How do you have fun in your family?
Build strong bonds and create memories with this list of best hobbies for families. These ideas are technology free and meant as a way to unplug, connect, and enjoy spending time with your loved ones.
Benefits of Hobbies For Families
Spending quality time together with a family hobby is a beautiful thing. It…
- improves communication and collaboration
- Reduces stress
- Increases creativity
- Improves overall health
And if you start having fun with a new hobby, chances are great your kids will too!
Best Outdoor Hobbies For Families
It may be because I’m a boy mom or perhaps it’s the fresh air, but there is something about being outside that makes us all relax. Choose an outdoor hobby from this section that your family will enjoy.
Hiking
Hiking is always number one on my family’s list. It’s free, requires no equipment, and it can be done anywhere. Check out the local trails in your area or walk to a place nearby.
The key to hiking is to make it a new adventure every time.
- I pack a fun snack to eat at the halfway mark.
- They love when we turn it into a nature scavenger hunt or collect items.
- It’s the perfect time to have interesting conversations with your kids.
Start with short hikes, and then expand into longer trails or even parts of mountains (as they become better hikers). It’s a rewarding and enjoyable hobby that will build confidence in your kids.
Ultimate Frisbee
If you have four players, you have an ultimate frisbee team.
Play with your family or encourage another family to join you. Find an open space such as a park or backyard and learn more about the simple rules of ultimate frisbee before starting.
Frisbee Golf
Another variation you can play at parks is Frisbee golf (or disc golf). Instead of hitting a golf ball with a club into a hole, the objective is to throw the frisbee into an elevated basket. A full game is typically 9 or 18 holes on a course. The player that completes the game in the least amount of throws is the winner.
Grab a disc golf starter set and get started!
Gardening Hobbies For Families
Digging in the dirt and planting are not only fun, but they have many other amazing benefits.
Gardening…
- positively affects our mental and emotional health.
- provides a great learning opportunity for children as they spend time in nature.
- saves you money when produce is at its peak nutritional value.
I’ve also noticed that my kids will try the foods we’ve grown in our garden every time. Big win!
I like to start my garden earlier in spring by starting tomatoes, leafy greens, and peppers indoors. They have time to get a head start before I plant them outside when the weather is warmer. You can also buy transplants at the garden store to start from instead of seeds.
And if you don’t have a space outside, try a simple herb garden indoors.
Take the plunge and give this a try. You will learn what works and get better each year.
Astronomy
Did you know that you can see a galaxy 2.5 million light-years away with just your eyes? (source) Even craters on the moon can be spotted by using a pair of binoculars.
An astronomy hobby can begin with star gazing from your backyard using binoculars. Utilize maps and guidebooks from your local library to find constellations, stars, and galaxies.
A great constellation app to use is the Skyview app.
Then, get a beginner telescope when you are ready.
Photography
Bring out the creative side of your family and take a photography class together. Or have fun experimenting with your camera outdoors. The possibilities are endless when you pick up a camera.
If you have young kids, consider a kid-friendly camera or waterproof camera that they can use as beginners.
Fishing
Each fall we take a weekend trip to a trout farm and spend time fishing. While it doesn’t sound overly exciting, it is one of my favorite weekends of the year.
Fishing allows you to slow down, enjoy nature, and spend time with one another. It’s quiet! And it offers just enough excitement to get hooked as a hobby.
Grab fishing gear and find a place close by where you can fish regularly.
Camping (Families Hobbies)
If you like to spend time outdoors, venture out and take a family camping trip. To make this a more manageable hobby, use this free camping checklist for families as you plan for each trip.
Try kids trivia questions, kid-friendly family feud, and trivia questions for teens as fun games while you are sitting around the campfire. No packing required!
Geocaching
Join the world of geocaching and explore this outdoor hunting adventure. Use the geocaching app or a GPS device to navigate over 3 million geocaches in 190 countries. This is a great hobby for families with children to explore the area around them.
Biking
Biking is a hobby that can start at a young age and carry you through your lifetime. It’s low impact, helps you stay fit, and is an active hobby. Increase the lengths of your biking adventures as your family grows up.
