Inside: Whether you are feeling bored, uninspired, or are just ready to tackle a new skill, this article is for you. Here are 110 hobbies for stay at homes you'll love to try out.

Being a stay at home mom is a rewarding and fulfilling role. But when the kiddos are young, it can also feel slow and monotonous. I've been there too! The days are long, but the years are short, right? 

Even as a stay at home mom, there are hundreds of hobbies you can start. 

If you've been around this Mama's Morning community for any length of time you know how much I love my morning routine. Mainly because I believe in the importance of quiet time with God. 

But also, I love getting up early because I have a hobby I truly enjoy. 

When I am not engaging in writing and creating, I feel the loss. This little blog has given me an opportunity to be creative, think critically, brainstorm, write, and share. And I think if all stay at home moms had something equally fun for them, they might feel a little different about their day at home.

So friends, let's talk about hobbies for stay at home moms. 

Benefits of a stay at home mom hobby

Hobbies feel unimportant. With people to keep alive and a household to run, having a personal interest seems frivolous. Even the definition of the word - an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure - leaves you feeling...unproductive. 

Nothing against The Oxford Dictionary, but that definition seems lacking. A hobby is more than something we do when we've got nothing else going on. If that was the case, scrolling through Instagram, or binging YouTube videos would be considered a hobby. 

No, instead I think a hobby is something done outside your regular job that adds value to your life or to the life of others. As a stay at home mom, this means anything done outside of our everyday household and family related tasks that benefits your life or the life of the people around you. 

You might be saying, "Ok, but why even bother with finding a hobby? Isn't what I'm already doing enough?". Of course what you're doing as a mom is enough. You are raising disciples!

But having a hobby can help you more fully fulfill your calling. Here are a few reasons to find, and take part in, a hobby. A hobby:

• engages your God-given creativity (our God is a creative God)
• provides an avenue by which you can meet new people
• offers a topic of conversation in social settings
• reduces stress
• enables you to learn more about yourself
• increases your self-confidence
• helps fight depression
• potentially helps you get better sleep

Based on these benefits, let's redefine the word hobby:

hobby:  is an activity that offers a creative outlet, reduces stress, keeps you engaged in a community and allows you opportunities to meet more people, honors God by using gifts He has given you, provides better sleep, helps ward off depression, and increases self confidence.

That sounds much more vital, doesn't it? 

How do I choose my stay at home mom hobby? 

Here are six questions you can ask yourself that'll help you find a fun and fulfilling mom hobby:

1. What have you always been interested in? Think back pre-kids, maybe even pre-marriage. Possibly back to when you were a kid. What got you thinking or made you ask more questions? What made you wonder?
2. What are you good at, but "don't have time" for anymore? We like what we are good at; we are good at what we like. 
3. If you could learn anything, what would it be? Maybe you're like me, and you've always been envious of those who can play the guitar or piano. Or you wish you paid more attention in Spanish class in high school. Don't wish the time away - start now!
4. If the kids were out of the house, what would you be doing? You don't have to wait. It won't look like it will when all the kids are in school, but you can make tiny baby steps towards your goal now. Start small. Start now.
5. What leaves you feeling refreshed + energized, as opposed to depleted + drained? Time seems to stop when I'm making a graphic on Canva. Similarly, writing always produces a little extra pep in my step. Making a Shutterfly book? Not so much. What activity makes time stand still for you?
6. How can I provide value to someone else outside of my home? Hobbies aren't just for our own enjoyment. They can also add value to someone in your community. We all crave to know that what we do actually matters. Find a hobby that offers a way for you to serve others.

A little aside here: raising babies, toddlers, elementary and high school aged kids is a privilege Raising well rounded, generous, kind, Jesus follows is the best way we can love and serve our communities! In no way is all the "hobby talk" attempting to take away from that.

I am not saying you need to find a hobby in order to provide value to society. If you're raising the next generation to serve the Lord, you already are.

110 Hobbies For Stay At Home Moms

Ready to check out some potential mom hobbies? Here are 110 hobbies for stay at home moms, divided up by category. Don't forget to refer back to the six questions I posed earlier - they will help you narrow down the list and choose a mom hobby that works for you. 

Creative Hobbies for Moms

• Lettering/ Calligraphy
• Stamping
• Collage making
• Shutterfly photobooks
• Glass blowing
• Sewing
• Painting
• Pottery/clay modeling
• Sketching
• Soap making
• Candle making
• Tie-dying
• Jewelry making
• Writing a novel or short stories
• Carving/wittling
• Chair or basket weaving
• Creating stained glass
• Make your own thank you cards

Money Making Hobbies at Home

• Blogging (free course to get you started here)
• Start an Etsy store (see craft hobbies above!)
• Editing and proof-reading
• Graphic design
• Create and sell activity printables on Etsy
• Virtual assistant
• Furniture flipping
• Family photography
• Commissioned paintings or drawings
• Build daily routine templates to sell online
• Design greeting cards to sell at a local boutique
• Create and sell an online course
• Sew and sell stuffed toys/pillows
• Design and sell sewing patterns
• Cake decorating and baking
• Freelance writing
• Teach piano in your home

Hobbies for introverted moms

• HIIT workouts at home
• Writing: reflect on and write about “chapters” in your life for your kids to read one day
• Bread baking
• Herb gardening
• Study the Bible
• Origami
• Knitting/crotchet
• Reading
• Baking
• Songwriting
• Puzzles
• Indoor potted plants
• Organizing your house
• Making pretty charts for your home on Canva
• Practice pretty lettering and write quotes on a chalkboard in your home
• Listen to podcasts
• Make your own green cleaning products
• Start those long overdue baby books!
• Research and write papers on interesting topics (then submit to online publishers!)

