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Hobbies for Women Over 50 – Amazing Ideas from the Sixty and Me Community

By Margaret Manning July 09, 2023 Lifestyle

One of the best things about life as we get older is that we finally have a little extra time to do the things we love. Having interesting hobbies keeps our minds and bodies active while we transition into our senior years. This is the time to look into what interests you and what sparks your curiosity.

Do you have a passion for certain activities that you have secretly wanted to do? Do you want to produce magic with paints, wool, or glass? Or maybe you want to create beauty with words and music?

As women, we seem to have a universal desire to express our creativity. We have an insatiable desire to shape order from chaos and to create things that never existed before.

Read HOW CRAFTING OPENS THE DOOR TO CREATIVITY – NO IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO BEGIN AT 60!

What Are Hobbies?

Hobbies are activities you do that are not work-related and that typically are not remunerated. They can take up as little or as much of your time as you wish. You can do them alone, with a loved one, or in a group.

Hobbies shape our personalities, energize, inspire, and sometimes connect us with other like-minded people. They often end up bringing meaning to our lives. Doing something creative or maybe sports-related can relax us and help us unwind.

It can be anything from knitting to paddleboarding. Find the things that interest you and give them a try. You can try several different things and stick with the ones that you are the most passionate about.

So Many Hobbies to Choose From

When I asked the Sixty and Me Community to tell me about their favorite hobbies, the answers were as diverse and fabulous as the thousands upon thousands of women from around the world who shared their passions with me.

Some had eclectic hobbies, others were more traditional. If you are looking for a new hobby, I hope that you find their suggestions intriguing and valuable.

Have a hobby of your own to suggest? Please don’t forget to add it in the comments at the end of this article.

Let’s explore the types of hobbies that women over 50 wrap their hearts around – some of them may surprise you!

Arts and Crafts

Arts and Crafts were a popular response from our Sixty and Me community. Does one of the below take your fancy but you don’t know where to start? Why not look for a local class to get started, not only will you get a new hobby, but you might meet some new friends too!

  • Cooking / Cake Decorating suggested by Marie, Ginger, Regine, Margaret, and Barbara.

Cake Decorating Kit

  • Sewing / Embroidery / Knitting / Quilting / Crocheting / Traditional Felting / Rug Hooking / Beading / Needlepoint / Hand Spinning suggested by Marie, Joan, Christine, Jean, Marian, Toni, Sandy, Laura, Barb, Claudia, Shirley, Jane, Barbara, Jill, and Michelle.

Embroidery Kit

  • Gardening / Flower Arranging suggested by Marie, Sheila, Fay, Pat, Linda, Rahimah, Regine, Petula, Barbara, and Rosemarie.

Garden Kneeler Seat

  • Scrapbooking / Making Cards / Making Jewellery suggested by Becky, Pat, Phyllis, Kirsten, Toni, Carol, and Ann.

Scrapbooking Supplies Kit

  • Stained Glass / Painting / Drawing / Calligraphy / Making Mosaics / Pottery suggested by Celeste, Ho Oy, Kirsten, Janet, Karen, Barbara, and Jill.

Acrylic Paint Set

  • Decorating suggested by Pam and Regine.

Interior Design Handbook

Sports and Movement

Keeping moving as we age is really great for our health. We loved some of the adventurous hobbies you have such as Stand Up Paddleboarding (or SUP as you will often see it called) right through to the less strenuous (but just as good for you) suggestions of Tai Chi and waking on the beach. Not lucky enough to live by the sea? Why don’t you get a group of friends together and explore your local area? 

  • Swimming / Yoga / Jazzercise / Tai Chi / Cycling /Aqua Aerobics suggested by TC, Liz, Regine, Jennifer, Barbara, Char, Barbara, and Rosemarie.

Read 5 WAYS TO UPGRADE YOUR YOGA ROUTINE IN YOUR 60S OR BETTER.

Reversible Yoga Mat

Read WHAT IS TAI CHI AND WHY IT’S GOOD FOR SENIORS.

  • Playing Golf suggested by Ginger.

Read 7 BEST GOLF CLUBS FOR SENIOR LADIES

  • Dancing suggested by Pam, Hineora, Regine, and Rosemarie.
  • Stand Up Paddling suggested by Jan.
  • Horseback Riding / Dressage suggested by Gillian, Janet, Kate, and Sandra.
  • Walking on the Beach suggested by Liz and Gabriela.

