Best Hobbies for Stay-at-Home Moms: 6+ Awesome Ideas That Will Keep You Busy
Hobbies just aren’t for kids or retirees! There are some great hobbies for stay-at-home moms that can tap into your creative side, bring you joy, or even a little money on the side.
Some of my blog posts may contain affiliate links, from which I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. More info on that in our privacy policy.
Maybe it’s something physical like yoga, hiking, or scuba diving. Perhaps it’s less adventurous such as collecting things, crafting, or wine-making. How about cooking or baking? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to learn to play an instrument like piano or guitar.
Here are a few mom hobby ideas to get you started!
- Gardening
- Writing/Reading
- Painting/Drawing
- Sewing/Knitting/Crocheting
- Making DIY Soaps & Beauty Products
- Photography
There are so many benefits to pursuing a hobby! It can help you unwind and relax and is an excellent way to get better at a skill.
Why Do Moms Need Hobbies?
Taking up a new hobby or returning to one you used to have is a great way to reconnect with yourself.
Motherhood can be all-encompassing and yes, of course, we love our kids and enjoy doing things with them.
That being said, Moms need hobbies. The importance of maintaining a sense of self and reconnecting with what it means to be you as a person (not just a mom, wife, or partner) can’t be ignored!
Simply taking some time to cultivate a passion of your own can make you more joyful and well-rounded. It will inevitably make you the best version of yourself, with more love, energy, and enthusiasm to bring to your family and your relationships.
You may think, you just don’t have the time for a hobby but here’s the thing. You must carve a little time out of your busy day for yourself.
If your time alone is rare, there are many hobbies that can be done right alongside your little ones. Remember to find that balance, just start dabbling in something, (anything!) that you truly enjoy and go from there.
How To Find A Hobby
One of the things we strive to instill in our children is to find activities that are interesting and fun for them. Same goes for moms! What is your passion? Think about what you absolutely love to do and do that. If it’s a hobby you had in the past and want to revisit, that makes finding your hobby easy.
On the other hand, if you would rather try something new and you’re not sure where to start, you’re in the right place.
I am offering 6 suggestions that are great hobbies for stay-at-home moms but there are many more possibilities. Keep an open mind!
Pinterest is a great resource for searching for anything under the sun. A word of warning though, it can be quite addictive!
Social Benefits of Having A Hobby
As a parent, it is not always easy to find time to unwind, to get away from everything. Being so busy with family and work might mean our social connections with peers take a back seat. Having a hobby can help build those connections.
One of the great benefits of having hobbies is that it can put you in touch with like-minded people if that idea appeals to you. Whether it be an in-person community group, workshop, or an online forum, there’s likely a bunch of people out there with similar interests to connect with!
It gives you an opportunity to meet a new friend, or learn something new that is worthwhile.
6 Fun & Fulfilling Hobbies for Moms
Gardening
Do you have a green thumb? Like spending time outdoors? Gardening might be the right hobby for you.
There’s something very therapeutic about digging in the dirt and many people are passionate about gardening. Even if you don’t have a large plot of land, you can do some indoor gardening starting with seeds in small containers, pots, window boxes, or patio planters.
Gardening offers both mental and physical benefits! You may not think of it as exercise per se, but all that bending, crouching, raking, and shoveling definitely counts!
Being out in the fresh air and sunshine (hello Vitamin D!) is not only good for your physical health but also works wonders for your mental well-being.
Can you say natural stress relief? Gardening allows your brain to focus on something that brings you joy. It can elevate your mood, all while connecting to Mother Earth.
It is quite literally an amazing grounding experience.
The kids can get in on the action too. They will get a real kick out of helping plant the seeds and an even bigger one out of seeing things sprout and grow. I am thinking that growing our own carrots or tomatoes might even get our little guy more interested in eating vegetables. I figure it’s worth a shot anyway!
Writing (Or Reading)
Do you love to write? Are you creative enough to have your own blog? Have you ever wanted to try bullet journaling, writing poetry, short stories? Or perhaps a mindfulness or gratitude journal would make your heart happy. Just grab yourself a simple, pretty notebook and start writing!
Writing is one of the most versatile of hobbies and there is a broad range of ways to cultivate it.
Of course, the simple beauty of this hobby is that you can write whatever you want!
And if the thought of any of these writing endeavors seems a little beyond your aspirations for now, just start by reading instead.
Yes. Reading counts as a hobby.
I know for me, reading has taken a back seat to a lot of things since I became a Mom and one of my goals is to read more books. Signing up for Goodreads is a great starting point. There are so many book recommendations, reviews, and motivating reading challenges among the book-reading community.
An added benefit to reading a lot is it stimulates your brain, expands your vocabulary, and can even make you a better writer! Short on time? Start with magazines or crossword puzzles.
And I’ll emphasize here I do NOT mean reading on your phone which can just be too distracting. I’m talking about making yourself a cup of tea, curling up in your favorite comfy chair, and reading an actual print book.
If you can do it on your device, more power to you but I just find it too easy to get sidetracked by my phone so I prefer good old-fashioned reading.
Not to mention, reading for the pleasure yourself it’s an excellent way to encourage your kids to read more books!
Reading Tips For Preschool Parents
Painting and Drawing
Just like writing, there’s no limit to what you can do with paint. Art supplies don’t have to be expensive when you start out. Paints, brushes, pallets, canvases, or canvas boards are available at many local dollar stores.
