The Ultimate Guide to Enjoyable Hobbies for Moms

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

It’s Friday night about five o’clock and your thoughts are preoccupied with what to cook for dinner. You look up startled as you realize that you have an entire weekend ahead of you with NO PLANS. You remember a recent conversation with friends about hobbies for moms. 

Your immediate thought is “Hobbies-what are those?”

Or maybe you love scrapbooking or yoga or reading, but you don’t seem to ever have enough time to pursue your hobbies.

Are hobbies just not your thing?  Some of us are compulsively task-oriented and have never quite understood the allure of hobbies.

Nonetheless, an important part of the transition into an empty nest household is to find new interests to take the place of childrearing.

Can’t remember what you like to do?  Think back to when you were ten years old and quickly write brainstorm a list of all the things you liked to do when you were ten years old. 

Why ten?  Because that is when we were most our authentic self. Before someone told us that our interests were not “cool” and before our likes and dislikes were influenced by others.

Hidden in your list are clues to the activities that make you light up like a Christmas tree. 

Meeting new friends is high on the list of goals for most women. The best way to do this is through shared activities because you are more likely to meet those with common interests.

With some research, many different leisure pursuits were unearthed. Since the dictionary defines a hobby as an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure, this guide will include a wide array of options. Pick one and try something new this week!

Are These Common Hobbies Your Jam?

Common hobbies, like reading, can become a bit more enticing if you add a bit of a twist. Have you ever thought of coordinating a group of people and starting a book club ?  

Reading is more enjoyable when followed by a discussion. You also learn about the many new books when you employ the collective tastes of multiple readers. 

Sewing is a more traditional pursuit. What about sewing for a cause?  For instance, faith and community groups often get together to sew pillowcases for foster children. This is just one option where you can contribute sewing skills for the greater good. 
Gardening as a hobby is an interest shared by many. What about starting a local community garden?  Or growing fruits and vegetables to donate to a local food pantry?

Don’t have enough yard space for gardening? Aquaponics  offers a unique approach to diy organic gardening. Container gardening or growing indoor herb gardens are two options worth investigating. 

If you like to get your hands dirty, have you thought of growing grapes or learning winemaking? If nothing else, researching the perfect bottle of wine should be fun. 

If you loved building dollhouses as a child and you enjoy gardening, creating a DIY outdoor fairy garden sounds like a magical time.

Missing all those memories of raising your kids? It’s time to relive those memories and scrapbooking is a great way to do so. If you have not put an album together in a long time, be sure to check out all of the new options in the digital scrapbooking world and possibly hone your photography skills.

Do you like to collect things?  There are whole communities built around doll collecting, art collecting, and antiques. This is a hobby that can become an avid interest.

Are you an avid fan of the arts?  Famous painter, Grandma Moses did not start painting until her seventies. Let her be your inspiration to pick up those brushes and start painting. 

Maybe jewelry making or playing an instrument grab your interest more. From the comfort of your own home, you can learn to play the guitar.

Have you always wanted to learn to sing? You’ve probably invested thousands of dollars in lessons to develop the talents of your children. Now might be the time to take those singing lessons for yourself.

If you spent hours drawing in a coloring book as a child, you might want to develop your drawing skills with drawing lessons. 

Who says you’re too old to color anymore?  Check out these adult coloring books for women and colored pencils. 

Have you always wanted to learn a new language? There’s no time like the present!

If you’ve dreamed about writing the Great American Novel, start typing up that outline. Writing is a hobby that you can pursue in many different formats. 

Journal writing with prompts is a great way to get the creative juices flowing. I really want this Wonder Woman Journal and Empowering Journal Prompt Cards – how about you?

Of course, taking a blogging course on how to start a blog is a great idea if you want to apply your writing skills. Blogging is an interesting hobby choice because it allows you to pair your writing skills with your other interests. Many bloggers blog about their hobbies. 

Unusual Hobbies for Moms Who Need to Get a Life

Perhaps your attitude toward all the usual hobbies is “been there, done that.” It’s time to explore some new options.

A while back, I was watching a television drama and the main character had a most unusual way to relieve stress- knife throwing! Now I’ve heard of target practice, but this was all new to me and I sat up in my seat. Tell me more. 

Knife throwing is becoming a rather popular past time and a quick Google search shows that knife throwing facilities are popping up in most major metropolitan areas.

While we are on the topic of blades, are you wondering what is fencing?  Fencing is a great hobby that has the added benefit of providing physical exercise. Fencing studios are in many neighborhoods and this seems like an excellent choice for someone who wants to marry an interest in history with a need to get fit.

Did anyone else spend countless childhood hours trying to get a hula hoop to balance?  

Hula hooping is another craze that takes time to master and will get you in shape fast. It also sounds like a great way to get in touch with your inner child.

If your interests are more sedate, use your new found time to research your genealogy. You never know-you might find out that you are related to royalty! 

If you are a dog lover, you might want to adopt a pure-breed animal and pursue dog showing. Along with dog breeding, this is an all consuming interest where you can join whole communities interested in association. Many turn to dog breeding and dog training as a means of income, as well. 

Do you like to go exploring for treasure?  Either metal detecting or geocaching might be for you. Both involve hunting for treasure and get you up and moving around. Geocaching is like an adult scavenger hunt.

If you would like to find a deal, thrifting is a great way to spend a day. Other people’s castoffs might be worthy or upcycling by you. On the other hand, you might just like the thrill of the hunt. Collectors also usually find most of their pieces through thrifting.

