22 Productive Hobbies To Do With Your Hands
Our hands can make our lifestyle better in many ways. One of these ways is by allowing us the ability to perform a hobby that we enjoy and that has benefits for our life.
To us at Different Hobbies, a productive hobby benefits us in some way, shape, or form, or provides us with a result we’re proud of. Working with our hands often fulfills this.
Hobbies that we do with our hands not only fully engage us, but they can bring out the creativity that we all possess… somewhere deep inside of us.
Hobbies in general are known to improve moods and lift spirits, while also having the ability to increase physical strength when done regularly.
Some hobbies are more challenging than others, and more physical or active if that’s what we enjoy. If you’re looking for a productive, hands-on hobby that will benefit you in some way, here are twenty two productive hobbies to do with your hands.
Active Hobbies to do With Your Hands
- Bowling
Bowling is a well-known and loved activity that can keep you moving. Bowling balls can weigh 14-16 lbs and require body strength to roll.
It’s a fun hobby to relieve stress and socialize that’s relatively affordable and straightforward.
Bowling costs may vary based on the bowling space, exclusiveness, equipment rental, and location. It’s advisable to get your own bowing shoes, go to an affordable bowling alley, and be flexible on when and where to play. - Archery
Archery is great for the mind and focus. It also promotes self-motivation and calmness. However, this hobby requires precision, endurance, and patience to get the most out of it.
It’s best if you also have the right equipment as the minor details mean so much in this activity.
There are plenty of archery styles you can pick. You can play it in your backyard with friends, in the forest or park, or practice target and mounted archery.
However, the bows and arrows used may vary based on the archery style you pick. If you’re just looking for fitness, consider combat archery. - Juggling
Juggling is a fun recreational activity that enhances your physical skills and coordination. You can start with two or three objects, preferably balls, to practice scooping and tossing the balls without dropping them.
You can learn several juggling techniques including circus, comedy, gentleman, bounce, contact, trick, and themed juggling.
Doing this hobby will boost not only your physical skills but also your rhythm and even intelligence! - Fishing
You can go fishing just for the fun of it. This hobby can help you relieve stress, socialize, feel self-fulfilled, get food and money and explore the beauty and stillness of the waters.
You can go fishing in different water types, including streams, lakes, seas, and oceans, and use several fishing methods to catch fish as you explore nature.
Casting a fishing rod takes some practice but the fulfillment you’ll feel when you pull in your first fish with your own hands is worth all the effort.
Art Hobbies to Bring Out Your Creativity
- Sketching
Drawing and sketching are great ways to spend your free time. This hobby helps with relaxation and boosts your holistic health, brain development, creative skills, and memory.
To start this hobby, you simply need to pick a subject, visualize it, and put it on paper. The essential supplies you should have are merely a pencil/pen and paper, which may already be available at home.
However, there are more refined materials like a sketchbook and graphite pencil for a few dollars more if you want to get serious. - Origami
Origami is another inexpensive hobby that requires the use of hands. This hobby helps with relaxing and boosts creativity, attention to detail, hand-eye coordination, focus, and sequencing skills.
Origami is often used in therapeutic settings such as injury and stroke rehabilitation, and art therapy.
Common origami projects include making flowers, animals, balls, boxes, envelopes, ornaments, hanging decorations, paper stars, cards, cranes, etc. - Clay Crafts
You can make endless things from clay, including bowls, beads, toys, home decor, flower pots, dishes, keychains, and other accessories.
Working with clay is linked to many benefits, including fine motor skills, discipline, high self-esteem, sensory development, personalized learning, self-expression, and creativity. - Scrapbooking
Scrapbooking helps you preserve, arrange, and present your personal and family past and history in a book, card, or box.
Everyday things you can include in your scrapbooking are photographs, artwork, printed items, souvenirs, and other mementos.
You can start the hobby with a few easy-to-find supplies like pens, scissors, books/cardstocks, adhesives, establishments, and photos. - String Art
This hobby can also be called pin and thread art. It involves arranging colored strings threaded between several points to create geometric patterns and emblematic designs like animals, flowers, trees, houses, pets, and more.
To start this hobby, you only need a board, strings, nails, and a sketch of what you wish to make. - Lettering & Modern Calligraphy
Hand lettering is a fun art that enables you to create unique hand-written pieces you use in different ways, such as home décor.
You can start this hobby using a regular pen, pencil, and paper or specialty brush pens depending on your budget, preference, and experience. - Candlemaking
Candlemaking is an easy and popular hobby today. It helps ease your mind and relax as you make candles of different designs, shapes, sizes, and colors.
