Between doing chores, running errands, and cleaning up after your kids, being a stay-at-home mom is no doubt one of the world’s hardest jobs. While the cleaning, cooking, and homework helping may seem endless, making time for yourself is important, not only for your own well-being, but your kid’s well-being as well.
As a stay-at-home mom, you have a wide variety of possible hobbies you could take up. What matters most is that your hobbies bring you joy and allow you to come away feeling energized and recharged. This article divides hobbies and activities into different categories, including crafting and DIY hobbies, digital hobbies, outdoor and active hobbies, social hobbies, and educational hobbies.
Hobbies are an avenue for relaxing and destressing while still being productive. You may find that spending just a few hours a week on a hobby will make you feel better physically and mentally. They are also an opportunity to expand your social circle and find other like-minded people whose company you enjoy.
Hobbies for Stay-at-Home Moms
Crafting and DIYs
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Hand Lettering
The art of hand lettering may seem intimidating at first, but it is much easier than it seems. The best part is that you probably have all you need to get started on this hobby right now – with some paper, a pencil, and even just your kid’s markers, you can get started with hand lettering art.
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Bullet Journaling
Not only is it trendy, bullet journaling, but also promotes mental clarity, calmness, and boosts organization and productivity by serving as a customizable all-in-one planner, calendar, journal, and diary. The term bullet journal comes from the use of bullet points to log information and notes in a quick, abbreviated sort of way.
The beauty of bullet journaling comes from its customizability. You can make it as simple or as intricate as you see fit. Use it to track your errands, habits, thoughts, and well-being.
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Crocheting
Unlike knitting which requires 2 needles, crocheting involves the use of only 1 hook, making it much simpler and more portable. Studies have shown that the repetitive motions and patterns that crocheting produces have been shown to have a grounding effect which reduces anxiety.
Crocheting is a relatively low-cost activity that does not require too many materials. The choices for crochet yarn are endless, allowing you to make a variety of different projects. With enough practice, you could even earn money off of your crocheting, by selling your creations at fairs and on online markets.
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Sewing
Sewing can prove to be a rather useful hobby for a stay at home mom. Depending on the type of sewing you plan to take up, you could learn embroidery, cross-stitching, or quilting. You could save quite a bit of money by learning to make your own clothing alterations and repairs, and even learn to make your own clothing.
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Painting
While you may not be the world’s finest artist, painting can help you flex your creative muscles. Art therapy has also been found to lower stress levels and improve mood.
With so many options for paint finishes and mediums, it is also one of the most versatile activities on the list. If you don’t think the canvas is right for you, try your hand at glass painting or create beautiful painted wooden pieces.
Paint-by-numbers kits and adult coloring books are also popular and relatively inexpensive options that allow you to express your inner da Vinci. Nowadays, you’ll find painting kits and adult coloring books in pretty much every single theme possible, from landscapes and animals to florals and even abstract geometrics and mandalas.
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Origami
The Japanese art of paper folding has been shown to have therapeutic and relaxing effects. Origami also helps to improve your focus, mental coordination, and spatial awareness. With practice, origami can become a meditative experience which allows you to feel relaxed and peaceful.
Origami is also easily accessible, low cost, and easily learned by most people. All that you really need to get started is paper, and instructions are easily found on the internet. You can even purchase specialty origami paper from craft stores if you would like.
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Homemade Beauty and Self-Care Products
Making your own lotions, lip-balms, and soaps can be a relaxing and therapeutic experience. It is also rather easy nowadays, to purchase a kit that comes with all the ingredients and supplies you need.
With some experimentation and research into what works for what products, you can make your own products to give away as gifts for your friends and family or just keep for yourself to enjoy.
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Puzzles and Miniature Models
The repetitive nature of putting together a puzzle or following instructions to put together a model can be relaxing and stress relieving for some. The feeling of finishing a jigsaw puzzle or a miniature model can be quite satisfying and fulfilling.
You can even have your puzzles framed and sealed or display your models on shelves around your house. You can easily find all sorts of puzzles and miniatures that you like, and you can even get your older kids involved in the craft.
Digital Hobbies For Stay at Home Moms
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Photography
You don’t need to have a fancy camera to take part in photography. A simple automatic camera or even just your phone camera can let you take stellar photos and preserve beautiful, treasured memories.
Find a photography course that you like online or join a local photography group. Once you get the hang of it, you could even turn your hobby into a sideline by selling your prints or offering photoshoot services for special events.
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Blogging
Running a blog may seem like a challenging and intimidating pursuit, but it is definitely rewarding once you get started. Your blog could be about anything you really enjoy, from fashion, to photography, to books, to gardening, or even just talking and sharing your experiences as a parent.
With so many website building and hosting services available, it can be really easy to create your own blog. Not only does blogging serve as a creative outlet, but a blog also serves as a platform for you to share your passions and interests with the world. You may also find a sense of community with your blog’s audience and among other bloggers with similar interests as you.
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Podcasts
Perhaps the simplest item on the list, podcast listening stimulates different parts of your brain and encourages creativity and learning. Listening to podcasts while you cook, run errands, or do chores can also make rather dull activities more interesting.
Podcasts are one of the most versatile and convenient forms of media and are available on most music streaming platforms. Whether you like crime mysteries, comedy, or history and literature, there will be a podcast out there that you will enjoy.
