You have some ideas, but you’d like to see a more expansive list of your options. You want a project that’s just for you — something that reminds you of what you’re good at and what you love. Keep reading to find a list of 47 of the best hobbies for stay-at-home moms (SAHMs). Which one will you tackle first?
How Do Stay at Home Moms Stay Busy?
“Is that a trick question?” you ask. “What stay-at-home mom isn’t busy — with mom stuff?” But after those first months of being a new mom, you’ll find you have more time to yourself for your own pursuits. What can you do with it? And how can a hobby or project stimulate you and keep you busy in a way you enjoy?
By using your talents and skills — and reminding you you still have them. By channeling your energy into something you can be proud of. By teaching you something new and leading you to unexpected discoveries.
Look through the projects for stay-at-home moms listed below. One of them is bound to get you thinking of the possibilities.
47 Top Hobbies for Stay-At-Home Moms
Enjoy browsing this list of hobbies for busy moms. We’re hoping you find something that will fill this year with things to be proud of.
- Knitting or Crocheting — Either one is great for stress relief as well as for making useful and treasured gifts.
- Reading (for Fun) — You knew this would be on the list, and if it made you smile, you probably have some good books in mind.
- Starting a Book Club — Whether you opt for in-person or virtual meetings, you can start your own book club based on a particular theme, author, or favorite subject.
- Learning a Musical Instrument — Even if you can’t afford professional lessons, it’s amazing what you can learn from videos on YouTube.
- Learning Photoshop or Lightroom — Find video tutorials on YouTube, etc., and learn how to design book covers or digital prints to share and possibly sell.
- Candlemaking —If she loves candles and has the patience for it, this is a great way to make something she’ll use and possibly sell.
- Soapmaking — This is another way to create usable products you could also sell, as well as enjoy using in your own home.
- Jewelry Making — Once you make your first necklace or set of earrings, it’s easy to get hooked on making your own jewelry creations for yourself, for gifts, or to sell.
- Quilting — Join a quilting group in the area or make your own keepsake creations using a sewing machine and your choice of fabrics and trims.
- Sewing and Tailoring — Learn how to sew or further develop your sewing skills to create clothes, accessories, etc., and to repair or tailor the clothes you have.
- Photography — Learn how to take gorgeous photos, refine them with photo-editing software, and share them with others.
- Making DIY Beauty Products — From facial masks to aromatherapy body butters, the market for pretty, DIY beauty products is huge.
- Starting a Blog — You can start with a free WordPress blog on the subject of your choice (one that’s close to your heart) and see how it goes.
- Daily Journaling — Start a daily journaling habit to get those thoughts, feelings, and ideas onto the page, so you can better understand yourself and what you want.
- Writing Short Stories — Brainstorm a list of story ideas and tackle them one by one, freewriting and then fine-tuning each story as you grow your collection.
- Writing Poetry — Read poetry you love and practice writing your own in a style that appeals to you, drawing from your own experiences and perspective.
- Making Blackout Poetry — Use some of your books or newspapers to create blackout poetry, applying what you learn from Austin Kleon’s book.
- Hosting MLM Parties — Mix it up with various products and invite friends and neighbors for free snacks, drinks, and a chance to buy gifts they won’t find in stores.
- Gardening (Outdoor) — If you’ve got the space on your property for a garden, prepare the ground in spring and plant whatever veggies, herbs, or flowers you like.
- Container Gardening — Outdoor gardening isn’t an option for many, but container gardening makes it possible to cultivate herbs, vegetables, and flowers near your windows or on your deck or balcony.
- Pizza-making — Make pizza your own way, perfecting your crust and toppings as you experiment and learn.
- Cooking — Make it your goal to master at least one or two new recipes each month as you build your cooking repertoire and develop your skills.
- Cake decorating — Use your artistic flair and creative energy to design awe-inspiring cakes for friends, family, and possibly even paying customers.
- Fashion Design — Use your love of clothes to design new looks for yourself, your kids, or even paying customers, especially if you also know how to sew.
- Home Interior Design — Use your love of interior design to not only improve the look of your own home but to create a resource for other moms. 50 Of The Most Interesting Hobbies To Try This Year 37 Fun Things To Do By Yourself 60 Fun Hobbies For Women
- Carpentry or Woodworking — If you love working with wood to create furniture or other treasures, this is a hobby that could easily turn into something more.
- IKEA Furniture Assembly — If you love putting things together and are undaunted by IKEA instructions, you have a calling, and the world needs you to answer it.
- House Painting — Painting a room can be a relaxing way to spend time, and if the color works out, you can enjoy the results for years.
- Decluttering and Organizing — Use the Marie Kondo approach and sort by categories to declutter and organize your entire home.
- Scrapbooking — Turn your loose photos into scrapbooks you and your family will love looking through and showing off to visitors.
- Throwing Vision Board Parties — Once you make your own vision board, you might not want to stop, and this could become a regular thing.
- Solving Puzzles — Whether you prefer crosswords, Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, or something else, a daily puzzle can keep your mind sharp and train it to be more flexible.
- Hand-Lettering / Calligraphy — Learn calligraphy to create artistic, hand-lettered greeting cards, invitations, posters, prints, etc.
- Party Planning — If you love planning and decorating for parties, offer your services as a party planner for birthdays, baby showers, Halloween parties, etc.
- Making Green Cleaning Products — Research the options and experiment at home until you create enough “signature” products to sell under your name.
- Cleaning for Cash — If you love cleaning, you could even start a side business cleaning houses and use your income to improve your own home.
- Coding — Sign up for an online course to learn coding (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, etc.) to create your own website or help others debug their code.
- Fostering pets for a local shelter — If allergies aren’t an issue, and you have the room, consider fostering a pet (cat, dog, guinea pig, etc.) from a local shelter.
- Learning Self-Defense — Join a local class and build confidence by learning self-defense with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Krav Maga, etc.
- Learning a New Fitness Activity — Use online videos or in-person classes to learn a fun, new fitness activity like yoga, Pilates, Salsa dancing, etc.
- Joining a Gym with Childcare — Join a local gym with childcare to enjoy some active me-time, building some muscle, and maybe learning some new dance moves.
- Paper-crafting — Use the skills you have and, if you have help, pool your talents and resources to create beautiful greeting cards, party decorations, home accents, etc.
- Meditating — Use a meditation app like Headspace to build a new daily, life-changing meditation habit.
- Early Christmas Shopping — Get a headstart on shopping for Christmas and find a way to keep your treasures well-hidden but easy (for you) to remember and find.
- Hiking Local Trails — Find a friend to hike with, and get acquainted with your local parks and wilderness trails.
- Learn a New Language — Use an app or take a class to learn a language spoken by others in your community and learn more about their culture while you’re at it.
Are you a stay-at-home mom seeking a hobby?
Now that you’ve looked through this list of hobbies for moms, which ones stood out for you? If you’re already thinking of things to pick up so you can get started on your next just-for-you project, what are you hoping to accomplish? We hope you not only benefit from your results but enjoy all the work you put into them. Otherwise, it’s just work. And while that has its own perks, you need fun in your life, too. Your kids will back us up on this.
