Why You Need A “Granny” Hobby
By Amber Bateman
1/10/2025
“I haven’t told anyone this … because I sound like a grandma, but I’ve started knitting and … I actually really like it. It’s so relaxing!” More than one client has confided in me about their dirty secret –they have a granny hobby … and they like it. I laughed the first time someone told me this, because even though grandmas are not the only ones who can knit, I know what they mean. The thought of young adults knitting or crocheting can sound a little strange to modern ears. But I’m here today to tell you “Granny hobbies” are all the rage and can be really good for your mental health. If you don’t already have one, you should seriously consider starting one this year.
What is a Granny Hobby?
The term does not have a formal definition, but popularly refers to traditional homemaking pastimes. However, I’m expanding that definition here to include what could be known as Traditional Hobbies, as well as Physical Hobbies, and calling them just Hobbies for the rest of this article.
TRADITIONAL HOBBY: An enjoyable and rejuvenating creative project that is not for the purpose of monetary gain. An activity that your grandparents could have engaged in, one not involving screens.
PHYSICAL HOBBY: An enjoyable activity that requires some level of physical exertion.
(See sample hobby list at the end of the post for some ideas!)
What are the elements of a hobby that provides mental health benefits? Why are hobbies that don’t involve screens better for mental health?
1. One of the primary reasons to develop a hobby is to decrease the ever-popular, but less healthy alternatives: including, but not limited to: watching TV, scrolling through Instagram, or checking your email for the hundredth time.
The modern era is characterized by business. No one seems to “have enough time,” and while individual lives can vary tremendously, I think for many people (especially young people) the problem is actually that we have more time than we know how to handle well.
As a culture, we are really good at consuming media and being amused. One study suggests the average American spends over 4 hours a day on their phones alone. As a culture, we also have serious struggles with anxiety, depression, anger, and loneliness. Obviously there are many factors which contribute to these struggles and I don’t mean to oversimplify them. However, how you choose to spend your leisure time can significantly impact your mental health.
2. A hobby (especially one that doesn’t involve screens) provides an opportunity for creative expression in a way that is low-risk, non-judgmental, and non-competitive. This is in contrast to work life and social media presence which often includes social and emotional risks.
Creative expression is an essential part of what it means to be human. In my faith tradition, we believe that humans are created in the image of God, and therefore reflect this aspect of His nature as The Creator himself. We were made to create for the joy of it, not just out of necessity.
“I know what it’s like to co-create with God, to dream and wonder, to see glorious potential in a pile of scraps.”
–Ashlee Gadd, Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood.
3. Hobbies help us slow down and remind us there is more to life than being “productive”. There is value in creating something simply because it’s enjoyable. Modern life is so fast. Hobbies help us be more present in the moment. To actually stop and savor the beauty and wonder of life. As adults, it’s easy for us to lose our childlike sense of wonder, and hobbies can help us find it again.
4. Hobbies increase personal growth, character formation, and self awareness. Challenging yourself to learn a new skill can curve boredom and depression and bring a sense of purpose and meaning to your life. They can make you a more interesting, wise, and well-rounded person.
5. Hobbies provide opportunities to connect with like-minded people. It is a fantastic way to build your social network and sense of belonging in a community. Sharing your creative projects with others can be very emotionally rewarding.
6. Hobbies are grounding—meaning they engage the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste), and therefore, can have a calming effect on the body’s nervous system. Hobbies that involve manual or physical tasks help keep the body from becoming emotionally dysregulated (shutting down or amping up too much).
7. Lastly, hobbies give the mind a chance to process thoughts and feelings through physical activity. Hobbies can help the brain work out mental problems. One of the best things you can do when faced with a difficult mental or emotional problem is to engage in a physical activity. Winston Churchhill, a man with a great mental burden as England’s prime minister during WWII, felt very passionately about the importance of hobbies.
“Change is the master key. A man can wear out a particular part of his mind by continually using it and tiring it…the tired parts of the mind can be rested and strengthened, not merely by rest, but using other parts. It is not enough merely to switch off the lights which play upon the main and ordinary field of interest; a new field of interest must be illuminated…the cultivation of a hobby and new forms of interest is therefore of policy of first importance…to be really happy and really safe, one ought to have at least two or three hobbies, and they must all be real.”
Final thoughts on choosing a hobby
· Realistically consider your amount of spare time and budget for the season of life you are in. Some hobbies, such as house plant propagation, are relatively easy and low cost to get started. Other hobbies, such as glass blowing, require more materials and training. I would encourage you to be content in the season you are in and find something that suits your life now.
· Prep materials ahead of time and make them very accessible in your home. For example, if you are wanting to learn calligraphy, have your paper, pens, and reference book right by wherever you tend to sit down in the evenings. This will help you be more likely to actually engage in the activity, rather than the activities you are trying to avoid.
· If you aren’t sure what hobby to try, ask other people what they are into and if you can join them sometime. This is a great way to try something out before committing to it. Also, you don’t have to commit to a hobby forever! Give it a try and if it doesn’t suit you, try something else. You can also ask a friend if they are interested in joining you in starting a new hobby, for example in taking a bread making class together.
· Finally, let go of comparison and perfectionism. Hobbies are about joy, beauty, connection, and savoring life. Give yourself permission to just have fun!
Traditional Hobbies Ideas
Gardening (flowers, herbs, fruit trees, etc.)
Propagating house plants
Playing an instrument or singing
Sewing, embroidery, knitting, crocheting
Sketching/Painting
Remodeling furniture
Calligraphy
Photography
Building models
Fixing old cars, radios, etc.
Woodworking/woodcarving
Fishing
Archery
Cooking/baking
Preserving food through canning, fermenting, or dehydrating
Jewelry making
Leatherwork
Blacksmithing
Pottery
Glass blowing
Raising animals such as chickens or bees
Physical Activity Hobby Ideas
Hiking
Biking
Rock climbing/bouldering
Canoeing/kayaking
Swimming/diving
Skiing
Recreational sports (Pickle ball seems to have taken over the world, or at least upstate South Carolina…)
Dancing (salsa, ballroom, swing, etc.)
Martial arts
Stretching/balancing practices such as Yoga or Pilates
References
Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood by Ashlee Gadd