4 Hobbies You THOUGHT You Were Too Old For

Being an adult seems like a lot less fun than it seemed like when you were a child. From the outside looking in, sure, it seems like it’s all fun and games. Adults get to do whatever we want, right? Keep reading four hobbies you thought you were too old.

But do most adults actually feel this way? How many adults with 9-to-5 jobs are also taking acting lessons, learning instruments, or challenging themselves in unique ways?

You DO have freedom as an adult, however, so you should use it! Get over your self-consciousness and recognize that there are benefits to loosening up and embracing your inner child. In fact, with so much going on in the world, it’s more important than ever for you to get in tune with the extracurricular activities that make you happy. Studies have shown that during the coronavirus, more people than ever have invested in their hobbies; sales of DIY items in particular have gone up. 

Like so many others, this is a great time for you to learn more about their hobbies and explore different desires. There are plenty of ways to do so with hobbies that are perfectly appropriate for adults as well as children. With that in mind, here are 4 of hobbies you only thought you were too old for:

Acting Lessons

How many opportunities do you get to act, sing, or perform in any capacity as an adult? If you have any interest in performing, then now is the time to start. It’s natural to be self-conscious getting into a hobby which plunges you RIGHT under a spotlight. But rather than feeling like a star on a stage, you might feel like you are under a microscope instead. Yikes!

As it turns out, there are many benefits of acting. It helps build your confidence, improves your public speaking, and can even boost your memorization. Taking acting lessons is a good way to re-introduce yourself to the world of performance. Courses like Broadway Lessons enlist working professionals to give you some seriously qualified training. So, when the time comes for you to audition in your local theatre troupe, you will be MORE than ready.

And who says it has to stop at local theatre? Acting lessons might remind you of a dormant passion, and you might find yourself pursuing a new career path performing. Either way, the best thing of acting as an adult is that there is no pressure either way!

Just have fun experimenting.

Group Sports

Children’s participation in group sports throughout their schoolyears are usually tremendously positive experiences for kids. They develop problem solving skills, teamwork, and can vent excess energy through their physicality.

Most people think hockey rinks and football stadiums shut their doors as soon as you turn twenty-one years old. But don’t resign yourself to a life spectating from the bleachers just yet!

Have you thought about joining a group sport as an adult? If not, you might be missing out on some unique benefits sports offer for adults. In fact, you might learn new things that even children in team sports can’t.

So what might those things be? Well, for starts, playing sports as an adult puts the twin concepts of winning and losing into perspective. When you play as a child, there seems to be larger stakes hanging over your head.

There are a lot of opportunities for kids to stress out over team sports. Kids can easily get overwhelmed by parents’ expectations, the idea that a poor showing might let their team down in a big competition, etc. A little stress is healthy, of course, though kids are still learning to manage it properly.

But as an adult, you are just playing for fun and stress relief. There really are no stakes at all! This might even improve your physical performance, because you will not be distracted or stuck in your head.

That said, if you do decide you want to embark on a more competitive route, there are still plenty of amateur and novice sports leagues that will take you seriously. Combat sports are good examples of this.

Puzzles and Board Games

Board games and puzzles have garnered a bad reputation in adult circles. And let’s face it: your childhood favorites would be pretty boring to revisit as adults.

But you do not have to dust off your childhood go-to’s when it comes to puzzles and games. There is a whole industry aimed at giving adults the opportunity to complete puzzles and have fun with board games AS adults: no condescension, more adult themes, and no kiddie stuff.

Completing puzzles also helps improve your brain’s health as you age. So perhaps adults should be playing MORE games and puzzles than even children do! There are plenty of online leagues you can join to increase the social aspect of puzzles and games; whether you’re into chess or checkers, there are plenty of ways you can boost your skills, compete, and make some friends in the process. 

Learning an Instrument

Have you ever heard someone say they are too old to learn a new instrument? Well, it’s a myth that You Were Too Old, it is almost impossible for a mature brain to learn an instrument. While it may be more difficult to pick up an instrument (and more expensive) after you turn eighteen years of age, it’s not impossible! Your brain may stop growing, but it remains flexible.

And it’s important that you make the time to flex it. Plus, teaching yourself an instrument is super impressive and resume-worthy, regardless of your field. It may even help improve your focus and productivity in other areas of your life and career. Think of an instrument that you’ve always had respect or interest in. Gather some inspiration by finding other people who play that instrument professionally. Then start looking for online classes and free tutorials on platforms like YouTube and Udemy. When you feel comfortable with the basics, perhaps you want to take it up a notch with in-person one-on-one lessons. 

Anyone that has the patience to teach themselves an instrument or a language as an adult also needs a considerable amount of discipline to make it work, which is a fantastic skill to hone.