Finally having the time and energy to pursue a new hobby is one of the biggest benefits of retirement. Unfortunately for anyone looking to start a new hobby last year or now in 2021, your options are going to be a bit limited.
But even with the limitations, that doesn’t mean you can’t find a new hobby. There are still a number of great hobbies and senior activities that you can do during this time. Especially as the world opens up a bit more and is allowing more freedom and safety for certain activities.
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At Village Green, we are dedicated to ensuring the safety and comfort of our residents while also keeping them engaged in activities and surrounded by the community. Living in this world today does not mean that you or your loved one are restricted to being isolated and alone. It just means it’s time to get creative and Village Green has been doing that since last year. Take a look at some new hobbies we have encouraged our residents to participate in (or you can also view our monthly events). Even if there are restrictions due to protecting your physical health, it is critical to remember you should not compromise your mental and emotional health. Here is a list of popular activities and hobbies for seniors, that just might inspire you to try something new.
Popular Activities and Hobbies for Creative or Artistic Seniors
Creative and artistic hobbies don’t just provide an opportunity to show off your individuality. They can be extremely therapeutic.
During the pandemic, artistic and creative hobbies have become extremely popular because of their solitary nature. With artistic and creative hobbies, you are able to try something new while still following the rules and guidelines that are in place to protect your health and safety.
- Coloring
Coloring used to be viewed as an activity or hobby that was something only children enjoyed, but things have changed. It has now turned into a hobby that is extremely therapeutic. Coloring just a few minutes every day has been proven to do everything from helping to improve your mood, enhance your memory and reduce stress to strengthening and enhancing hand-eye coordination and improving hand dexterity and grip control.
You don’t need a lot of tools to get started. If you want to tap into your artistic side and try coloring, all you need is a box of colored pencils – the more colors the better, but you can do amazing things with a box of 12 colored pencils – and a coloring book. A recent trend that came out a number of years ago is coloring books specifically for adults and they are available in a wide variety of themes which means there is something for everyone.
- Drawing
A good art teacher can take you from drawing stick figures to creating masterpieces. So grab a pencil, a pad of paper, and an eraser and see what you can do. You just might be surprised at what you create.
If you choose to pursue drawing, you will be able to continue your hobby long after the pandemic is over. Right now many teachers are focused on teaching virtually, but as restrictions ease up classes will be opening up to small groups.
Other artistic, creative, and crafty hobbies and activities that are popular include:
- Cardmaking
- Creating and making bookmarks and other small crafts
- Learning to knit or crochet
Learn Something New with These Popular Educational Hobbies and Activities
If you don’t consider the pursuit of artistic endeavors something of interest you can try more educational hobbies and activities to provide you with the perfect opportunity to learn something new. These educational hobbies and activities are for seniors and you just might find that you develop a new passion and learn in the process.
- Explore the World with Virtual Tours
You might not be able to go out and travel the world right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still go out exploring. Travel agencies, tour guides, museums, and libraries have been offering virtual tours throughout the pandemic, and most are free of charge. Using detailed pictures and sharing personal stories, almost makes you feel like you are really there!
- Attend College Classes
Imagine being able to take a class from some of the world’s best professors. That is exactly what many colleges are offering. Colleges are opening their lecture halls – at least virtually – and encouraging people to step inside.
What makes this hobby so interesting is that there are classes on a wide variety of topics. You can learn just about anything with these classes and you don’t even have to leave your home. Some examples of college classes that have proven popular amongst seniors include writing workshops, history courses, literature discussions, health and wellness-focused workshops, and music lessons.
Other educational hobbies and activities that are popular amongst seniors include:
- Indoor gardening – you can grow amazing – and tasty – plants right in the comfort of your own home.
- Taking part in quizzes and trivia games – many trivia games and quiz shows have gone online during the pandemic. However, as restrictions ease up, you can still pursue this hobby as it is perfectly designed for small groups or even do it virtually with family members.
- Bird-watching –This hobby is a favorite because you never know what you will see. Of course, you will see popular local birds, but you never know when you will be treated to a random sighting of a bird that isn’t native to the area. You could even start by purchasing a bird feeder so the birds come to you.
Confidently Pursue New Hobbies and Activities with Our Help
At Village Green each month, our staff carefully plans a wide variety of activities and events that are perfect for seniors looking to try a new hobby. To protect your health and safety, all activities are designed to follow recommended guidelines and protocols so you won’t have to worry about those details and you can simply show up and participate.
We know many of our residents are eager to get out and start socializing with their friends. We also know that there are still many people who still wish to social distance or self-isolate. We are committed to keeping all our residents safe within the realm of not only recommended guidelines but also within their own comfort zones. We offer a diverse selection of activities so that people with varying degrees of comfort around others will easily find safe ways to participate. At Village Green, you can know that we take such care and precautions that all our residents need to worry about is which activities in which they wish to participate.
Schedule a virtual tour today to see and experience the fun, caring, and safe environment that we have created for our residents. Click here to schedule a tour.
