When you finally retire from work, you have plenty of time to pursue all those things you always wanted to do, but never had time for. And it can be wonderful if you have the money and physical abilities to pursue your dreams. However, many of us will hit retirement (or get later into old age) without one or both of those things. We may not have a ton of money, and we may need hobbies that are safer and more accessible than long-haul travel, things that require heavy equipment or lifting, or sports. Even the old cliche hobby of golf may be out of reach if you can’t afford the fees/equipment, or aren’t physically able to play.
So if this ends up being the case for you, what are some safe, accessible and inexpensive hobbies for seniors? (Or anyone who doesn’t have the money or ability to pursue more expensive or active hobbies.) Here are some ideas.
(Note that there may be many different options within some of these. I can’t possibly list every option available under “Arts and Crafts,” for example, but you can use it as inspiration to find something you’ll enjoy.)
- Reading. This is an oldie but a goodie for a reason. It’s cheap or free (the library is your best friend), requires no physical ability, and offers many options. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comics, graphic novels, or manga. There are also audiobooks. You can read alone or make it social by joining a book club. (Who cares if you only spend five minutes talking about the book and the rest of the time socializing?) Do a deep dive on one author or subject if you want a focus, or just read whatever catches your eye.
- Writing. If you want to write, you have plenty of options. You can write that book you always had inside you (who cares if it’s “publishable” if you’re just doing it for fun), or poetry. You can keep a journal, or write down all those family stories you want your family members to know. I know someone who wrote down the story of every significant Christmas ornament in their collection so their kids would know and be able to pass the stories along with the ornaments.
- Genealogy. If you want to know your roots, genealogy is for you. Most of what you need is on the internet. If you’re not tech savvy, have a family member help you and make it a group project. Alternatively, many librarians are willing to help you use the public terminals at the library. They can also help you with offline research.
- Puzzles and games. Jigsaw puzzles are wonderful. Today the images from which you can choose go way beyond boring landscapes. Piece counts and sizes offer something for everyone, as well, ranging from small puzzles with big pieces to huge puzzles with tiny pieces. There are also word puzzles like crosswords, Wordle, and word searches, math puzzles like sudoku, and many others. If you like games, there are tons of board and card games out there. Ever since the pandemic, many board game developers have made an effort to include solo modes in their games. If you don’t have a group to play with, look for one of these.
- Arts and crafts. This category is huge. Most arts and crafts are fairly inexpensive unless you go overboard on supplies. Most require little physical effort and are safe as long as you stay away from things like woodworking, metalworking, or anything else that requires heavy or dangerous equipment. There are needle crafts, paper crafts, painting and drawing, clay molding/sculpting, lettering crafts, scrapbooking, beading or jewelry making, collaging, decoupage, flower arranging, and many, many more. Browse the local craft store and try a few crafts out via free classes to see what clicks with you.
- Coloring. Nope, it’s not just for kids. You can buy or download pages which are designed for adults. These usually have smaller areas to color and intricate designs. Of course, no one will stop you from buying a kids’ coloring book if you want a larger format. Crayons, markers, pens, or colored pencils are all choices of medium. I also put things like paint by number or watercoloring books in this same category, since you’re working on a pre-made design.
- Cooking and baking. It’s possible that after years of feeding yourself that the last thing you want to do is cook anything. Fair enough. But perhaps you’d like to try all those fun or creative recipes you never had time for when you were working, tired, and in a hurry. Find some cookbooks or websites that make you drool and have at it. You can make it social and have a bake off with friends, or organize a potluck where everyone brings some weird recipe they always wanted to try. And if it ends up being all desserts? So be it. Dig in!
- Languages. You can learn a language in your home via an app, website, audio courses, or books. If you’re more social, you can sign up for classes through your local extension program, community college, or language learning center. Even learning something fake like Klingon is fun. Perhaps more so.
- Exercise (as ability allows). Sports like golf, pickleball, or hiking may be out, but you may still be able to walk, do chair exercises, or take special senior exercise classes. You may also be able to find a pool with senior activities. As with any activity, see a doctor to get clearance before you begin anything.
