parenting, but books that take you places, or make you think, or about a topic you're really passionate about," says Dreizen Howell.
The hobby has lots of pros. "It is very low cost (hello, libraries), and you can use a platform like GoodReads.com to connect with other readers and share your reading recommendations," she adds.
Find a book you can't put down, and you'll be shocked by how it inspires you to pick up a second one when you're done. If you want to make this more of an interactive hobby, join a virtual book club. Having people to hold you accountable—and to gossip with about the main characters—could make a world of difference.
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6 | Cooking or Baking
iStock / Irina TaskovaCooking and baking are other hobbies that might seem stressful if you're only doing them because you need to. Rather than trying this hobby on a Monday or Tuesday night—when you're simply trying to get something on the table—dedicate a Saturday afternoon to baking decorated sugar cookies or seasoning a roast.
"With the beauty of the internet, you can find millions of recipes in an instant and order the ingredients to be delivered right to your door," says Dreizen Howell. "Try your hand at baking bread or cookies, or experiment with cuisines from different cultures." The opportunities are endless when it comes to ways to develop this hobby.
