Everyone needs a hobby – something undertaken during one’s own personal time for either pleasure or relaxation. It does not matter what type of hobby you may have as there are many benefits to engaging in such activities. Outside of the physical, mental, emotional, and creative benefits that having a hobby can provide to make one’s life meaningful, it can also evolve to become helpful life skills, long-term passions, and even careers. Ever wondered why you are required to list your hobbies on a resumé? Well, it is because these pastimes help you to become a more well-rounded person and give prospective employers an idea about how you spend your time and what additional skills you may have.
If you do not have a hobby, it is advised that you get one as soon as possible as it is never too late to learn something new. Confused about which hobby to take up? Below are 500 creative hobby ideas picked by us that are tailored to the needs of different people. You can try as many as possible before settling on a particular one that sticks.
List of Hobbies For Different Kinds of People
1. Hobbies For Men
Basketball | Powerlifting | Hatchet Throwing | Surfing |
Football | Board Games | Skeet Shooting | Antiquing |
Soccer | Hunting | Paragliding | Dog Training |
Fishing | Shooting Guns | Break Dancing | Flying Discs (Frisbees) |
Mixed Martial Arts | Beer Tasting | Cliff Diving | Car Tuning |
Knife Making | Knife Throwing | Adventure Running | Woodworking |
Learning Survival Skills | Base Jumping | Rock Climbing | Radio-controlled Model Playing |
Fencing | Racquetball | Barbecuing | Storm Chasing |
Hookah Smoking | Beat Boxing | Leatherworking | Whittling |
Reviewing Gadgets | Bouldering | Bowling | Audiophile |
Grilling | Rocketry | Investing | Tattooing |
Body Building | Off-Roading | Skateboarding | Car Racing |
Landscaping | Sculpting Stone | Wet Shaving | Fantasy Sports |
As you would expect, the most popular hobbies for men are those that demand some sort of physical activity. Among them, there are a few that can be done indoors while others are for the outdoors, like Base Jumping, Cliff Diving, Paragliding, etc. The table above contains hobbies that do not quite require you to spend money while others are likely to cost a pretty penny. All in all, picking a hobby from this list is certain to make your life much better than it already is.
2. Hobbies For Women
Finger Painting | Hand Crafting | Journaling | Photography |
Aerobics | Exercising | Dancing | Videography |
Blogging | Shopping | Scrapbooking | Listening to Music |
Creative Writing | Beauty Pageants | Making Candles | Playing Instruments |
Fruit Picking | Sewing | Social Media | Embroidery |
Cheerleading | Crocheting | Pottery | Calligraphy |
Cooking | Interior Designing | Wood Carving | Flower Arrangement |
Singing | Jewelry Designing | Cycling | Swimming |
Acting | Cake Decorating | Running | Yoga |
Painting | Coloring | Gymnastics | Marketing |
In a world where women are able to do almost anything that men can do, there are no more hobbies that are gender-specific. However, those roles that include cooking and sewing which were traditionally proportioned to women have today become a hobby for many while others would rather remain bored than have themselves do them. Regardless of which side of the aisle you may find yourself in, the list above certainly has a thing or two that will interest you and lead you to live a healthy and happy life.
3. Hobbies For Kids
Drawing | Learning | Felting | Knitting |
Video Gaming | Kite Flying | Tapestry | Flying Disc |
Hula Hooping | Jumping Rope | Quilting | Software Skills |
Origami | Gardening | Astronomy | Meteorology |
Binge Watching | Dog Walking | Scientific Experiments | Animal Caring |
Handprint Craft | Yo-Yoing | Drama Club/Acting | Puppet Shows |
Crochet | Cycling | Board Games | Comic Book Art |
Playing Musical Instruments | Collecting Comic Books | Collecting Rocks | Playing with Toys and Dolls |
Reading | Camping | Karting | Pencil Sketching |
Sports | Cooking | Scouting | Zoo Visiting |
One of the best things you can do for your child is to get him or her to have a hobby very early in life. Doing so will enhance their thinking skills and shape their personality by helping them become confident, self-reliant, and independent. It can also be the start of a potential future career (sporting and science-related hobbies) if nurtured appropriately. A parent must however be very careful when helping their children select a hobby. You must understand that children tend to imitate their elders. You must then make sure that you can generate their interest by setting a good personal example. Due to this, our editors have made sure to include hobbies that not just children can do alone but those that can be done with their parents or indeed the whole family.