Golfing
Learn to golf and enjoy spending time together for an afternoon of fresh air and exercise. It’s competitive, it’s challenging, and it’s popular with people of all ages and skill levels.
Kayaking
Kayaking is a great hobby if you have a lake or body of water nearby. Paddle in a group with your family. Look for a tandem kayak for two, or even a three-kayak for more paddlers. Many lakes also have kayaks available to rent for the day.
And, if you like kayaking, try out another water sport like paddleboarding.
Family Park Fun
Have a family park fun day! Pack a picnic or a snack and spread out a blanket. Then, relax. Don’t forget to bring a soccer ball or a football to throw around.
We have made it part of our summer family bucket list to visit as many parks as possible and explore the different play equipment.
Drone Flying
If you like technology, but want to spend time outside, try out a drone hobby. Drones come in a large variety for recreational use. Find a good entry-level and affordable model drone to start with.
Place Hop
What types of places are interesting to your family? Make a list of local places to explore and ‘place hop’ to as many different places as you can.
- museums
- libraries
- parks
- beaches
- historic places
- local ‘tourist’ attractions
- scenic areas
Tennis
In most areas, it is easy to find a public tennis court to play on. Or take lessons as a family to improve your tennis game as well as your overall fitness.
Pick A Family Sport
Pick any sport your family enjoys and have fun playing. Learn more about the skills the sport requires together.
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Volleyball or sand volleyball
- Surfing
- Badminton
- Pickle Ball
Outdoor Winter Activities and Hobbies (for Families)
Skiing/Snowboarding
Hit the slopes and enjoy a winter sport activity.
Start your kids early! I’ve noticed that our young kids picked these sports up so much more quickly than I did as an adult.
Snowshoeing
Stay active in the cold months with this fun winter activity. It can be done anywhere. All you need is snow on the ground and a pair of snowshoes.
They take practice walking in at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s fun to do to get outside in the winter.
Ice Skating/Hockey
Lace up a pair of ice skates and give this winter activity a try. Look for an ice-skating rink in your area. If you are more adventurous and a proficient skater, try out a friendly game of hockey with your loved ones.
Indoor Family Hobby Ideas
Next, enjoy these ideas for technology free indoor hobbies and activities for families.
Rock Wall Climbing
Rock wall climbing is another hobby my family loves. We do this indoors at a local rock wall-climbing gym. Their staff helped us get started, and then we bought our own climbing gear when we saw it on sale.
Typically the walls have different colored “rocks” based on difficulty. This makes it ideal for climbers of all skill levels because you can pick the route that is right for you.
Attend a Local Theatre
Get season tickets to a local theatre group or get involved in local theater as a family. If acting isn’t your thing, work behind the scenes by building sets, designing costumes, or volunteering in another way.
Puzzles
Unplug and improve your mental health and memory with puzzle activities. Jigsaw puzzles are a bonding group activity. Or you can try sudoku and crossword puzzles.
Keep one out in a common area, then everyone can work on it when they feel like it.
*If you like word games, you will love what am I riddles and tongue twisters with your family too.
Learn a musical instrument together
Playing music relieves stress, helps with coordination, and may help your child’s concentration and understanding of math.
If you don’t have any musical instruments in your home, pick one of the easier instruments to learn the basics. Try the ukelele, recorder, drums, tambourine, harmonica, or guitar. (source)
Better yet, put your family skills together to make a small band!
Form A Weekly Hobby Club
Form a weekly club with your family members by picking an activity that everyone would like to learn more about. Check out books and online tutorials to help you get started with your new hobby and the materials you may need.
Ideas for a variety of hobby clubs include:
- Investing
- Art
- Jewelry making
- Baking
- Sewing
- Knitting
The bonus of setting up a hobby club is that you set up a specific time each week that everyone can be together to participate.
Workout Together
From yoga, to kickboxing, to swimming and dance, find a class at the gym or an online workout program to do together. Working out with loved ones is more fun, builds confidence in kids, and keeps everyone active and healthy.