Redo them if they don’t turn out the way you like. - Journaling
Journaling allows you to keep records of your insights, feelings, thoughts, daily activities, and other endeavors happening in your life.
Depending on your journaling media, preference, and budget, you can write, draw, or type these activities. Some opt to do it using their computers, while others love old-school books and paper.
Journaling and writing can be done in numerous styles, including bulleting, listing, scrapbooking, free writing, art, morning pages, unsent letters, dream journaling, reflection journal, reading journals, One Line A Day journaling, and others. - Tree\Flower Shaping
Did you know that you can shape living trees and flowers into the artistic shapes of your desire?
This hobby includes training plants to take a structure using techniques like grafting, cutting, bending, framing, pruning, pleaching, etc.
Some of the methods employed in this hobby include instant tree shaping, gradual shaping, aeroponic culture, pollarding, coppicing, espalier, and bonsai.
You can shape many forms using this art, including living benches, tables, chairs, and words. - Play Instruments
You use your fingers to play instruments. The hobby is also convenient as you can always borrow or rent a musical instrument first to practice playing it before investing in it.
Some good examples of instruments to consider include violin, guitar, and piano
Hobbies that Involve Making Something
- Kite Building
If you love flying kites, then learning how to build one is an economical and convenient way to enjoy this hobby. Making your kite allows you to create one that fits your needs and experience level.
There are several kite-building methods you can adopt. For starters, DIY kite-building kits are an excellent way to start.
It’s always important that you ensure your kite is strong and light enough to fly in different wind conditions. For best results, consider focusing on the kite’s crossbar, spine, and bridle design to ensure you create a masterpiece.
Attending kite-building workshops can help you get more insight into this activity. These workshops are usually available for both kids and adults. - Coding
Learning to code will allow you to create apps, websites, and software for many purposes. It enhances your technical know-how and problem-solving skills, improves career prospects, hand-eye coordination, creativity, and more.
Typing away with your hands can provide many options down the road if you get good at it. There are many ideas floating around to earn you an income. - Carpentry
Carpentry is a great hobby that helps you build many things around your home or shop. You can opt for various projects including furniture, shelving, cabinetry, décor, instruments, utensils, or even big projects such as a shed, tree house, or garage.
However, you’ll need to learn to use tools and practice proper safety procedures to make it fun. - Building Lego
Lego building is an ideal hobby for both adults and kids. There are many Lego builds you can collect and buy with varying sizes and complexity. This activity can be done in the living room or taken to a large scale.
The endless possibilities and interests connected to Lego make it a fascinating and versatile hobby to try. Lego can be costly so be mindful of your project before you begin. - Welding
Welding describes the process of connecting metals together through superheating. This skill is essential for metalworkers, but it can also be adopted by welding hobbyists who find it enjoyable.
You can use welding for exclusive art projects, repairs, and DIY metal projects.
Some practical welding projects include building lamps, wrought iron fences, tables, chairs, workshop furniture, boat accessories, sculptures, and can be great to know for repairs.
However, for enhanced safety and effectiveness, you need the correct welding protective equipment and clothing. - Puzzles
There are plenty of puzzle designs, sizes, types, and shapes you can consider doing in your leisure time. Popular puzzle games are 2048, Rubik’s Cube, 1010 classic, The Room, and more. - Tinkering
Tinkering refers to repairing or improving things in random or casual ways. It’s an ideal hobby for individuals who enjoy disassembling, reverse-engineering, or playing around with stuff.
This hobby allows you to enhance, mend, or augment things and turn them to be unique or more enjoyable.
Some tinkering projects you may love are electronics, car customization, watchmaking, blacksmithing, woodworking, diorama creations, refinishing, rock tumbling, PC building, model making, leather working, chandlery, and antiquing. - Machining
If you enjoy drilling, cutting, polishing, and milling with machines this is the hobby for you. Create cool things, fix broken parts, or just fool around with materials.
It does take learning to figure out, but once you get past that there are endless things to try. You’ll become a hobby machinist in no time.
Just Get Started
Using your hands can create the fulfillment you may require in your day. Hobbies you do with your hands often have something to show for them, which makes them even better.
From building to drawing, our hands are a special tool. Find something you love creating and just get started.
As with everything, to be productive you must try something. You can’t improve if you don’t start.
For more cool and exciting hobbies check out our Master List of hobbies and interests.
