Hobby Generator

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.'

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

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?

Does not require extensive

Dexterity

Standing

Sitting

Baking, cakes or bread

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Cosy home

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all

Beekeeping

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

High

Can be very rewarding but isn't for everyone.

Bird Watching

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Medium

Might involve standing or sitting still

Board Games

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Group

Low

Open to all

Bonsai

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

At home

Alone

High

May involve some dexterity

Bowling

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Group

Low

Gentle physical movement

Boxing

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Group

Medium

Intense physical movement

Bridge

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Partner required

Low

Open to all

Calligraphy, in any writing system

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Low

Dexterity required

Canoeing / kayaking

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Sitting required

Cheesemaking

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Cosy home

At home

Variable

Low

Open to all

Clowning

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

Indoors

Group

Medium

Open to all

Coding

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all

Collecting

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Variable

Open to anyone

Cornhole / boules / pétanque / lawn bowling / bocce

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

Outdoors

Group

Low

Very gentle physical movement

Cosplay

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

Indoors

Group

Medium

Open to all. Explicitly gender-queer friendly.

Creative writing

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all

Cycling

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Outdoors

Variable

Moderate to high physical movement

Dancing, choreographed

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Variable

Medium

Moderate to high physical movement with standing

Dancing, improvised

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Variable

Medium

Moderate to high physical movement with standing

Dancing, online class

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

At home

Alone

Low

Moderate to high physical movement with standing

Dancing, partnered

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Variable

Medium

Moderate to high physical movement with standing

Darts

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

Indoors

Variable

Low

Some standing and some dexterity required

Dog training and agility

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

Outdoors

Variable

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

Double Dutch/Jump Rope

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Outdoors

Group

Low

Vigorous physical activity

Dungeons & Dragons

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

Indoors

Group

Low

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

Electronic repairs

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Variable

Dexterity likely required

Embroidery and cross stitch

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Medium

Dexterity required

Fishing

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Medium

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

Fixing up cars/bikes

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

Outdoors

Variable

Dexterity required.

Gardening, community

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Group

Variable

Open to all with adaptations

Gardening, home and allotments

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Alone

Variable

Open to all with adaptations

Genealogy

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all

Geocaching

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Low

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

Golf

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Medium

Physical movement with standing required.

Home brewing

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Cosy home

At home

Variable

Open to all

Home repairs / DIY / wood work

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Cosy home

At home

Alone

Variable

Requires dexterity

Horse riding

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

Medium

Moderate to vigorous physical activity

Improv and Standup Comedy

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

Indoors

Group

Medium

Open to all

Indoor climbing

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Partner required

Medium

Moderate to intense physical movement and dexterity

Jewelry making

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Medium

Requires dexterity

Join a band

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Music and performance

Indoors

Group

Variable

Join a marching band

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Music and performance

Variable

Group

Variable

Requires the ability to play an instrument well!

Knitting

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Low

Dexterity required

Lego

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Medium

Open to all with adaptations

Lock picking

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Low

Dexterity required

Making miniatures

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Medium

Some dexterity required

Martial Arts

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Group

Low

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

Origami

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Low

Dexterity required

Paint and/or draw

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all. Possible to stand or sit.

Photography

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

Outdoors

Alone

Variable

Open to all with adaptions

Pickleball, Tennis, Badminton

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Outdoors

Partner required

Low

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

Quilting

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Medium

Dexterity required

Rock balancing/stacking

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

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.

Roller Derby

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Group

Medium

Intense physical movement.

Sailing

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Variable

High

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

Sculpture and other art forms

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

Indoors

Alone

Low

Dexterity required. Standing or sitting.

Sewing/tailoring

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Variable

Dexterity required.

Singing

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Music and performance

Indoors

Group

Low

Open to all

Soccer

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Outdoors

Group

Low

Low to intense physical movement.

Sword fighting

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Variable

Medium

Moderate to vigorous physical activity

Theater, community

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Music and performance

Indoors

Group

Low

Open to all

Theater, going and ushering

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Music and performance

Indoors

Variable

Low

Open to all

Tool Restoration

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

At home

Alone

Variable

Requires some dexterity

Volunteering with animals

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

Indoors

Group

Low

Open to all, with adaptations for allergies

Volunteering with young people

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Eclectic

Outdoors

Group

Low

Open to all with adaptions

Weightlifting

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Movement

Indoors

Alone

Variable

Low to intense physical movement.

Wild swimming

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Nature

Outdoors

Partner required

Low

Low to intense physical movement.

Zines / comics / graphic novels

Category:

Location:

Sociability:

Initial Costs:

Accessibility:

Expressive

At home

Alone

Low

Open to all