10 Easy Hobbies to Try: Beginner’s Guide

Are you looking for a way to unwind after a long day? Or perhaps you want to add some excitement to your free time? Maybe you’re someone who just doesn’t seem to have a hobby?

Whatever the case may be, hobbies are the best way to relax, unleash your creativity, and explore new things

If you’re new to the world of hobbies and not sure where to start, don’t sweat it – we’ve got you covered. We’ve curated a list of 10 easy hobbies that are perfect for beginners, including:

1. Painting and sketching (drawing)
2. Playing a musical instrument
3. Cooking or baking
4. Taking up coloring books
5. Losing yourself in jigsaw puzzles
6. Cultivating your garden
7. Reading for pleasure
8. Journaling and creative writing
9. Setting into the woods for a day hike
10. Stargazing at night

This list covers a wide range of what it means to be an easy hobby. From the mindless distractions to ones that will build your skills, we cover the whole spectrum of what it means to be an easy hobby. 

Before diving into our list in greater detail, let’s briefly discuss what we mean by an ‘easy hobby.’

WHAT IS AN EASY HOBBY?

An easy hobby refers to activities beginners can pick up without extensive prior experience, specialized skills, or a significant financial investment. These hobbies are designed to be stress-free, enjoyable, and provide a sense of accomplishment without overwhelming someone new to the hobby.

Every hobby on this list meets the ‘easy’ requirements. So grab a cup of tea, put your feet up, and prepare to discover some fun and relaxing activities you can try today.

10 EASY, AFFORDABLE, AND FUN HOBBIES TO PICK UP

These hobbies have low learning curves, allowing you to get started quickly and experience immediate satisfaction. Let’s start with a few that are easy to pick up.

What Is an Easy Hobby to Pick Up?

An easy hobby to pick up is any activity that requires minimal equipment, typically just paper and a pencil. It allows for immediate engagement and offers a wide range of styles and subjects to explore. Examples include drawing, certain musical instruments, and cooking.

Let’s look at each of these examples in closer detail:

1. Painting and Sketching

Everyone has an inner artist – let yours loose through painting and sketching. The beauty of either lies in their simplicity and ability to express your creativity on a canvas or piece of paper.

PAINTING FOR PLEASURE

Want to keep it super simple? Painting by numbers kits are a great option for beginners and provide step-by-step instructions to create stunning artworks, even if you’re not an expert.

If you want to keep your painting session open-ended, be sure to follow our watercolor tutorial. It’s a quick refresher into how watercolor works.

We’re guessing it’s a 5-minute read, and it will show you where to get the best and most affordable watercolor painting tools or kits for your next Manet masterpiece.

BE SKETCHY

If you prefer sketching, all you need is a sketchpad, a set of pencils (or pens – that’s what we use 90% of the time), and your imagination to bring your doodles to life.

We’ve written extensively about how to sketch – including the 5 basic skills to drawing. This 5-step guide is the perfect place to start your sketching adventure.

Sketching as a whole is a great way to reenergize and refocus during the workday. You can carve out 10 minutes and capture how you feel or your big takeaway from the last meeting onto your notes.

Remember, it doesn’t have to be ornate or a high production to be fulfilling.

2. Playing a Musical Instrument

If you don’t play an instrument this next one is for you. Many people think that playing music is something to please friends and family – you know, something to impress others with your talents.

While true, what’s lost in this line of thinking is the self-reward. Learning an instrument and seeing your progress along the way is far more rewarding. 

There are plenty of beginner-friendly instruments that offer a rewarding experience without being too complex.

As an avid guitar player, and self-taught at that, all you need is a second-hand guitar and access to tablature (this is just simplified music sheets that anyone can read).

To stay engaged in this hobby, pick one song you like, and learn how to play it start to finish. Ignore the textbook approach of learning chords and notes. The image above is a full kit for around $100, and includes nylon strings.

Nylon strings are what make the iconic classical guitar sound, and for beginners, they’re gentle on your hands since they bend so easily.

This is great for building your finger strength while still hearing something that sounds beautiful as you learn the instrument.

If you go the traditional route of learning notes, chords, scales, etc., you’re facing an uphill battle of wanting to stick with your hobby – which on average lasts around 16 months.

Thanks to all the amazing apps on our phones these days, this is easier to come by than ever.

If you decide to forgo a guitar, consider picking up a ukulele, keyboard, or harmonica; each has an affordable option online and there are tons of tutorials available on YouTube.

That way you can always learn without having to open your wallet every time. 

NOTE: 10 points for Gryffindor if you go with a uke or a harmonica – they’re extremely portable thanks to their size. This makes them great for bringing your hobby anywhere you go.

3. Cooking and Baking

Why not turn your love for food into a delightful hobby? Cooking and baking offer a creative outlet and provide a delicious reward at the end.