- Birdwatching, All you need is a feeder in your yard or mounted on a window to begin. Get a bird identification book and keep track of what you see. If you get more adventurous, your local nature or senior center may offer outings to parks or wildlife areas where you can see more specimens. Get some binoculars if you want to see farther away. Or just go sit on a bench in a quiet, wooded area of your local park and watch and wait.
- Music. Both listening and playing are solid options. If you already know an instrument, beef up your skills. If not, there are low cost ways to learn via classes, online videos, or books. You can often rent instruments so you’re not stuck with something if it doesn’t work out. Listening to music is also a good hobby. New research shows that listening to music from your formative years can also help with dementia. Play your favorites, find some lesser known tracks by your favorite artists, or try some new artists.
- Volunteer. Many volunteer opportunities can be adapted to those with mobility or strength issues. Maybe you can’t walk dogs at the shelter, but you could answer the phone. If you have a skill like writing, organizing, social media optimization, or graphic design, you could donate your skills to help them with marketing and fund-raising. Maybe you can’t physically clean a river, but you can put petitions together, or coordinate the annual clean up. Think of ways you can help that are within your abilities and then offer your services.
- Gardening. If you can manage a small plot of land outside, that’s wonderful. But if you can’t you can still do container gardening on your porch, or start some herbs on your windowsill. Houseplants are also an option. You can also join a garden club. Even if you can’t work in the garden, you can still attend the meetings, lectures and educational seminars and learn something new. And you can pitch in where you can, perhaps by working the sales table at the annual flower sale.
- Small, low maintenance pets. If an animal like a cat or small dog is beyond you, you may still be able to find the joy of a pet with some fish, or pocket pets like gerbils, guinea pigs, or sugar gliders. They don’t require walking or lugging heavy bags of food around. You can probably find a friend, family member, or pet sitter to help you clean the cage or tank if you need it.
- Lifelong learning. Pick whatever subject(s) interest you and dedicate time to learning as much as you can. Online/streaming courses, books, classes at the local college, or documentaries are all ways to increase your knowledge. Learn as much or as little as you want. There are no grades or reports, just knowledge for the sake of knowledge.
- Video/phone games. You don’t have to be very tech savvy to get into video games. Most PC games require only basic computer use skills, and phone games are even easier. If you want a console, those are easy to learn, as well. Enlist a more experienced friend or family member to help you get started, if need be. Games can be inexpensive (especially relative to hours of entertainment gained) if you buy used or on sale, or stick to free titles.
- Listening to podcasts. Many people get really involved in following their favorite podcasts. There are podcasts for almost every interest and most are free/ad supported. If you have a smartphone, you have all you need to get started in the podcast world as most come with built-in podcast apps.
- Mindfulness. You don’t have to be a flexible yogi to benefit from mindfulness. Learning to meditate is easy and free and can be done seated if you can’t lie down. There are variants of yoga and tai chi that can be done in a chair. You can also engage in guided journaling or dream journaling to give your brain a chance to rest and unpack. Many other hobbies like painting, listening to music, or building models can be meditative, as well.
- Choir/Theater. If you can sing or play music, you might look for a choir to join. Churches are the obvious choice, but some volunteer groups have choirs that perform at hospitals or nursing homes. You may also be able to participate in local theater productions as part of the chorus. These parts usually have no lines to learn and little physical movement. Some even perform from the pit below the stage, meaning you can be seated.
- Models. If you like to build with your hands but can’t handle wood- or metalworking, or working on cars, etc., you might try models. You can build the old-school models found in hobby stores. Many now snap-together instead of requiring messy glue. Or, you can get into Lego. The pre-made kits can be pretty expensive, but loose bricks cost much less and you can build whatever you want. You might also try kits for dollhouses or dollhouse furniture. Many are pre-scored so you don’t need to saw anything. Just sand, paint and assemble.
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