Random Hobby Generator
124 real hobbies, all of them in the table below. Press the button for one at random — you get what kind of thing it is, whether it happens indoors or outside, roughly what it costs to start and the actual items you need to begin.
Press the button for a hobby.
124 hobbies in this list.
All 124 hobbies on this list
| Hobby | Kind | Indoors or out | Cost to start | What you need to begin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drawing | Making | Indoors | Very low | A pencil and paper |
| Watercolour painting | Making | Either | Low | A pan set, brush and thick paper |
| Oil painting | Making | Indoors | Medium | Paints, brushes, a board, solvent and ventilation |
| Calligraphy | Making | Indoors | Low | A dip pen or brush pen and smooth paper |
| Hand lettering | Making | Indoors | Very low | Markers and layout paper |
| Origami | Making | Indoors | Very low | Square paper |
| Knitting | Making | Either | Low | Needles and a ball of yarn |
| Crochet | Making | Either | Very low | One hook and one ball of yarn |
| Cross-stitch | Making | Indoors | Low | Aida cloth, floss, a hoop and a chart |
| Embroidery | Making | Indoors | Low | A hoop, needle, floss and fabric |
| Quilting | Making | Indoors | Medium | Fabric, rotary cutter, mat and a machine |
| Sewing | Making | Indoors | Medium | A machine, thread, pins and a pattern |
| Weaving | Making | Indoors | Medium | A frame or rigid-heddle loom and yarn |
| Spinning yarn | Making | Indoors | Medium | A drop spindle or wheel and fibre |
| Macrame | Making | Indoors | Very low | Cord and something to hang it from |
| Candle making | Making | Indoors | Low | Wax, wicks, a thermometer and a double boiler |
| Soap making | Making | Indoors | Medium | Oils, lye, safety gear and moulds |
| Pottery | Making | Either | High | Clay, tools and access to a kiln |
| Woodworking | Making | Either | High | A workbench, saw, chisels and a plane |
| Whittling | Making | Either | Very low | A knife and a stick |
| Leatherwork | Making | Indoors | Medium | Leather, a knife, punches and waxed thread |
| Jewellery making | Making | Indoors | Medium | Pliers, wire, findings and beads |
| Stained glass | Making | Indoors | High | Glass, a cutter, foil and a soldering iron |
| Model building | Making | Indoors | Medium | A kit, cement, a knife and paints |
| Miniature painting | Making | Indoors | Medium | Miniatures, fine brushes and acrylics |
| Bookbinding | Making | Indoors | Low | Paper, thread, an awl and board |
| Printmaking (lino) | Making | Indoors | Low | Lino, cutters, ink and a roller |
| Screen printing | Making | Either | Medium | A screen, squeegee, emulsion and ink |
| Photography | Making | Either | Medium | Any camera, including the one in your pocket |
| Film making | Making | Either | Medium | A camera, a tripod and editing software |
| Animation | Making | Indoors | Low | Software and a great deal of patience |
| Digital art | Making | Indoors | Medium | A tablet and drawing software |
| Graphic design | Making | Indoors | Low | Software and something that needs designing |
| Writing fiction | Making | Indoors | Very low | Anything to write with |
| Poetry | Making | Either | Very low | A notebook |
| Journalling | Making | Indoors | Very low | A notebook and ten minutes |
| Blogging | Making | Indoors | Low | A domain and something to say |
| Podcasting | Making | Indoors | Medium | A microphone, quiet room and editing software |
| Playing guitar | Music | Indoors | Medium | A guitar, a tuner and sore fingertips for a fortnight |
| Playing piano | Music | Indoors | High | A keyboard with weighted keys |
| Playing ukulele | Music | Either | Low | A ukulele and four chords |
| Playing drums | Music | Indoors | High | A kit or an electronic pad set, and tolerant neighbours |
| Playing violin | Music | Indoors | High | A violin, a bow, rosin and a teacher |
| Singing | Music | Either | Very low | Nothing at all |
| Music production | Music | Indoors | Medium | A laptop, headphones and a DAW |
| DJing | Music | Indoors | High | A controller, headphones and a music library |
| Cooking | Food | Indoors | Low | A pan, a knife and a reason to eat |
| Baking | Food | Indoors | Low | Scales, a tin and an oven |
