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Learn to Play!

Bored? Lonely? Find inspiration for a new hobby.

Are you a recovering perfectionist in need of a challenge? Maybe you want to make new friends and don't know where to start. Or perhaps you just feel stuck in a rut of all work and no play.

 

Challenge yourself to try something new and re-discover how to play purely for fun rather than to be 'productive.' 

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Explore the Hobby List below to find inspiration. Some of the suggestions might appeal to you. 

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As you look through the options, ask yourself: Is there anything you'd like to try but are afraid that you'll look frivolous/stupid/selfish? Is there something you used to enjoy as a child but haven't thought about in years? What terrifies you on this list, and what could you learn by facing that fear? Could you enjoy something despite not being very good at it? Are you put off because you think you're the wrong gender for this activity?

Balls

The Hobby List

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Variable

Beekeeping

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

High

Can be very rewarding but isn't for everyone.

Alone

Embroidery and cross stitch

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Medium

Dexterity required

Group

Soccer

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Outdoors

Group

Low

Low to intense physical movement.

Alone

Making miniatures

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Location:
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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Medium

Some dexterity required

Variable

Home brewing

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Location:
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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Cosy home

At home

Variable

Variable

Open to all

Alone

Origami

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Location:
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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Low

Dexterity required

Alone

Quilting

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Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Medium

Dexterity required

Variable

Cycling

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Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Outdoors

Variable

Variable

Moderate to high physical movement

Variable

Cheesemaking

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Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Cosy home

At home

Variable

Low

Open to all

Variable

Fishing

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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Medium

Variable. Some sitting or standing likely, but accommodations very easy.

Group

Clowning

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Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

Indoors

Group

Medium

Open to all

Partner required

Pickleball, Tennis, Badminton

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Location:
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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Outdoors

Partner required

Low

Moderate to intense physical movement. Some dexterity required but modifications available, depending on the sport.

Alone

Home repairs / DIY / wood work

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Cosy home

At home

Alone

Variable

Requires dexterity

Variable

Canoeing / kayaking

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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Variable

Sitting required

Variable

Sword fighting

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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Variable

Medium

Moderate to vigorous physical activity

Group

Gardening, community

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Location:
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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Group

Variable

Open to all with adaptations

Group

Join a marching band

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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Music and performance

Variable

Group

Variable

Requires the ability to play an instrument well!

Alone

Weightlifting

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Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Alone

Variable

Low to intense physical movement.

Group

Boxing

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Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Group

Medium

Intense physical movement

Variable

Dancing, partnered

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Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Variable

Medium

Moderate to high physical movement with standing

Alone

Knitting

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Location:
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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Low

Dexterity required

Group

Join a band

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Location:
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Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Music and performance

Indoors

Group

Variable

Variable

Group

Double Dutch/Jump Rope

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Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Outdoors

Group

Low

Vigorous physical activity

Variable

Horse riding

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Medium

Moderate to vigorous physical activity

Alone

Electronic repairs

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Variable

Dexterity likely required

Group

Improv and Standup Comedy

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

Indoors

Group

Medium

Open to all

Variable

Dancing, choreographed

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Variable

Medium

Moderate to high physical movement with standing

Alone

Gardening, home and allotments

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Alone

Variable

Open to all with adaptations

Alone

Photography

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

Outdoors

Alone

Variable

Open to all with adaptions

Alone

Dancing, online class

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

At home

Alone

Low

Moderate to high physical movement with standing

Variable

Dancing, improvised

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Variable

Medium

Moderate to high physical movement with standing

Alone

Creative writing

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all

Group

Dungeons & Dragons

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

Indoors

Group

Low

Open to all, with potentially some long periods of sitting but accommodations easily available.

Group

Board Games

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Group

Low

Open to all

Group

Volunteering with animals

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

Indoors

Group

Low

Open to all, with adaptations for allergies

Alone

Bonsai

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

At home

Alone

High

May involve some dexterity

Variable

Geocaching

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Low

Requires ability to move outdoors and ability to navigate with a GPS

Group

Singing

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Music and performance

Indoors

Group

Low

Open to all

Partner required

Bridge

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Partner required

Low

Open to all

Variable

Theater, going and ushering

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Music and performance

Indoors

Variable

Low

Open to all

Group

Bowling

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Group

Low

Gentle physical movement

Alone

Calligraphy, in any writing system

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Low

Dexterity required

Variable

Dog training and agility

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

Outdoors

Variable

Variable

Open to all, as long as you have a dog!

Alone

Rock balancing/stacking

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Alone

Low

Requires being able to get to a place where there are stones/rocks. Rocks can be of any size so physical strength is not necessarily a barrier.

Partner required

Indoor climbing

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Partner required

Medium

Moderate to intense physical movement and dexterity

Alone

Collecting

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Variable

Open to anyone

Alone

Tool Restoration

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Variable

Requires some dexterity

Group

Cosplay

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

Indoors

Group

Medium

Open to all. Explicitly gender-queer friendly.

Alone

Baking, cakes or bread

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Cosy home

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all

Variable

Bird Watching

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Medium

Might involve standing or sitting still

Alone

Lego

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Medium

Open to all with adaptations

Alone

Paint and/or draw

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all. Possible to stand or sit.

Group

Volunteering with young people

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

Outdoors

Group

Low

Open to all with adaptions

Variable

Sailing

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

High

Physical activity. Some dexterity and balance maybe required but modifications available.

Group

Roller Derby

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Group

Medium

Intense physical movement.

Alone

Sculpture and other art forms

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

Indoors

Alone

Low

Dexterity required. Standing or sitting.

Alone

Genealogy

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all

Variable

Fixing up cars/bikes

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

Outdoors

Variable

Variable

Dexterity required.

Alone

Coding

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all

Group

Martial Arts

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Group

Low

Low to intense physical movement. Standing required in most cases.

Variable

Golf

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Medium

Physical movement with standing required.

Variable

Darts

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

Indoors

Variable

Low

Some standing and some dexterity required

Partner required

Wild swimming

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Partner required

Low

Low to intense physical movement.

Group

Theater, community

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Music and performance

Indoors

Group

Low

Open to all

Alone

Lock picking

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Low

Dexterity required

Alone

Zines / comics / graphic novels

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all

Alone

Sewing/tailoring

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Variable

Dexterity required.

Alone

Jewelry making

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Medium

Requires dexterity

Group

Cornhole / boules / pétanque / lawn bowling / bocce

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Category:
Location:
Sociability:
Initial Cost:
Accessibility:

Eclectic

Outdoors

Group

Low

Very gentle physical movement

Hot Air Balloons
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