Are you looking for a list of 100+ hobbies for moms? Something new you can try that will break up the monotony of your days? An activity you do simply because you enjoy it?
I’m sorry mama, I don’t have your list. You won’t find it here.
Sure, I could’ve written that post and given you a whole slew of hobby ideas to look into, but that’s been done.
If you’re really looking for a list of hobbies for moms, click on over to any of the dozens of blog posts that have already been written on the topic or check out Pinterest. I won’t be offended.
But if you’ll stick around for a few minutes, could we instead discuss WHY you’re even searching for “hobbies for moms” in the first place?
Maybe it’s really not that deep….you’re just bored and looking for a new hobby? I think it’s probably more than that.
I’ve been where you are – scrolling on google in the hopes of finding something within this massive list of 100+ hobbies for moms that jumps out at you.
Something that will light a spark and remind you of who you are outside of being a mom. That something that will bring you back to the fiery woman you used to be…because you’re really struggling to remember her.
In searching for “hobbies for moms”, you’re trying to recall what interests you once had. What did you like to do for fun? What do you like to do now? Do you even like anything anymore??
You’ve been letting your kids, your partner, your job, everything come before you….pushing down your needs and wants for so long that you now find it hard to even feel them anymore.
All you know is these days when you pass a reflection of yourself in the mirror, you hardly recognize the woman staring back at you. She’s changed in so many ways since becoming a wife and a mom and you struggle to define who you are now.
Perhaps my assumptions about you are wrong. I don’t know you. But I’ve been that woman in the mirror too and if you’re still reading, then something on this screen has touched a chord and you realize –
It’s not really about finding a hobby….it’s about finding yourself again.
Why do hobbies for moms really matter?
Because “making it through” should not be the goal
I remember a time as a young stay-at-home mom when I was totally bored by the monotony of my days, but yet I couldn’t seem to motivate myself for anything more stimulating than online shopping during nap times and an hour of Netflix once the kids had gone to bed at night.
I sure needed a hobby at that time…something that made me feel like me, not just “mama”.
Man, those early motherhood days are hard. Each day is a marathon just to make it through, but is making it through really enough?
It took some time, but I realized – I don’t want to just “make it through”. I want to thrive and find joy in every day, no matter how difficult the season I’m in.
If you’re taking the time to research “hobbies for moms”, then I’m pretty sure you’re also looking for something more than “making it through”.
Because you understand that having a hobby is a way to connect with yourself and infuse moments of joy into your days. This is how you can thrive as a mama, and as the person you are inside.
Related: “What If You Don’t Feel Grateful For Every Moment? (Secrets Every Tired Mom Needs To Know)”
Because motherhood alone cannot sustain you
Once you become a mom, the relentless pressures of motherhood do not afford much time to nurture a sense of personal identity. It is so easy to let motherhood consume you while you let yourself slip away.
All of the hobbies and interests you once had, all of the tiny bits and morsels that make you the person you are, get swallowed up by the enormous weight of being a mom.
And that is ok for a while. You let it happen because being a mother is magical and you embrace it wholeheartedly until one day, you realize that it’s swallowed you whole.
Being a mom has become everything you are and that no longer feels like enough.
As someone who had put all her hopes into thinking motherhood would make me whole, it was a hard pill to swallow when I realized that not only wasn’t it enough to sustain me, but I also had been letting it stifle all the other parts of me that made me the person I am.
Related: “The Real Truth Why Being A Mom Is Hard”
Because happiness must come from within
Motherhood is a different journey for every woman and what you need is going to look different from what I need. However, I believe that there is not anything or anyone that can make you or me happy. That happiness must come from within ourselves.
True happiness comes with the contentment of trusting and loving who you are and that starts with knowing who you are first.
You learn about yourself by exploring your curiosities, passions, and interests when you pursue hobbies. This connects you to your true self and helps foster happiness from within.
Related: “5 Surprising Books on Finding Your Passion In Life”
Because your children are watching
Being a mother to my boys will always be my most important role in life, but I don’t want them to only know me as “mama”. I also want them to know me as a whole person who has interests, hobbies, desires, goals, and passions.
One of my greatest desires is for my children to be happy in life. I want them to learn to live bravely, in a way that brings them fulfillment and joy every day, and to pursue their passions and hobbies without reservation.
And I realize that as their mother, I am modeling this for them. Our children are always watching us, always learning from what we do.
Furthermore, they see their dad pursuing his hobbies and the things he enjoys in life. Don’t I want them to see that a woman can do this too?
Related: “Finding Purpose As A Stay At Home Mom”
Hobbies for Moms: 5 Tips to Find Yours
If you’ve made it this far and you’re more certain than ever that you need to find a hobby that makes you feel like you again, here are 5 tips to find your way back to yourself.
1.) Make a list of what makes you happy
Take some time to sit down in a quiet spot, pen and paper in hand, and reflect on what makes you happy. Ask yourself what truly brings you joy and happiness on a deep level.
What are you physically doing when you feel happiest? Where are you located? Who are you with?
I go into further detail on how to do this in my post: How To Create A ‘What Makes You Happy List’
2.) Explore your curiosities
Another tip is to brainstorm ideas of everything and anything you’re curious about.
What is an activity you’ve always wanted to try? What are you curious to learn more about? What do you feel envious of other people doing?
Tapping into your curiosities is the entry point to discovering your interests and what potential hobbies you might like to explore.
3.) Spend time with people who knew you when…
Oftentimes thinking about what you enjoyed and how you chose to spend your time in your younger years can help you reconnect with who you are at your core.
Spend time with childhood friends and family who knew you when you were a younger version of yourself and talk about what you were like back then.
What do they remember you doing in your free time? What lit you up back then?
Maybe it was singing or painting and you forgot how much you used to love it….perhaps you still could?
4.) Ask someone who knows you well
Sometimes the people we’re close to see things in us that we don’t see ourselves. Ask someone who knows you well what they think you might enjoy.
Your partner, mom, sister, or a close friend might be able to suggest a hobby that peaks your interest based on what they know about your personality, likes, and dislikes. It might even surprise you.
Be open to their ideas, you never know where it could lead.
5.) Let go of expectation
If there’s something you imagine you might enjoy doing, but you don’t expect that you’ll be very good at it, do it anyway. Let go of any expectation and just go with it.
Your goal is to find something that makes you feel like you again. It doesn’t matter if you’re any good as long as it makes you feel alive.
“If you feel something calling you to dance or write or paint or sing, please refuse to worry about whether you’re good enough. Just do it. Be generous. Offer a gift to the world that no one else can offer: yourself.”
-Glennon Doyle, author
I hope you’ll forgive this post about hobbies for moms that wasn’t really about hobbies.
I also hope you’ll forgive me for not providing that list of 100+ hobbies for moms you might have been searching for.
But most of all, I hope after reading this that you feel a little less alone and a little more confident that the person you once were is still there inside of you. You can find her again, even if she has changed along the way.
How will you reconnect with yourself? Let us know in the comments!
Did you like this post? Check out some others along these lines:
Does Being Selfless Make You a Good Mom?
First Time Mom Tips (What I Wish I Had Known)
10 Sanity Saving Things to Do As a Stay at Home Mom This Summer
“Motherhood Is…” (True Meaning of Motherhood in 25+ Quotes from Moms)
Carly is a wife, mom, and former NYC fashion industry executive turned writer and life coach. Through her writings on littlevoicebigmatter.com, she shares practical advice, heartfelt insights, and actionable resources to inspire and support women in motherhood, relationships, wellness, and life. Carly also helps women create better balance in their lives and live with more joy, purpose, and connection every day through her coaching.