| Bread making | Food | Indoors | Very low | Flour, water, salt and time |
| Fermenting | Food | Indoors | Low | Jars, salt and vegetables |
| Home brewing | Food | Indoors | Medium | A fermenter, airlock, malt and hops |
| Coffee roasting | Food | Either | Medium | Green beans and a way to heat them evenly |
| Cake decorating | Food | Indoors | Medium | Piping bags, nozzles, a turntable and icing |
| Cheese making | Food | Indoors | Medium | Milk, cultures, rennet and a thermometer |
| Gardening | Outdoors | Outdoors | Low | Soil, seed and somewhere with light |
| Vegetable growing | Outdoors | Outdoors | Low | A bed or a few large pots |
| Houseplants | Outdoors | Indoors | Low | A plant and a window |
| Bonsai | Outdoors | Either | Medium | A young tree, shears, wire and years |
| Beekeeping | Outdoors | Outdoors | High | A hive, a suit, a smoker and local permission |
| Foraging | Outdoors | Outdoors | Very low | A regional guidebook and caution |
| Birdwatching | Outdoors | Outdoors | Low | Binoculars and a field guide |
| Stargazing | Outdoors | Outdoors | Low | Clear sky and a star chart, a telescope later |
| Astrophotography | Outdoors | Outdoors | High | A camera, a tracker and dark skies |
| Hiking | Physical | Outdoors | Low | Boots that fit and a map |
| Trail running | Physical | Outdoors | Low | Trail shoes |
| Running | Physical | Outdoors | Very low | Shoes and a route |
| Cycling | Physical | Outdoors | High | A bike, a helmet and lights |
| Mountain biking | Physical | Outdoors | High | A hardtail, a helmet and trails nearby |
| Swimming | Physical | Either | Low | Pool access and goggles |
| Open-water swimming | Physical | Outdoors | Low | A bright cap, a tow float and never alone |
| Rock climbing | Physical | Either | Medium | Shoes, a harness and a partner or a gym |
| Bouldering | Physical | Indoors | Low | Shoes and a gym pass |
| Yoga | Physical | Either | Very low | A mat and floor space |
| Pilates | Physical | Indoors | Low | A mat and a class to learn the form |
| Weight training | Physical | Indoors | Medium | A gym membership or a barbell |
| Martial arts | Physical | Indoors | Medium | A club, and a uniform once you stay |
| Boxing | Physical | Indoors | Medium | Wraps, gloves and a gym |
| Fencing | Physical | Indoors | High | Club kit at first, then your own |
| Archery | Physical | Either | High | Club sessions before buying anything |
| Kayaking | Physical | Outdoors | High | A boat, a buoyancy aid and a course |
| Sailing | Physical | Outdoors | High | A club, a course and no boat of your own at first |
| Surfing | Physical | Outdoors | Medium | A soft-top board, a wetsuit and a forgiving beach |
| Skateboarding | Physical | Outdoors | Low | A complete board and a helmet |
| Bouldering outdoors | Physical | Outdoors | Medium | A crash pad, shoes and a guidebook |
| Skiing | Physical | Outdoors | High | Rented kit and a lesson |
| Golf | Physical | Outdoors | High | A half set, a range bucket and a driving range |
| Table tennis | Physical | Indoors | Low | A bat and a club night |
| Badminton | Physical | Indoors | Low | A racket and a court booking |
| Dancing | Physical | Indoors | Low | A class and shoes you can turn in |
| Chess | Games | Either | Very low | A board, or an account and a phone |
| Go | Games | Indoors | Low | A board, stones and a beginner's book |
| Board games | Games | Indoors | Medium | One good game and people to play it with |
| Tabletop roleplaying | Games | Indoors | Low | Dice, a rulebook and four friends |
| Wargaming | Games | Indoors | High | An army, paints and a table |
| Jigsaw puzzles | Games | Indoors | Low | A puzzle and a table you can leave out |
| Crosswords | Games | Either | Very low | A newspaper or an app |
| Sudoku and logic puzzles | Games | Either | Very low | A book of them |
| Magic tricks | Games | Either | Low | A deck of cards and hours of practice |
| Juggling | Games | Either | Very low | Three balls |
| Video games | Games | Indoors | Medium | A console or a PC |
| Speedcubing | Games | Either | Very low | A speed cube and a method to memorise |
| Coin collecting | Collecting | Indoors | Low | A folder and somewhere to buy |
| Stamp collecting | Collecting | Indoors | Low | Tongs, an album and hinges or mounts |