With an abundance of online cooking resources, recipe blogs, and beginner-friendly cooking classes available, you’ll have no trouble finding inspiration and learning new skills in the kitchen. 

For us, we like to learn food related hobbies that fill a purpose in our kitchen. Here are a few of our favorites and why:

PICKLING AND FERMENTING FOODS: 

• Purpose: Fill our never-ending demand for more pickles.
• Recommended Kit for Beginners:  Yarwell Fermentation Kit

Seriously, we have a pickle problem in the house. And since we learned the art of pickling and fermenting, we go out of our way to find excuses to preserve and flavor our favorite foods.

This is part of the reason we’ve written 5 articles and guides on pickling for New Hobby Box.

Our how-to guide to pickling specifically gives you a step-by-step tutorial, essential supplies, and some of the lesser-known health benefits to pickling and fermenting food.

Plus, it even offers tips for fermenting kimchi and sauerkraut.

BREWING KOMBUCHA: THE ELIXIR OF FLAVOR AND HEALTH

• Purpose: Save money for the same great flavor.
• Recommended Kit for Beginners: Oregon Kombucha Teas and SCOBY

If you like (or love) kombucha, you know just how expensive this little drink can be. 16 ounces of this nectar from the gods can set you back $4. 

Learning how to make our own kombucha was as much about the fun-factor (which it is of course) as it was resisting a second mortgage.

What we soon found out when we created our how to brew kombucha tutorial, was that kombucha is EASY and packed with health benefits.

So, check it out to save money and explore flavors with a simple 7-item supply list. From brewing to fermenting, become a DIY kombucha pro. We cover all the FAQs on SCOBY and ideal pH levels to get the perfect taste.

MAKING CHEESE AT HOME

• Purpose: Gain the knowledge to make one of our favorite foods – cheese.
• Recommended Kit for Beginners: Fermentaholics DIY Fresh Cheese Making Kit

This one was also partly inspired by the “we spend too much money on cheese” factor, but it was mostly led by a genuine curiosity on how you make cheese.

We knew at a top-level how to do it, but it always seemed like a super complex process or something reserved for 9th generation families to keep their cheese-making traditions alive. What we learned and shared in our tutorial on how to make cheese, shows a completely different side. Making certain types of cheese can be extremely simple and affordable.

In the tutorial, we made ricotta and mozzarella with a short list of basic ingredients (most of which we already had): milk, citric acid, and rennet.

No fancy equipment required. Perfect for beginners. Delicious for all.

Let’s shift gears and look at our next category of ‘easy’ hobbies – those you might label ‘mindless’ – we’ll explain why that’s actually a good thing.

What Is a Mindless Hobby?

A mindless hobby is an activity that requires minimal cognitive effort. These hobbies allow individuals to disengage from complex thought processes and relax. They often involve repetitive tasks and can be done almost automatically. Examples include knitting, coloring, and simple gardening tasks.

While some hobbies require focus and attention, others offer a mindless escape from daily stress.

These hobbies allow you to relax, unwind, and indulge in some downtime without needing to strain your brain.

Don’t mistake a mindless hobby for lacking value. Sometimes, switching your mind off and doing something that requires no thinking is more valuable than anything else.

The next three hobbies are great examples of mindless hobbies. 

4. Adult Coloring Books

Step back into your childhood and discover the wonders of adult coloring books. The intricately designed patterns help you unwind as you fill them with vibrant colors.

Whether you prefer botanical gardens, mandalas, or cityscapes, there’s a coloring book out there to suit your taste.

If your colored pencils, markers, and 164-set of crayons have gone missing for decades, just head over to Amazon and gear back up with one click.

Once your favorite set of colored pencils or markers are in hand, it’s time let your imagination take over. It’s time to zone out, in a good way.

5. Jigsaw Puzzles

Get lost in the world of puzzles and let your mind wander as you piece together beautiful images.

For our family, solving puzzles together is an activity we mostly do during the holidays. It’s great for the post-meal activity where everyone can join in.

But, for our own personal needs, it’s also a great way to escape the bustle of your day and check out for a minute. 

Jigsaw puzzles offer a meditative experience, allowing you to concentrate on each piece and forget about everything else.

Just about any sort of image you can dream up is available as a puzzle these days. So go ahead and get creative with your next new hobby of building puzzles.

Start with a smaller puzzle and work your way up to more challenging ones. It’s a fantastic way to relax while keeping your brain engaged.

6. Gardening

Whether you have a spacious backyard or a tiny balcony, you can create your own little oasis filled with vibrant flowers, aromatic herbs, or even a small vegetable patch. 

One of the first hobbies we shared on New Hobby Box was how to create a vegetable garden in your kitchen. And thanks to the always-improving depths of Amazon, the options for an indoor veggie garden kit are better than ever.

