100+ Hobbies for Moms That Will Make Your Life Fun Again

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Check out this giant list of more than 100 hobbies for moms, and learn why there is no excuse to not have a hobby that you love.

Listen to the audio version of this post below or on The Optimized Mom podcast.

Do you have a hobby, Mama?

I’m not talking about your side hustle. (That’s a job.) I’m also not talking about Netflix and Chill. (That’s passively sitting and staring at a screen.) I’m talking about a real, honest-to-goodness hobby–something active and engaging that you do in your leisure time just for pleasure.

Now, I know you might be laughing, thinking, “leisure time–yeah right.” Maybe you have another objection–that you don’t need a hobby, that a hobby would be too expensive, that it will add unnecessary clutter to your life, or that you have no idea what you’d do.

We can come up with a million reasons why we can’t make enjoying our lives a priority.

What’s the result? We’re stressed, cranky, and…unfulfilled. As one mama wrote to me recently,

I feel like my brain is dying from boredom.

Yikes. Is this you, my friend? You deserve better. Let’s knock out those excuses.

Related: Think Motherhood Is Boring? Try This.

Excuse #1: You don’t need a hobby

I think a lot of us believe that hobbies are for children or retirees. We think that when we’re in this busy season of motherhood, we should spend our time being productive. After all, our children and our homes need care. We often need to make money to help support our families. Keeping all of those balls in the air is exhausting.

Cultivating hobbies though, reminds you that you aren’t defined by your job, whether that’s a job for pay or the job of Mom. A hobby is something just for you, and it refreshes you, relieves stress, and brings you joy.

Depending on the activities you choose, your hobbies might help make you smarter, help you express your creativity, help you make friends and cultivate relationships, or help you maintain your health. That sounds pretty worthwhile, no? (It’s also ok to do things just because they’re fun you enjoy them.)

Oh, and here’s a reminder in case no one has told you lately: You do not need to earn your rest. You are worthy of time for hobbies and fun no matter whether you’ve already completed your to-do list or not.

If these statements feel hard to accept, consider this: I’m pretty sure that you want your kids to be joyful, well-rounded humans. You need to show them with your example that life is beautiful and we’re here to live it.

Excuse # 2: You don’t have time for hobbies

Everyone needs a little time for leisure in their lives, and you, dear Mama, are no exception.

If you truly feel you have no time for leisure, I urge you to look critically at your schedule. We all have 1440 minutes in a day. Are you wasting some of them with activities that aren’t serving you? Could you swap time that you’re currently using to watch television, for instance, and pursue some higher-value leisure instead?

Could you simplify meals, get your family to pitch in more with housework, or wake up a few minutes earlier? Consider keeping a time log to see where your time is actually going and where you might repurpose it.

Need to find a little ‘me time’, Mama? It is my mission to help YOU simplify everything and optimize what’s left so that you have that time. Check out 30 Ways to Add 30 Minutes to Your Day, or one of the many free resources you’ll find in my Mama’s Lounge Subscriber Hub.

You don’t need to devote a ton of time to your hobby, either. As few as ten minutes a day will both feed your soul and ensure that you’re making steady progress.

Related: 50+ Time-Saving Tips for Busy Moms

Excuse #3: You fear hobbies are too expensive

Hobbies don’t have to be expensive, but some are definitely more cost-effective than others. Making smart choices will ensure that your hobby doesn’t eat up too much of the family budget.

When choosing between two similar hobbies, choose the one that requires less expensive materials. Oil painting and sketching will both satisfy your desire to create art, for example, but sketching requires much less in terms of supplies.

When you’re just getting started, resist the temptation to buy all the shiny new things. Purchase only the most basic supplies that you need. When possible, avoid buying supplies at all. Borrow or rent equipment instead, especially until you are sure that the hobby suits you as well as you imagine it will.

When just getting started with a hobby, take advantage of free and cheap resources for instruction. YouTube videos, cheap online courses, and even the good old library are great for learning the basics of a particular subject. As with the equipment, you can upgrade to costlier courses or private instruction after you’ve got the basics down if it turns out you’ve found something you love.

Excuse #4: You think a hobby will create too much clutter

If you have followed me for any length of time, you know how much I HATE clutter. However, hobbies don’t have to lead to clutter in your home.

You don’t need a craft room, art studio, pottery wheel, or garage workshop in order to have a hobby, and having a hobby needn’t mean your house is a cluttered mess.

