3 Hobbies You Can Do With Your Kids, And 3 Just For Yourself

3 Hobbies You Can Do With Your Kids, And 3 Just For Yourself

When you have kids, it can be easy to forget that you need hobbies too.

I’ve recently started taking art classes again after returning to painting in the pandemic, and whilst I draw and paint with my kids already, taking the time to be creative each week, solo, has made a world of difference to my mental health and heappiness.

Below I wanted to share 3 hobbies you can do with your kids and 3 just for yourself. Becoming a parent often means losing your identity somewhat because time and energy becomes so limited when you’re keeping kids alive but you matter too. Once my kids became a little older and my daughter started nursery, I started to prioritise myself and my interests more. Being a good mom doesn’t mean being a martyr. Happy parents equals happy kids! Unsure where to start? Remind yourself of your own interests as a child and return to those. Ballet? Join an adult class. Arts and crafts, look for local events. Reading? Head to your library and start taking out free books.

I used to knit with my grandma and now find it a mindful practice whilst watching Netflix. I’m elated to be reading again more too. I read three novels last month and two the previous (mostly in the bath and before bed)!

I hope this post inspires you to do the same! Let’s go! 

 

Reading

Now, reading can be done alone as I’ve already covered, or with your kids, but I’m listing it first as an enriching way to bond with your little ones. I read to my children from birth, starting with monochrome baby books and moving on from there with easy readers and more complex novels as they grew. Story books make for a useful conversation starter and help children to explore their own feelings and the world around them. 

The main reason I’ve included reading as a joint hobby is because it also helps your child develop their reading and speaking skills. You will find that if you take turns to read out loud, your kid’s literacy skills will come along leaps and bounds, boosting their confidence too. 

Gardening

If you have a garden, do involve your children in planting, weeding and growing then eating fruit and veggies, providing them with interactive and engaging insight into the journey from plant to plate. If you don’t have a garden, then consider creating a balcony garden, or a small one which lives on your windowsill.  Gardening is both physically and emotionally restorative and fun and teaches children the beauty of caring for nature and providing for themselves, as well as honing their patience.

 

Baking and cooking

Instead of saying no every time your kid asks to make a cake, or to help with dinner, try saying yes. Allow yourselves time to create delicious sweet treats or even better, healthy alternatives to treats, developing their culinary skills and confidence. My daughter started stirring mixing bowls from 14 months old. Of course, the kitchen will inevitably become messy, but who cares? You can clean up easily when you are done. Learning to bake and cook are vital life skills and I promise you, the memories you will make rustling up favourite dishes will be the core memories your children will remember as adults. 

 

Fitness

Heading to the gym or running outside solo has been great for both my physical and mental health. Whilst my older boys can attend the gym with me, I prefer exercising on my own, giving me the time and space I crave without anyone asking anything from me. I like to visit the gym several times a week and usually time it around my daughter being in daycare. I do enjoy home workouts too, especially when it comes to yoga or pilates classes and prefer the short 10 minute YouTube videos I can do around my kids’ schedules. Start slowly if you’re new to exercise and build up sessions as you become stronger and more confident. You will never regret committing to becoming fitter. 

 

Gaming

Gaming is typically attributed to teens or men but anyone can enjoy gaming, and there are tonnes of fun types of games for you to explore online. It’s ideal to play solo so you don’t have to censor content from your kids who might not be old enough to play. For example, if you want to try table games like mahjong, blackjack or something similar, you won’t want your kids around for that. There are so many types of games for you to give a go, so try to ensure that you veer out of your comfort zone and have some fun!

 

Knitting

Finally, I want to return to my beloved knitting. A mindful, creative and productive pursuit, if you haven’t tried it before, you can follow free guides online or perhaps ask a relative who might enjoy it (my Auntie Mary loves to knit). I personally prefer to make long scarves in bright colours, even gifting them to others at Christmas, and it’s amazing how quickly you can rustle up easy patterns. Try it! 

 

I hope this post has inspired you to take up new hobbies either with your kids or solo!