| Vinyl records | Collecting | Indoors | High | A turntable, an amp and speakers |
| Book collecting | Collecting | Indoors | Medium | A subject you actually care about |
| Rock and mineral collecting | Collecting | Either | Low | A hand lens and a field guide |
| Metal detecting | Collecting | Outdoors | High | A detector, a spade and landowner permission |
| Model railways | Collecting | Indoors | High | Track, a controller, stock and space |
| Fossil hunting | Collecting | Outdoors | Low | A guidebook, tides and a hammer later |
| Learning a language | Learning | Either | Low | An app or a textbook, and daily minutes |
| Genealogy | Learning | Indoors | Low | A subscription and older relatives to ask |
| Local history | Learning | Either | Very low | An archive and a library card |
| Astronomy | Learning | Either | Low | Reading first, equipment much later |
| Electronics | Learning | Indoors | Medium | A breadboard, components and a soldering iron |
| Programming | Learning | Indoors | Very low | A laptop and a project you want to exist |
| 3D printing | Making | Indoors | High | A printer, filament and modelling software |
| Home automation | Learning | Indoors | Medium | One sensor and one thing to switch |
| Amateur radio | Learning | Either | High | A licence, then a radio |
| Volunteering | Social | Either | Very low | A local organisation and a regular slot |
| Geocaching | Outdoors | Outdoors | Very low | A phone and an app |
| Urban sketching | Making | Outdoors | Very low | A pocket sketchbook and a pen |
| Scrapbooking | Making | Indoors | Low | An album, adhesive and things worth keeping |
| Letter writing | Social | Indoors | Very low | Paper, stamps and someone to write to |
| Reading | Learning | Either | Very low | A library card |
Cost to start is a band, not a price: very low is roughly what you would spend on lunch, high means a real purchase or club fees before you know whether you like it. Almost every hobby here can be started more cheaply than the internet suggests, and several are best begun by borrowing or joining before buying anything.
How this list was built
We give no prices, only bands. A page listing the cost of a guitar in pounds or dollars is wrong within a year and wrong in half the world on the day it is written. Bands stay true.
The “what you need to begin” column is the actual first purchase. Not the full kit — the one thing that gets you started this weekend. For crochet that is one hook and one ball of yarn, not a project bag. For archery and sailing it is a course, because buying equipment first is how people waste money on hobbies they turn out not to like.
Expensive hobbies are marked honestly. Several things on this list — sailing, skiing, model railways, amateur radio, metal detecting — cannot be started cheaply, and saying so is more useful than pretending otherwise. Where the way in is to borrow or join rather than buy, the entry says that instead.
The list spreads across kinds on purpose. Making, music, food, outdoors, physical, games, collecting, learning and social. A random hobby generator that returns nine crafts in a row has not helped you widen the field, which is the only reason to press the button.
Common questions
How many hobbies does this pick from?
124, spread across making, music, cooking, gardening, outdoors, sport, games, collecting and learning. All of them are in the table on this page, so you can scan the list instead of pressing the button repeatedly.
I keep getting hobbies I can't afford.
Look at the cost column in the table and pick from the very low and low rows — there are plenty. Drawing, running, chess, bread making, foraging, birdwatching and writing all start for almost nothing.
What if I have no space?
Filter for indoor hobbies with small kit: crochet, drawing, calligraphy, language learning, chess, origami, journalling, programming and singing all fit on a table or need nothing at all.
Should I buy the equipment straight away?
For most things, no. Borrow, rent or take a class first. That is why the last column says “a course” for sailing and archery, and why it names one cheap item rather than a full kit for the crafts.
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