Outdoor hobbies for stay at home moms

• Raise chickens in your backyard
• Vegetable gardening (try a 5 gallon bucket garden if space limited!)
• Collect branches, flowers, plants to make wreaths
• Master fire making
• Build cool obstacle courses for your kids
• Run
• Sign up for an athletic event and start training!
• Build a bird feeder and bird watch
• Stargaze
• Forage
• Go camping (and master a good camping routine)
• Chalk designs outside on the patio
• Nature photography
• Fishing
• Build a bug garden
• Keep bees
• Herb garden
• Redesign your landscaping
• Design a rock garden in your yard
• Hiking
• Flower garden

Educational hobbies for stay at home moms

• Learn a new language
• Build a reading list to work through
• Take a watercolor class on Udemy
• Research and write down your family history
• Learn an instrument 
• Study the art of coffee making
• Watch ted talks while you fold clothes
• Learn a new skill via an online class
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Fall in love with theology
• Study medicinal plants and make home remedies
• Use YouTube to learn calligraphy
• Practice using photoshop
• Create short movies with iMovie
• Sudoku puzzles
• Test out recipes from around the world
• Study a new country and culture
• Woodworking
• Memorize Scripture
• Study your genealogy

Social hobbies for stay at home moms

• Coffee/tea making - invite friends over for each testing
• Start a podcast to build a community and share a passion of yours
• Join a pick-up pickle ball group 
• Be the go-to "event planner" for friends' baby/wedding showers
• Coach a sport for your kids
• Initiate a quarterly/monthly book club
• Have weekly craft dates with friends
• Volunteer at a pregnancy center
• Make freezer meals with friends
• Go to a workout class (where childcare is provided)
• Take a weekly hike with a group of moms
• Join a fun class at your community college
• Get involved with Meals on Wheels
• Start a moms group centered on a topic you love or want to discuss

How to find time for your stay at home mom hobby

All this sounds great, right? But like many of us, you're probably thinking when the heck do I find the time to work on a hobby?? There is too much going on, too much to do. 

More often then not, if we took the time to identify and eliminate time wasters, we'd be able to carve out space each week to work on a hobby. 

Here are a few steps to help you find the time for your hobby as a stay at home mom. 

1. Take stock of where your time is actually going. In Laura Vanderkam’s book I Know How She Does It, Laura discusses how analyzing our time often reveals the truth about how we spend our days. Track your time for a few days, and see where it's actually going. 
2. Write down your priorities. Start with the most important, and list them out. If a hobby makes the list, make time for it. 
3. Check your screen time. Even 10 minutes here and there adds up. Are you on your phone while you husband is in the shower? Pick up your hobby, instead. Are you scrolling while the spaghetti is boiling? Use those few minutes to work on a creative skill.
4. Wake up before the kids. Your brain is fresh, the house is quiet, and the creativity is flowing. You can't go wrong waking up a little early!
5. Get your kids involved in your chores. If you spend all your kid-free time getting household tasks down, try getting more done while the kids are with you. It'll help them learn discipline and responsibility, as well.
6. Start a quiet time routine for your little ones (even if they don't nap).  Every day, between 12:30-14:00, we have quiet time at our house. The boys are past the napping years, but they still have to play quietly for this 1.5 hours. If you don't have a quiet time implemented, now is the time!

How to make money with your stay at home mom hobby

Not all hobbies should be used to make money. Your hobby is not meaningless if it doesn't produce an income. There are lots of ways to add value to the life of your family and community without making a dime.

Remember all those benefits of hobbies for stay at home moms we talked about earlier?

If you do, however, have a desire to make money, whether that money be used for extra spending, to contribute to the household, or you see it as a way to tangibly measure your contribution, here are some tips: 

1. Take yourself seriously
2. Don’t be afraid of failure (or having to re-group and redirect)
3. Get over your insecurities and put yourself out there
4. Figure out how you can add value to someone else’s life
5. Get up early, stay up late, or stay focused during nap-time to get time “clocked”
6. Read this book. 
7. Listen to inspiring podcasts (blogging, etsy, crafting, work + Christians)

How do I honor God with my new hobby?

While the Bible doesn't explicitly talk about hobbies for stay at home moms, there are a few principles to keep in mind while we are on the topic of hobbies. 

1. Do it in the name of the Lord (Colossians 3:17)
2. Be careful that your hobby does not become an idol (1 John 5:21)
3. Make sure you are finding your rest in Him alone, and not in "alone time" (Matthew 11:28-30)
4. Ask yourself, is this drawing me closer to Jesus? (Hebrews 12:1-2)
5. Use your hobby to serve others (Philippians 2:4)

Yes, hobbies for stay at home moms can be rejuvenating, increase your creativity, and add a sense of fun and fulfillment to your life. But, as followers of Christ, our eyes and hearts must be always be pointed to Him. Use your gifts to serve Him and His people. 

Before your start your new hobby, make sure your heart is right in it's intent to honor and serve your God.

In Conclusion...

Being a stay at home mom can feel monotonous and unproductive (even though neither is true). But starting a new hobby can help invigorate and propel you to be a more intentional mom with those babies you love so much. 

God is a creative God who made us in His creative image. So honor Him with your hobby, and love and serve those around you with the gifts He has graciously given to you. 

I"m rooting for you,