Outdoor and Active Hobbies for Stay at Home Moms
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Gardening
Studies have shown that gardening promotes mental and physical health. Maintaining a backyard garden provides an opportunity for exercise and vitamin D exposure. If you are new to gardening, you may want to start out with hardy, temperature-tolerant plants that do not cost too much. With a bit of luck and time, you too may soon have a garden of lovely ornamental plants and maybe even some vegetable plants to provide you with the freshest produce possible.
If you do not have access to a backyard or garden, having an indoor container garden or a few houseplants can be just as rewarding. Start with plants that are tolerant of low light and do not require too much watering to survive. Even indoors, watching your plants grow new foliage is a rewarding and exciting experience.
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Hiking
Aside from the obvious health benefits of hiking, being outdoors is an inexpensive way to enjoy nature and remove yourself from the stress of daily life. Hiking has something for everyone, no matter your level of fitness and experience.
Hiking is also an activity that you can get your whole family involved in, and is a great way to teach young children to be respectful and appreciative of wildlife and nature.
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Camping
Camping is an activity which you can share with friends and family or enjoy alone. It is a great way to appreciate nature and learn about wildlife, especially if you bring a nature guidebook and a pair of binoculars along.
While fun, camping can be a bit more of an investment than other outdoor activities. You’ll need to look into good quality tents and sleeping bags as well as other gear that you may need, such as flashlights and a GPS.
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Working Out
Working out improves cardiovascular health, muscle strength, flexibility, and posture among other things. Studies have also found exercise to be beneficial for mental health.
Exercise comes in different forms, depending on your interests and needs. If you want to practice mindfulness and lower your stress levels while working on your physical health, try joining a yoga class. If you prefer to get your heart rate and energy levels up, try following a high-impact cardio or strength training video on YouTube. If you enjoy the social aspects of working out, maybe joining a team sport is right for you.
With all exercise, make sure to keep yourself safe first. Injuries can happen even with the simplest of movements. Make sure to invest in your safety, be it through proper protective gear, or having a trainer with you to guide you through your workouts.
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Cycling
It is true that you never forget how to ride a bike – that’s because skills such as cycling and driving are stored in your procedural memory, which is a type of long-term memory. Even if you haven’t ridden a bike in decades, hopping back on shouldn’t cause any problems.
Not only is it great exercise, riding a bike saves you money on car fuel and parking fees. It is also a relatively gentle exercise that lowers the impact on your knee and ankle joints. Cycling also allows you to cover more ground much faster than you would walking, helping you get where you need to go faster.
Social Hobbies for Stay at Home Mombs
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Volunteering
Giving back to your community by volunteering is one of the most fulfilling hobbies you can partake in. Volunteering helps you stay connected to your community and widens your social circle. For most people, volunteering and helping others invokes a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that helps raise self-confidence and self-esteem.
Most organizations will be more than happy to accept volunteers, so you shouldn’t find it too hard to find a volunteer opportunity that you are passionate about. In this day and age, you can even volunteer from home doing digital work such as data entry, research writing, and virtual assistance.
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Team Sports
While you may not be an Olympic athlete, joining a local sports team can give you great exercise and keep you fit and healthy. By holding you accountable to your teammates, the team gives you a sense of commitment and motivation. Playing sports also improves mood and overall mental health.
Playing games and practices gives you an opportunity to meet individuals from all walks of life with whom you may share common interests, thus expanding your social circle. You may soon enough find yourself hanging out with your teammates outside of your games.
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Book Clubs
If you enjoy reading and engaging in meaningful discussion with others, a book club is a great hobby to have. Aside from the social and learning benefits of a book club, a 2009 study found that even just 6 minutes of reading reduced stress levels and lowered heart rates by 68%.
You can find a local group to join or you can even start hosting your own book club with your friends. Thanks to the internet and the advent of video calling, you can even join international book clubs and learn from people all over the world.
Educational Hobbies for Stay at Home Moms
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Reading
Fiction isn’t just for children. Picking up a novel and reading even just 10 pages a day can give you a chance to stimulate and sharpen your mind. Reading fiction, stimulates your imagination and transports you to new worlds, and has been shown to lower mental and physical stress.
Aside from the entertainment and relaxation benefits that reading brings you, reading is an activity that you can enjoy with your kids. Research has shown that children who grow up in households with books and home libraries have better educational and career outcomes than those growing up in bookless homes.
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Adult Classes
Taking classes and learning as an adult will help you maintain an active mind and open mindset. Maybe it’s polishing off your degree, or working on a skill like photo editing or baking, organizations offering virtual, self-paced courses make adult learning easier than ever.
Some websites partner with universities to offer courses that come with professional certifications, albeit they can be quite pricey. These courses will usually offer you the option to audit courses for free, which essentially allows you access to the same material, just without any certification. Certificate or not, you gain invaluable knowledge and new skills.
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Collecting
Collecting is a hobby that inspires curiosity and creativity. It is only natural that you’ll want to know as much as you can about your collection and want to jump into reading and research about your interests. As you collect, you’ll develop a keener eye for the little details in your collectibles, giving you a greater appreciation for the small joys in life.
Collecting is a wide-ranging and versatile hobby. You could collect almost anything you like, such as postcards and coins from your travels, trinkets and jewelry from antique stores, or things you find around you like stones or seashells. Displayed collections also make great conversation starters for guests.
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Subscription Boxes
While one of the more expensive hobbies on the list, subscription boxes can be a great hobby for stay at home mom. Whether you enjoy fashion, literature, cuisine, or crafting, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a subscription box that interests you.
Many companies offer these subscriptions specifically for starting a hobby, which includes everything you could need to start a project. Others include collectibles or international food items that allow you to explore other cultures from the comfort of your home.