Your choice of hobby is important if you’re concerned about creating clutter. Some hobbies just need more materials than others. Remember that you can always choose to buy just the bare minimum or borrow/rent equipment to prevent bringing a lot of stuff into your home.

If you’re pursuing a hobby that causes you to create things, see if you can give them as gifts or donate them to charity. Project Linus, for instance matches handmade blankets with children who need them. Send A Smile Today donates handmade cards to patients undergoing cancer treatment.

There are loads of organizations like this that would love to have your handmade items. Google “donate [name of craft]” to get ideas.

Excuse #5: You don’t know what you’d like to do for fun

We mamas often get so out of practice with thinking about ourselves and what we like that we can struggle to come up with hobby ideas.

To brainstorm, I suggest you ask yourself these four questions:

1. What did I love to do as a child that I haven’t thought about in years?
2. What have I always wished I knew how to do?
3. What activity makes me feel jealous when I see others taking part in it?
4. What do I always say I’ll do when I retire?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you ought to have a pretty decent list of activities to draw from. Pick one and get started. (If you’re still struggling, take a look at the list below to see what resonates with you.)

Related: How to Rediscover Yourself After Motherhood

Giant List of Hobbies for Moms

I’ve got all kinds of hobbies here:

• hobbies that are free or cheap and ones that are more expensive
• hobbies that can be done snuggling on your couch and ones that require you to get up and get moving
• hobbies that can be done all by yourself and ones that give you a chance to connect with others.

Although I divided the list into categories to make it easier to read, many of the selections fit in more than one category, so be sure to look at the whole thing.

Skim this list and see what makes you feel excited. Borrow or rent the materials that you need (or buy some inexpensive, basic supplies). Check out free resources on the internet or at the library to learn the basics, and start practicing your new hobby for at least 10 minutes a day. No excuses!!!!

INDOOR HOBBIES FOR MOMS

• Reading
• Joining a book club
• Doing jigsaw puzzles
• Doing crossword puzzles 
• Doing sudoku
• Mastering a new language
• Playing cards
• Playing board games
• Performing card or coin tricks
• Throwing darts
• Doing trivia contests
• Collecting things
• Taking an online class
• Playing billiards
• Making balloon animals
• Genealogy
• Cooking
• Baking
• Cake decorating
  

• Canning
• Pickling
• Food dehydration
• Molecular gastronomy
• Making beer
• Making wine
• Tasting wine
• Infusing liquor
• Coloring in adult coloring books
• Making candles
• Making soap
• Making models
• Growing bonsai
• Growing succulents
• Doing DIY and building projects
• Mentoring
• Volunteering

Outdoor Hobbies for Moms

• Gardening
• Hiking
• Bird Watching
• Cycling
• Archery
• Golf
• Traveling/Sightseeing
• Swimming
• Fishing
• Kayaking
• Canoeing
• Sailing
• Surfing
• Scuba diving
• Snorkeling
  

• Stargazing
• Parkour
• Camping
• Kite flying
• Drone flying
• Horseback riding 
• Dog training
• Geocaching
• Letterboxing
• Rock climbing
• Foraging 
• Skiing

Active Hobbies for Moms

• Running
• Power walking
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Aerobics
• Zumba
• Ballroom dancing
• Tap Dancing
• Ballet
• Modern dance
• Bowling
• Roller skating
• Ice skating
• Kickboxing
• Martial arts 
• Tennis
  

• Table tennis
• Badminton
• Basketball
• Racquetball
• Softball
• Soccer
• Volleyball
• Flag football

Creative Hobbies for Moms

• Drawing 
• Painting
• Making artist trading cards
• Photography
• Calligraphy/hand lettering
• Scrapbooking
• Origami
• Quilling (paper rolling)
• Making greeting cards
• Sculpting
• Creating pottery
• Making ceramics
• Glass blowing
• Making stained glass
• Making mosaics 
• Knitting
• Crochet
• Embroidery
• Sewing
• Quilting
• Making jewelry
  

• Carving/whittling
• Flower arranging
• Creating nail art
• Playing an instrument
• Learning to sing
• Acting
• Stand-up comedy
• Songwriting
• Writing a novel
• Writing poetry

I hope this list of hobbies for moms provided you with some inspiration.

Get out there and have some fun, Mama. The world needs you to share your light with us. Your kids need you to show them what a well-rounded adult looks like. Most of all, you need to live a joyful life. No excuses.