Was dress-up your favorite thing to do as a child?  Have you read every fantasy book or watched every Marvel movie that comes out? Cosplay is a modern hobby that might just be your thing. This is another hobby that has a community of fellow enthusiasts with conferences and events to attend. It sounds like a great way to meet people. 

Sometimes Outdoor Hobbies Provide Vitamin Sea

Many empty nester moms are given the advice to engage in self-care and they don’t even know what that means. One of the key ideas of self-care is to get out in nature. There is something about being outside in nature that is simply a tonic for the soul.

For this reason, pursuing hobbies that get you outdoors have some added benefits. 

One of the most obvious ideas is becoming a runner. It seems like every community has a local 5k race or marathon to participate in throughout the year. There is even a great site that will take you from the couch to half-marathon in no time. 

Running allows you to participate with or without others, get fit, find a new hobby, and potentially raise money for charities through 5k events. Does it get any better than that?

Bike riding is another hobby that might also align with some of your childhood interests. If you are a real outdoorsy type, explore mountain biking for more challenging options.

A woman near me started a meetup group called No Woman Left Behind. I love this name because it evokes women supporting other women. 

Considering that it is a hiking club, it’s also a great reminder to help each hiker get up that mountain! Hiking is an excellent way to explore all of the natural wonders of your particular region of the country.

Camping is the quintessential outdoor hobby. What about coordinating a camping group just for women?  The Sisters on the Fly did just that! Add in kayaking and fishing and you will have plenty of hobbies to keep you busy.

These women insist that you can learn to surf at 50. Surfing definitely provides a shot of Vitamin Sea to take all of your cares away.

Lively & Active Hobbies Get You Moving

My mother keeps telling me that if you don’t move it, you’ll lose it. I like to think that by now I’ve finally figured out that my mom is ALMOST always right about everything. Hmmm…might be a good idea to start listening to her.

Active hobbies are great options precisely because they get you up and moving. You might want some novel approaches to a more active life.

Midlife is not when most people take up bodybuilding as a hobby. Not only do women in their 40’s, 50’s and beyond become bodybuilders, but many become bodybuilding competitors past age 40. This video is a reminder that it is never too late to get the body you want!

If something a bit more genteel is more your style, ballroom dancing is the perfect choice for fans of dance competition shows. Most locales have classes in ballroom dancing for beginners and they encourage students to come without a partner. 

Also, once you gain some skills, many studios host social dances which provide an opportunity to meet new friends. Waltz, Tango, Merengue, Salsa dancing-which one do you want to learn first?

Tap dancing is another form of dance that many enjoy. Belly Dancing is an effective way to tighten those stomach muscles, explore another culture, and provide some novel stimulation for your mind. Try it-you might like it!

In an effort to achieve optimal health, many pursue mindfulness and improved balance. Tai chi and yoga are two activities that can help. 

The health benefits of tai chi are well known and you will find that your local parks and recreation center usually has both tai chi and yoga classes on offer.

Archery is another option that you might not realize is a popular hobby with many different ways to get involved. 

Ultimate Frisbee even has a master’s division for women over age 45 who want to compete in the sport.

Another sport with a competitive master’s division is swimming. If you were once a competitive swimmer, or just wanted to be, it might be time to pursue the sport once again. 

If you love horses and have always dreamed of being an equestrian, there are many different aspects of equestrianism to explore. Besides dressage, riding, show jumping, and show vaulting, reining is an interesting pursuit. In reining, riders guide their horses through a precise pattern of spins, circles, and stops.

Be Bold-Try Some Adventure Hobbies

If you have a bit of the adventurer in you, go forth and explore! Have you always wanted to try backpacking?  You might even want to join a trip with the Backcountry Babes.

When you were five years old, were you the Queen of the Jungle Gym?  Then rock climbing might be your thing! Although climbing someplace like Joshua Tree National Park in California is ideal, you will find many indoor rock climbing gyms in most locales.

Traveling is the ideal adventurous hobby. Don’t have anyone to go with?  Don’t let that stop you! Sit down and write that bucket list and get going! Get inspired by one woman’s solo trip around the world. 

Find Your Tribe By Connecting With YOUR People

After reading this guide, the words, “I just don’t know what to do with myself now that the kids are grown” should never cross your lips ever again! Whether your interests are rather tame to the truly adventure-seeking, there is a hobby for everyone.

Follow your curiosity. Find the one thing that you would like to learn more about and challenge yourself to take one action this week to get going. What could those actions possibly look like?

• Google local dance studios to identify ballroom dancing lesson schedules
• Start  a course on aquaponics and learn how to do it
• Buy a book on container gardening and start your research
• Sign-up for a free Meetup Account and find a local hiking group
• Corral your friends and start a new book club
• Investigate your local parks and recreation class offerings
• Consider joining or deepening your participation in your faith community
• Check the events offered at your local library
• The next time you are invited to try something new….GO

As a final action item, as you progress in your journey towards personal reinvention, it’s important to network with other women sharing your experiences. You are enthusiastically invited to join the Act 2 Mom Facebook group. We are a community of moms with an (almost) empty nest actively in pursuit of a spectacular Second Act. Come join us!

In the blog comments, please share your favorite hobby and why you love it! You might spark a new idea for another Act 2 Mom.

Hobbies for moms merely represent the first stepping stone on your journey towards reinventing yourself. 

Sharing is caring!