Read BEST WALKING SHOES FOR SENIOR WOMEN

  • Dog Walking / Dog Training / Pets suggested by Ann, Barbara and Ann.
  • Martial Arts / Krav Maga / Self Defense suggested by Deborah.

Traveling and Exploring

People always say they wish they could take better photos, particularly whilst traveling. If you want to improve your travel snaps why not sign up to Masterclass and learn from some of the best?

  • Shopping / Flea Markets / Garage Sales suggested by Marie, TC, Linda, Petula, and Sara Jane.
  • Visiting Friends and Family / Entertaining suggested by Barbara, Rosalia, Linda, Pam, and Pat.
  • Visiting Libraries and Museums suggested by Rosalia.
  • Traveling / Exploring Parks suggested by Rosalia, Jean, Barbara, and Jill.

Read SENIORS GUIDE TO THE TOP 10 U.S. NATIONAL PARKS

Also read THE 10 SAFEST COUNTRIES TO TRAVEL AS A WOMAN OVER 50.

  • Sailing / Camping / Hiking suggested by Pam, TC, Regine, Char, and Barb.
  • Photography / Bird Watching / Wildlife suggested by Celeste, Marian, Rahimah, Liv, Debra, and Barbara.

Canon DSLR Camera

Music

What a great hobby music is – whether you write, play or listen, it can really change your mood. With a pair of headphones, you can also take it anywhere.

Read 5 MUSIC APPS FOR WOMEN OVER 60.

  • Singing / Writing Songs suggested by Bridget, Janice, Liz, Carolina, and Marietta.
  • Playing Music / Listening to Music suggested by Linda, Janice, Carolina, Regine, and Karen.
JBL FLIP 5 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker

JBL FLIP 5 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Home Bodies

All of these are great examples of hobbies you can have without leaving the comfort of your home. Unsurprisingly, reading was a very popular choice.

  • Watching TV / Watching Movies / Surfing the Internet / Playing on iPad suggested by Averyl, Kathleen, Toni, and Sonia.

Apple 2022 10.9-inch iPad

  • Journaling / Writing suggested by Deborah, Barb, and Carolina.

Journal Notebook

  • Armchair Traveling suggested by Jan. With Google Earth you can explore the world without ever leaving your house.

Google Earth

  • Crosswords / Sudoku suggested by Linda and Marina.

New York Times Crosswords

  • Reading suggested by Marie, Barbara, Rosalia, Becky, Linda, Bridget, Averyl, Teresa, TC, Pat, Toni, Regine, Barb, Jane, Ann, Esperanza, Barbara, and Barbara.

Book of the Month Subscription

Other

  • Volunteering suggested by Ginger and Diana.

Read 5 EXCELLENT REASONS WHY WE SHOULD VOLUNTEER IN OUR 60S (CONSIDER #2)

  • Spiritual Activities suggested by Bea.
  • Amateur Drama / Community Radio suggested by Clarissa and Mary.
  • Learning a new language suggested by Carolina.

Rosetta Stone Language Learning

Read WHY YOU SHOULD LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE IN A HOMESTAY ABROAD.

  • Genealogy suggested by Chris.

Ancestry DNA Kits

And then we had Deirdre who said:

“Friends and family, dressmaking, sewing, knitting, gardening, cooking, interior design, decorating, reading, involvement in classic car club and classic cars, our motorhome and traveling, learning new skills and crafts, on-line courses, and anything that takes my fancy.”

I love the fact that Deirdre said that her hobbies were anything that took her fancy. For me, that’s what a hobby should be.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you see any hobbies for women over 50 on the list that you want to try? Are there any other hobbies that you would like to recommend to the rest of the community? Please add your comments below. Let’s have a conversation!

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Deborah Collier

Just a few days ago I did my first session in Krav Maga with a fantastic female IKMF instructor here in the U.K. I don’t want to feel vulnerable as I age and Krav challenges my mind and body. Turning 60 in January, this is an empowering new hobby .. so excited.

The Author

Margaret Manning is the founder of Sixty and Me. She is an entrepreneur, author and speaker. Margaret is passionate about building dynamic and engaged communities that improve lives and change perceptions. Margaret can be contacted at margaret@sixtyandme.com

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