Play Board or Card Games
From simple to complex, board and card games can provide hours of indoor entertainment and connection.
Choose fun games, and then everyone will look forward to game night!
Need a great game for toddlers? Go with Candyland!
And for big kids? We Love A Ticket to Ride
Take Martial Arts Classes
Build your physical and mental strength with martial arts classes for the entire family. This is a good way to work towards a goal together and engage in healthy competition.
Dancing Hobbies For Families
Do you ever have a family dance party and notice that everyone is having fun?
Turn your occasional kitchen dance sessions into a hobby by learning new dance moves or taking dance lessons.
Cooking
I am not a gourmet cook, but my kids love it when I set up my dinner ingredients and host my own ‘cooking show’. They enjoy listening to what I’m doing and cooking along with me.
Get everyone in your family working together in the kitchen by trying out a new recipe every week, taking a cooking class together, or cooking along with a tutorial.
Use these kids cooking knives for safety and ease with your younger kids.
Bonus: Your kids are more likely to eat something they helped cook. Let them snack on your healthy ingredients as you cook (any way you can get healthy food into their body is a win!).
Take Art Classes
The options here are endless. Try out pottery, painting, drawing, digital art, sculpture, etc..
We often attend kid-friendly make-and-take art events at a local board and brush studio.
Bowling
Enjoy friendly competition and join a bowling league. Or have a regular night out for bowling with your loved ones.
Attend Sporting Events For Your Favorite Team
Do you have a local team or sport your love? Get season tickets or make it a point to attend as many games as you can as a family.
Building
Creating and building a variety of structures by hand may be just up your alley.
Involve your family and discover what you enjoy making. Building robots, woodworking, and putting together models are a few ideas in this hobby category.
Start A Collection
Collecting is not only a fun hobby, but can become a passion for your family members.
In fact, you may already have an old collection in your basement that you can pull out for inspiration!
Reading As A Family Hobby
Turn reading into a family hobby by starting a book club or doing a family reading challenge. All you need to start is a good book. Read aloud together or get a copy for everyone to read and then discuss.
Reading just 6 minutes a day can reduce stress levels by as much as 68%! Everyone in your family will benefit!
Plan Vacations or Day Trips
Does your family enjoy traveling? Plan your destinations ahead and let everyone in your family plan part of the trip.
“We travel not to escape life, but for life to not escape us.” –Author Unknown
Play Ping Pong
On vacation, we stayed at a home that had a ping-pong table in the garage.
We spent almost all our time at the house playing ping pong!
It was so fun that I immediately started looking to buy our own table. Ping pong is a perfect hobby that young and old love.
Family Food Hobbies
Plan regular food adventures with your family. This could look many different ways.
- Try new restaurants and sample foods from different cultures.
- Learn to cook a new meal weekly together.
- Love ice cream? Go on a hunt for your favorite flavor and ice cream store.
- Review restaurants for fun on Yelp, Instagram or TikTok.
The ultimate food hobby involves eating delicious food with the people you love.
Learn Magic
Most kids would love the chance to learn magic tricks, so make it a family affair and invest your time into becoming magicians!
Family Hobbies That Make An Impact
Next, this list of hobbies for families will not only make an impact in the lives of others, but also positively affect the members of your family.
Volunteer
Choose a place that your family can volunteer at on a regular basis. Your family will enjoy growing closer as they give their time to help others.
Start and Build a Business
Depending on the ages and interests of your kids, you may be able to turn something you enjoy into a profitable business.
This could include lawn care or landscaping, dog walking or pet-sitting, flipping properties, starting a craft shop on Etsy, designing, t-shirts, or getting involved as a vendor in a local Farmer’s Market.
Your kids will learn valuable business skills while seeing the benefits of providing services and goods for others.
Foster Animals
Are you animal lovers? Or maybe you are trying to decide if you are ready for a family pet?
Help animals in need by becoming a foster parent. Many shelters and rescue groups are looking for people to provide short-term homes for pets. They often include everything you need for that animal while it is in your home.
