Hobbies to Try: A Teen’s Guide to Productive Fun

Hobbies are good for the soul! They are the platform to pursue your interests, kindle your passions, and develop new skills, and improve your overall health. Click here to read more about the benefits of having a hobby. Are you often bored? Do you wish you had your own special “thing” to be known for? Are you looking for inspiration for hobbies you could get into? Check out this list, choose some projects, and just have a go! A lot of us spend too much time looking for mindless entertainment on screens, so I thought it would be fun to put together a list of activities and hobbies I enjoy, plus some recommendations from some of my teenage friends, which you can try too!

Art

Whether it’s drawing, sketching, painting, colouring, or some other style, art is one of the most popular hobbies. Landscapes, faces, animals, objects, or cartooning – whatever you see, you can express it through art. It’s easy to get into, since it requires only a pencil and a bit of paper, and you can do it almost anywhere!

Chess

If you enjoy this amazing game, or if you want to improve your skills, practice some chess! Not only can it be great fun, but it’s excellent exercise for both sides of the brain. You can play with a physical board, or online, and all your friends will think you’re really smart! Any kind of games can also be a hobby.

Reading

If you can read, you can learn anything! Even if you’re not normally a big reader, there’s sure to be something for you. Go to a library, or read that book you never got around to; just try reading something. Fiction or nonfiction, classic or modern, whatever you like! And again, everyone will think you’re smart.
You can learn more about this at https://renatapen.com/what-ive-learned-from-reading-stories/

Start a Business

You’d be surprised at how comparatively easy it is for kids and teenagers to start businesses nowadays, as compared with any time in the past; thanks to the internet! You can sell stuff online: it’s very easy to sell physical stuff on eBay, or if you’re selling a service – such as dog walking or lawn mowing – you could advertise on a Facebook page. You can sell overpriced cookies and fizzy drinks to your friends at school; or go door-knocking in your neighbourhood. Or you could start a YouTube channel! Brainstorm, and come up with some ideas.
One time I, and some of the kids on my street, had a little market stand! We letterbox dropped the surrounding streets with flyers, and sold baked goods, stationary, and toys right there at the end of the road, making $80 in three hours! (Quite a lot for a ten-year-old!)

Cooking

Mastering your culinary arts can be an enjoyable and rewarding hobby. After all, you get to eat what you’ve just made! Cook up a feast of delicious dinner, go crazy with party snacks, or gain love points with your family by making them some dessert. There’s honestly a surprising amount of glory to be found in whipping up delectable treats for your family… or is it just mine?

Bike Riding

Here’s one my family used to do a lot in the COVID lockdown – early morning bike rides. The thrill, the rush, the speed, the wind in your face, and the pain of going back up the hill. All worth it! You could try mountain biking, BMXing, or just leisurely rides around your neighbourhood. You could even try dirt biking or quad!

Juggling

If you think the satisfaction of completing a difficult challenge can be compared only with the immense pleasure of popping bubble wrap, juggling might just be for you. There’s always more to learn! I went from juggling scarves, to balls, to clubs, to doing fancy tricks! One day perhaps I’ll go on, with four and even five juggling balls.

Musical Instrument

We all love listening to music, so why not try playing some? Even without a teacher, it’s easy to learn chords and songs, or you can try playing by ear. Whether it’s piano, guitar, vocals, ukulele, or harmonica, music is a great thing to get into.

Fabric Crafts

I’m thinking knitting, sewing, or embroidery. Knit a stuffed toy, crochet a blanket, sew a bag, or embroider cute designs on a hat. Channel your creativity on something impressive, rather than thinking up fresh ways of annoying your sister.

Hiking

Hiking and bush walking is always an excellent choice. It gives you a chance to expand your day-to-day view of life, and enjoy the peace of nature.

Gardening

Maybe you’ve got a green-thumb, and you have multiple immaculately weeded garden beds with all sorts of plants, or maybe you struggle to keep a single indoor plant alive. Either way, gardening can be a rewarding and enjoyable activity.

Archery

If there’s somewhere to shoot it, why not get yourself a bow and a few arrows? Improve your aim, strengthen rarely used muscles, and feel like Robin Hood to boot!

Sport

Team sports, such as soccer or basketball, are always popular hobbies. If you don’t enjoy the regular team kind, there are plenty of fun individual sports: rock climbing, skating, running, swimming, surfing, and tennis are all good options.

Get a Pet

You might not consider this a hobby, but for sure looking after an animal can be a fun way to spend your free time. It also teaches us responsibility and commitment. I got my first pets a month before my eleventh birthday – a pair of budgies all mine! Quickly, I learned how much work is involved even with such small creatures, (the feeding, the cleaning, letting them out to fly every day, etc.), but it was all worth it. I was so proud of them and loved them so much, and I still keep and care for nine birds today! We also have two dogs. So why not consider getting yourself a fluffy friend?

Set a Fitness Goal

Wouldn’t it be great to be really strong, fit, and healthy? Well what’s stopping you? You don’t need to go to a gym to gain muscle. Choose your own manner of exercise and commit to a workout plan until you’re totally jacked!

Learn a Language

It’s challenging, but just think how great it would be to be able to speak a foreign language! There are plenty to choose from and plenty of ways to learn, even if you don’t know anybody who actually speaks that language.

Write!

I would highly recommend starting a journal or writing short stories, or whatever mode of writing you most enjoy. It’s incredible how much you can learn about yourself and your opinions when you express them through writing! You can understand your identity on a deeper level, teach yourself to express your thoughts and feelings well, plus channel your frustration at a page rather than the people around you. Win-win!

Conclusion

I hope you’ve had a read through this list and considered each suggestion; maybe it has even helped you form your own ideas! Now I want to encourage you that you can have as many hobbies as you want! It’s wonderful if you are able to try as many new things as possible while you’re young. You will find yourself gaining experience, learning new skills, and meeting new people. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll be better equipped to change the world!