Watercolors, acrylics, oils, or enamel paints all serve a variety of purposes and tastes.
Rock painting with kids is a really fun one to get your kids involved with too. You can paint fun little animals or bugs on smooth round rocks and place them around your garden. Or take your favorite saying and turn it into a portable rock collection.
You could paint a mural for your children’s rooms, a chair, or even a coffee table.
One of my favorite painting projects was a small coffee table I found by the side of the road. They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure right? I brought it home and repurposed it using some cool distressing techniques with chalk paint and some sandpaper. It was a very fun undertaking!
Even if you have no clue about this technique, there is no shortage of tutorials on Pinterest and YouTube.
Want to start even simpler? Pick up a sketch pad and some good drawing pencils or charcoal sticks. You can sketch at home or out and about in your community. Cityscapes, landscapes, draw whatever tickles your fancy. It is a very portable hobby!
The possibilities really are endless when it comes to art as a hobby. Thinking outside the box of drawing and painting, maybe taking a pottery class would be right for you! The hobby takes practice, patience, and determination, but if it’s something you’ve always wanted to try, why not go for it?
Sewing/Crocheting
Sewing, knitting, and crocheting are favorite hobbies for millions of women (including stay-at-home moms) across the globe, and for good reason. Knitting enthusiasts say that it is one of the best ways to unwind and relax. It’s also fairly economical as far as start-up costs go.
And you may even find if you have the desire, that you can make a little extra spending money selling your masterpieces.
Local buy and sell marketplaces are a good way to dip your toe into selling your arts and crafts. After that, you might want to sign up as a vendor at a local craft show or farmer’s market, or even sell on Etsy!
If you don’t want to do any of these things and strictly sew or knit as a hobby, you may find it is just the thing for you. My mom knitted so many afghans when we were little and then in her later years got into cross-stitch. I still have a couple of her pieces that I cherish and I’m sure they’ll be passed down as family heirlooms.
Jewelry making is another wildly popular hobby that can translate into extra cash. It takes patience, precision, creativity, and a keen eye for design. Similar to sewing, jewelry-making hobbyists claim it to be a very relaxing pastime.
Make Your Own Skincare and Beauty Products
If you need to destress a little or love to experiment with new products and techniques this is a good one to try.
From homemade soaps and facial masks to skin serums, bath salts, and DIY moisturizing body butter made with essential oils, the sky’s the limit with this hobby.
If you’re on a budget this is a good one to try out and know you’re going to be saving money in the long run. Making your own skincare and beauty products with natural ingredients might be something you find highly enjoyable.
If you get really into it, having a spa night with some girlfriends to try out all your lotions and potions could be a fun way to turn this hobby into a small social event. A girls’ night in is still one of the best ways to nurture those bonds of friendship that are so good for the soul.
Photography
Photography is one of those hobbies that jive naturally well with stay-at-home moms’ lifestyles. We all tend to take a million pictures of our little ones right? Or maybe you want to experiment with nature, portraits, or street photography,
The quality of smartphone cameras is actually pretty awesome these days. But if you want to delve further into the art, perhaps invest in some proper digital camera equipment and take a photography course. On a budget? You can get a good-quality camera without breaking the bank.
You can learn all the artistic and more technical aspects of it and get serious, or maybe just stick with your phone camera! Get as serious or keep it casual, your choice! Either way, it can be a really fun, fulfilling, and creative hobby!
Wrapping Up
Hobbies not only benefit the stay-at-home moms in the family dynamic but are beneficial to the whole family! In other words, a happy mom helps make a happy home. One of the best things you can do for your mental health is to take some time for yourself.
So, find what brings you joy and go for it. It’s really that simple. I know we are all tired and I know we sometimes feel like there is no time but you really can make it happen.
Fill your cup. Because the happiness you feel in cultivating and enjoying a simple hobby will spill over a hundredfold to your kids and partner, your friends, and everyone around you.
Sometimes the simplest things in life can make a huge difference.
What are some of your favorite hobbies? We’d love to hear from you so let us know in the comments!
Until next time, K.
Kelly Blakely is the founder and creative force behind Just Our View From Here. As a first-time mom over 40, she brings a fresh perspective to parenting and family life on her blog. Kelly also explores a wide range of lifestyle topics in her writing, including fashion, beauty, self-care, and well-being.
Benefits Of Taking Your Kids To The Library
11 Compelling Reasons to Bring Your Kids to the Library A Library is a magical…
Essential Oil Spa Blend Recipes
How To Make Your Home Smell Like A Spa! Hello spa lovers! Today, we’re delving…
Seeing You Grow Up Quotes: A Journey Through the Stages of Childhood
Don’t Blink: Beautiful & Inspiring Quotes About Kids Growing Up For Every Stage And Age…
Affirmations For Self-Love: Boost Your Confidence
Empowering Your Journey with Positive Affirmations for Self-Love” Have you ever found yourself in a…
New Year’s Resolutions List: Best Ideas For A Reset
Your Ultimate New Year’s Resolutions List – A Complete Guide to Unleashing Your Inner Superhero…
12 Days Of Christmas Activities
Unforgettable 12 Days of Christmas Activities for Families The holiday season is a time for…
Just Our View From Here is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.