Our initial kit was centered around tomatoes and mostly herbs. It was admittedly primitive.

Now, you can find amazing kits like this Spade to Fork Indoor Vegetable Garden Kit that includes every tool and piece of equipment for growing tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, radish, and green beans.

If you decide to make your own kit here without the help of Amazon or other stores, you’ll still find that gardening is not only relaxing but also rewarding as you watch your plants grow and flourish.

Get your hands dirty and let nature work its magic.

Now then, let’s talk about the most affordable options to round out the easy hobbies to try list, starting with a simple definition of good, free hobbies.

What Are Good Free Hobbies?

Good free hobbies are activities that offer enjoyment without financial investment. These hobbies often utilize readily available resources and can be pursued at any time. Examples include hiking, reading free e-books, journaling, and practicing bodyweight exercises.

A good hobby doesn’t need to break the bank! There, we said it.

There are plenty of enjoyable activities that you can pursue for free. It’s important to note that every hobby can become expensive.

What we like about this list is that you don’t typically need to purchase anything to get started.

If you decide you like it, then you have options to lean in further and invest in tools and gear to enhance your experience. But it’s not a requirement on day one.

So, if you’re looking to save some pennies while having fun, check out the following free hobbies:

7. Reading

Books. The smell, the feeling, the beauty of seeing your row of hardbound literature neatly organized on a shelf. Even without opening a single page a book can add joy to your day.

But the real experience starts when you take off the book jacket and get past the prologue.

From gripping thrillers to heartwarming romances, there’s a genre out there for everyone.

Now, every one of us reads a ridiculous amount of information daily – from social media on our phones to emails at work. But this type of reading shouldn’t be lumped into either category.

Reading in the context of this article is for some broader pursuit; be it pleasure, education, or anything aside from a quick glance related to 21st century communication.

The best part is the shelves of your local library can help you in this hobby. And, these shelves aren’t merely physical. Today’s libraries contain an immense amount of online versions. 

CONSIDER KINDLE UNLIMITED

If your library isn’t up to snuff, Kindle Unlimited is a great way to explore the pages of whatever interests you most. Plus, they’re always running some kind of deal like 30-day free trial, or 2-months for $4.99.

Even once those trials end, you’re looking at around $12 per month to continue the subscription. It’s an awesomely affordable way to dive into the world of e-books and immerse yourself in captivating stories.

Reading isn’t just an enjoyable pastime but also an instrumental way to expand your knowledge.

8. Writing and Journaling

Grab a pen and paper and let your thoughts flow through the power of writing and journaling.

Whether you explore your creative side through poetry and short stories or document your daily experiences in a journal, writing can be an incredibly therapeutic hobby.

Aside from the general benefits you get from taking up creative writing and journaling, both are also sought after activities that recruiters love to see on your resumes.

Now, this shouldn’t be your motive for starting a hobby by any means. Rather, think of it as a bonus to doing something that’s good for you.

First and foremost, writing or journaling is a great chance to express yourself and explore your emotions while honing your writing skills.

9. Day Hiking

Lace up your boots and hit the great outdoors. Hiking is a wonderful hobby that allows you to reconnect with nature, get some exercise, and enjoy breathtaking views.

Getting out into nature provides tremendous benefit to your life: such as improved mood, increased energy, and reduced stress response.

There are countless hiking trails waiting to be explored, whether in local parks or more remote locations.

Grab a water bottle, put on some weather-appropriate clothes, and set off on an exciting adventure for the day. 

10. Stargazing

Turn your eyes towards the night sky and discover the wonders of the universe through stargazing.

At the most basic level, all you need is a clear night, a cozy blanket, and perhaps a guidebook or smartphone app to help you identify constellations.

This is a hobby that we’ve grown to love over the years. If you’re curious about how to get started with astronomy on the cheap, be sure to check out our stargazing tutorial.

In the NHB tutorial, we’ve dropped links to kits that help you build a refracting telescope, as well as star charts and laser pointers to guide your eyes to the right spots in the sky.

Gaze at the stars, marvel at the beauty of the cosmos, and let your imagination soar among the galaxies.

IT’S EASY TO FIND A NEW FAVORITE HOBBY – THEY’RE ALL AROUND YOU

There you have it – our list of 10 easy hobbies for beginners that offer endless fun, relaxation, and a chance to discover new interests.

Whether you choose to pick up a paintbrush, strum a few chords, or get your hands dirty in the garden, these hobbies are sure to engage you and bring a sense of fulfillment or a much-needed break to your daily life.

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Never miss the opportunity to learn a new, great hobby. So go ahead, embrace your inner hobbyist, and begin an exciting journey of self-discovery and relaxation.