4. Hobbies For Couples
Yoga | Volunteering | Badminton | Hiking |
Acroyoga | Dog Walking | Tennis | Squash |
Bowling | Picnicking | People Watching | Scrabble |
Pottery | Mountaineering | Camping | Cooking |
Zumba | Road Trips | DIY | Star Gazing |
Wine Tasting | Ballroom Dancing | Learning Foreign Languages | Salsa Dancing |
Cheese Tasting | Cosplaying | Sailing | Canoeing |
Hosting Dinner Parties | Homesteading | Snorkeling | Playing Cards |
Rock Climbing | Meditating | Star Gazing | Recipe Creation |
Tie-Dying | Visiting Museums | Renovating | Touring Wineries |
Relationship experts/coaches advise that couples should try to do things together in order for them to have a healthy and multifaceted relationship. Other than watching Netflix or attending events together, enjoying a hobby with your partner is a great way to keep things going and keep the spark alive as you continue to learn about each other.
5. Hobbies That Make Money
Acting | Painting | Winemaking | Art Collecting |
Filmmaking | Make-Up | Welding | Painting |
Public Speaking | Farming | Pole Dancing | Decorating |
Bartending | Public Speaking | Stripping | Cooking |
Babysitting | Singing/Rapping | Sewing | Confectionery |
Car Fixing and Building | Reselling Garage Sale Items | Playing the Stock Market | Becoming a Fitness Instructor |
Construction | Shoemaking | Hacking | Herp keeping |
DJing | Soapmaking | Gunsmithing | Graphic Designing |
Fashion Designing | Writing Music | Furniture Building | Programming |
Photography | Woodworking | Wood Carving | Coding |
Professional Gaming | Professional Driving | Stand-Up Comedy | Catering |
Gambling | Jewelry Making | Refereeing | Handywork |
Confucius once said that if you “choose a job you love, you will never have to work a day in your life.” People who have been able to turn their hobbies into very lucrative careers have lived fulfilled lives. Such people did not originally set out to turn their hobbies into a money-making venture, however, due to how passionate they became about it, they were able to turn it into a career. This is one of the advantages having a hobby can do to you.
6. Hobbies For People 60+ Years Old
Memory Training | Playing Board Games | Coin Collecting | Record Collecting |
Gardening | Upholstery | Whale Watching | Terrarium Making |
Farming | Golfing | Butterfly Watching | Cloud Watching |
Fishing | Wood Burning | Bird Watching | Trainspotting |
Caring for a Pet | Becoming a Cigar Aficionado | Traveling in a Recreational Vehicle | Doing Charitable Work |
Meteorology | Astrology | Taxidermy | Cartography |
Graphology | Palm Reading | Deltiology | Cryptography |
Bee Keeping | Flower Growing | Antiquing | Writing |
Fitness Activities | Puzzles | Book Reading | Genealogy |
Adult Learning | Participating in Community Groups | Learn to Play a Musical Instrument | Become a Mentor |
As earlier stated, hobbies can help you feel happier and healthier. It is then particularly more important that older people who most likely are in retirement take up a hobby in order to keep themselves both physically and mentally active. The National Institute on Aging reports that older adults who only socialize and do not engage in cognitively demanding activities had more memory issues than those who learned some sort of skill. What other motivation do you need to learn a hobby if you fall into this age bracket?