Get involved with a faith-based group
Join a bible study or group through your faith-based organization to grow in your faith together.
Learn A New Language
Does your child have a friend at school that speaks another language? Or maybe you would like to take a mission trip to another country.
Use this as a catalyst to start learning a new language as a family. Find a program online to help.
Help A Neighbor
A great opportunity to help someone could be right in your backyard.
If you have an elderly neighbor or a neighbor you would like to get to know better, bring them a meal, mow their lawn, or invite them over for coffee and conversation.
How is this a hobby? Make it a goal to regularly do something to help a neighbor in your community.
Let your kids brainstorm ideas and help implement the ways in which you reach out. This will become an amazing habit for your kids as well as something they enjoy.
Make a Useful Product
Create something that others can use. You can sell these items or give them away as gifts. Ideas include making your own soap, candles, tie blankets, and jewelry.
Random Acts of Kindness
Turn random acts of kindness into a hobby by regularly planning things to do with your family.
- Let your kids brainstorm and make a list of ideas.
- Choose ideas that take your family time, thought, and planning to complete.
- Plan when you will implement your good deed.
- Discuss how these opportunities impact your family and keep planning new ideas to make a difference.
Share short kindness quotes with your kids as you plan!
Cheap Hobbies and Activities for Families
Finally, Learn about a hobby for families that are free or cheap!
Birdwatching
Minus the small cost of a birder feeder and bird food, watching birds is a relatively cheap hobby.
Borrow a book about local birds from the library or find a spot at a nearby arboretum to watch these mesmerizing creatures.
Origami (Family Hobbies)
Origami is an ancient form of art that involves folding paper. It dates back to the 6th century and can be used to create different creatures and objects.
It is actually a hobby that will combat stress! Check out books on origami at your local library.
If your family likes this, they may also like making more advanced varieties of paper airplanes.
Trivia
Trivia is a fun and healthy hobby! It helps us engage in problem-solving and challenges us to learn about new topics.
Play trivia at home with your family or find a place that holds weekly family-friendly trivia nights.
DIY Hobbies For Families
Take on a project as a family and learn how to tackle it yourself for much less cost. Use a book or online tutorial if needed to fix something around your house, make your own clothes, or create gifts for others.
Attend free classes and events at the local library
Look at a community schedule and attend a free class or series of events happening. Make it a hobby to continue learning new things with your family members.
Drawing Hobbies for Families
Drawing and sketching can be one of the best ways to get your mind thinking differently. Learn how to draw something specific with a directed drawing. This creative idea is the perfect way to express yourself.
Journaling
Journaling helps relieve stress and is an instant mood booster. Once you learn how to start a journal and why, you will be instantly hooked.
Meditate
Meditation is free, provides stress relief, and is a wonderful life-long practice for every member in your family to learn.
It’s easy to learn how to mediate and takes very little time, but can make a big impact on your family life.
Try Out Healthy Family Challenges
Try new things in your family with 30 day challenges that require little to no supplies
Choose to add something to your daily life like reading for 20 minutes a day or doing 20 push-ups. Or remove something for a short time, like social media or TV.
Whatever the challenge, have fun and see what impact it has on your family life. Set a goal with a reward to ensure that you follow through!
How To Pick Hobbies For Your Family
Plan a Family Fun Day
Do you want to explore your family interests? Plan a family fun day and try out several different hobbies for families from this list.
Look for hobbies that give your family room to grow.
Start hobbies when your kids are young so that they can carry on through adulthood.
Pick a hobby you can do regularly.
Make sure these activities fit into your schedule as often as possible throughout the year.
Make sure it’s affordable for your family.
Whatever activity you decide on, make sure it’s not beyond your means to keep doing it as your family grows.
Remember to take part in the hobby.
If you actively participate as the parent, your kids will want to as well.
And, as your kids get older, doing a hobby they’ve grown to love may be enough to keep them engaged in your family life.
To Consider With Hobbies For Families
Hobbies for families can connect us with those we love.
Try out a variety of hobbies and you will find a few that you continue to enjoy through the years. Let me know how you love connecting with your family!