7. List of Outdoor Hobbies
Fossil Hunting | Insect Collecting | Magnet Fishing | Metal Detecting |
Fossicking | Ghost Hunting | Noodling | Graffiti |
Parkour | Longboarding | Stone Collecting | Seashell Collecting |
Rock Balancing | Gold Prospecting | Shopping | Slacklining |
Rafting | Mountain Biking | Motor Sports | Skydiving |
Sculling | Zoo Visiting | Stone skipping | Sledding |
Sunbathing | Mazes | Treasure Hunting | Mushroom Hunting |
Geocaching | Kite Surfing | Wind Surfing | Tree Climbing |
Parachuting | Glamping | Urban Exploration | Topiary |
Scuba Diving | Canyoneering | Crabbing | Snowboarding |
Outdoor hobbies are usually activities that entail some form of physical movement which on its own has plenty of benefits. Other advantages of having to perform activities outside include consuming more oxygen which releases serotonin in your brain and allows the body to function using less effort. Blood pressure, digestion, and immunity are other things that are improved by going outside.
8. List of Indoor Hobbies
Reading | Calligraphy | Ceramics | Fish Keeping |
Research | Ant-keeping | Sculpting | Lock Picking |
Learning | Shogi | Floristry | Lace Making |
Billiards | Pool | 3D Printing | Jam Making |
Chess | Poker | Knapping | Chocolate Making |
Curling | Marbles | Lapidary | Art Collecting |
Darts | Magic | Speedcubing | Record Collecting |
Debates | Coffee Roasting | Podcasting | Stamp Collecting |
Dominoes | Book Clubs | Scrapbooking | Book Collecting |
Laser Tag | Eating | Pinochle | Coin Collecting |
Being unable to go outside should not limit anyone from having a hobby as there are plenty more things you could do within the confines of your home with a roof over your head and still have a happy and healthy life. Hobbies like playing chess or pool are even perfectly suited for a number of people to participate in together either in the day or at night. Others are:
- Speedcubing is a sport that has participants trying to solve a variety of combination puzzles (3x3x3 puzzle or Rubik’s Cube) as quickly as they can.
- Known as the Japanese variant of chess, Shogi which means the Game of Generals or General’s Board Game, is a two-player strategy board game. It is believed by many to be a more difficult game than chess because players can use an opponent’s captured piece as their own.
- Played by two or more players using a 48-card pack consisting of two of each card from nine to ace, Pinochle is a trick-taking, Ace-Ten card game derived from the bezique card game. Players here score points by trick-taking and also by forming combinations of cards into melds.
9. Expensive Hobbies
Yacht Racing | Speedboat Racing | Collecting Art | Hunting |
Ice Sculpting | Flying a Plane | Collecting Cars | Classic Car Restoration |
Country Clubbing | Car Racing | Collecting Antiques | Horseback Riding |
Shopping | Drone Racing | Collecting Records | High Stakes Poker |
Trapshooting | Astronomy | Collecting Exotic Pets | Stock Trading |
Hot Air Ballooning | Home Aquaria | Bobsledding | Paintballing |
Gym Membership | Collecting Succulents | Winemaking | Photography |
Polo | Golf | Archery | Gaming |
Cooking | Producing Music | Collecting Sneakers | Collecting Baseball Cards |
Collecting Stamps | Collecting Coins | Model Rockets | Model Trains |
Expensive hobbies will definitely cost you a significant amount of money, however, they are usually more satisfying than those that are cheaper because there is no limit to the thrill and enjoyment you will get when you are willing to spend huge amounts of money.
Take for example yacht racing which is one of the most expensive hobbies on this list. Yachts are expensive to own or even hire, and you would also need a trained crew to participate which will cost some money. But if you have very deep pockets, the ocean immediately turns around to be a playing field.
10. Cheap Hobby Ideas
DIY | Playing Board Games | Discovering New Music | Attending Free Community Events |
Practice Meditation | Playing Card Games | Teach Yourself a New Language | Explore your Neighborhood |
Surf the Internet | Play Free Online Games | Take Free Online Quizzes | Try To Set a New World Record |
Listen to Podcasts | Learn Sign Language | Learn a Foreign Language | Caligraphy |
Start a Blog | Start Vlogging | Learn Computer Programming | Start a Club with Your Friends |
Watch Documentaries | Become a Reviewer on Amazon or Yelp | Become an Editor on Wikipedia | Start People Watching |
Reading | Running | Try Geocaching | Become a Mentor |
Upcycling | Gardening | Ferment Wine | Volunteering |
Restore Furniture | Fostering Animals | Camping | Flower Pressing |
Dumpster Diving | Gold Panning | Couponing | Thrift Shop Flipping |
There is a wide belief that hobbies are generally too expensive to embark on. We have however come up with a list of cheap hobbies that you can do without putting yourself in financial ruin. After all, the perfect hobby is one that allows you to tap into some of your energy and creativity without you having to spend a fortune.
11. Creative Hobbies and Hobby Ideas
Punch Needling | Cross Stitching | Making Art From Seeds or Beads | Making Foral Crowns |
Resin | Lego | Performing Improv | Perspective Drawing |
Polymer Clay | Decoupage | Vector Art | Urban Sketching |
Relief Printing | 3D Printing | Glass Etching | Figure Drawing |
Rubber Stamps | Photo Manipulation | Glass Art | Acrylic Pour |
Screen Printing | Animation | CGI Art | Gouache |
Doll Houses | Digital Painting | Carving Bones | Pastels |
Miniatures | Shadow Boxes | Metal Embossing | Spray Paint |
Doll Making | Soap Carving | Makeup Art | Irish Dancing |
Concrete Crafts | Linocut | Nail Art | Doing Puzzles |
Our creative hobbies list is full of very challenging pastimes. A number of the hobbies here can lead to careers but the most important thing is that they are fulfilling.
12. Hobbies For Disabled Adults
Adaptive Snowshoeing | Horseback Riding or Hippotherapy | Wheelchair Basketball | Cycling on Modified Bikes |
Flying Planes | Gardening | Adaptive Golf | Paddling |
Hunting | Geocaching | Sitting Volleyball | Snow Skiing |
Fishing | Solving Puzzles | Swimming | Tennis |
Mountain Climbing | Scuba Diving | Bird Watching | Table Tennis |
Scrapbooking | Volunteer Work | Weightlifting | Visual Art |
Playing Softball | Participating in Church Activities | Learning New Languages | Collecting Memorabilia |
Reading | Baking | Painting | Sewing |
Caring for a Pet | Genealogy | Journaling | Astronomy |
Crafting | DIY | Photography | Home Brewing |
All across the world, disabled people have done great things in different fields and concentrations because they did not let their physical challenges stop them from achieving greatness. In that same spirit, being disabled should not stop anyone from having and enjoying a hobby. These hobbies (mostly sports-related) can be the same as those enjoyed by able-bodied people while others may have to be adapted or modified to accommodate the challenges facing the disabled. Take for example Adaptive Snowshoeing, a sport considered to be tranquil and can be enjoyed in the outdoors. It is best suited for those with ambulatory disabilities.
Other hobbies can also be therapeutic, like hippotherapy – a physical, occupational, or speech and language therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement.
Conclusion
The advantages of having a hobby can never be overstated as it can have a serious impact on your quality of life. Depending on what hobby you decide to take up and the career you have, the skills you gain as a result of your hobby can make you better at your job or more attractive to an employer.
If you do not have a hobby, now is the time to take up one regardless of how old you might be. There are a few things you should, however, consider before settling on a particular hobby.
1. Pick a hobby that is similar to something that you already enjoy doing.
2. Think about those things that you used to enjoy doing before your responsibilities began to pile up.
3. Ensure that your hobby does not turn out to be a chore by picking something that appeals to your own unique strengths, interests, and personality characteristics.
4. Do not limit yourself to one hobby. Try a couple and see which one sticks.