Hobbies for Adults That Encourage Learning and Connection

According to U.S. News & World Report, retirees have an average of seven hours of leisure time every day. With little to no work obligations and responsibilities, it is easier than ever for seniors in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, to pursue hobbies that have always interested them. 

Are you looking for a better way to spend your time in retirement? Are there hobbies for adults that you'd like to try? 

In this guide, we'll explore some of the best adult leisure activities and hobbies for older adults so you can stay engaged in your retirement years. Let's begin. 

Gardening

Gardening offers tangible benefits for people of all ages, including: 

• Extra Vitamin D absorption from time spent outdoors. 
• Delicious rewards await you for harvesting produce. 
• The beauty of watching plants grow as you water and fertilize them. 
• A boost in your mood from routinely caring for your garden. 
• Engaging with your community through a shared hobby that everyone can enjoy. 

For seniors, gardening can be a relaxing and engaging way to stay involved with their communities. Additionally, planting a garden in an assisted living community allows all residents to benefit from the beautiful flowers and delicious produce. 

Gardening is a fantastic wellness activity because it is less difficult on the body than other forms of exercise. Place a blanket or towel on the ground to reduce the impact on your knees, and try to practice good posture so you do not pull any muscles. 

Exercising

Maintaining a healthy body doesn't stop once you exit the workforce. In fact, exercise is even more important for seniors for many reasons, including: 

• Exercise helps create a sense of routine. 
• Physical exercise can have mental benefits, such as improved cognitive performance and boosted mood. 
• Exercising as a group can help cultivate lifelong friendships rooted in healthy activities and shared interests. 
• Positive lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise, can lead to a domino effect of other healthy choices, such as an improved diet. 
• Exercise helps seniors maintain bone strength, muscle definition, balance, and coordination, which can prevent falls and reduce the risk of major injury. 

Seniors may need to modify exercises to suit their physical abilities. Chair yoga, for instance, offers a version of traditional yoga tailored for seniors and those with limited mobility.

Some of the best exercises for seniors include: 

• Biking or spinning: An excellent aerobic activity that is not as hard on the joints. 
• Hiking: Experiencing the outdoors and exploring nature can foster a sense of curiosity and excitement. 
• Weight lifting: Weight lifting with a partner helps to maintain muscle strength and increase muscle mass and definition. 
• Zumba: A fun and easy cardio workout that involves dance elements. 
• Swimming and Water Aerobics: Provide cardio and help build muscle without impacting your joints. 
• Walking: Getting your steps in every day is one of the simplest forms of cardio, yet it can be highly effective when practiced regularly. 
• Yoga or Tai Chi: Allow seniors to experience the benefits of breathwork along with coordinated poses and movements. 

Aim to exercise several days a week. It is important to find an exercise that you enjoy. This way, it will be easier to maintain a routine.

Needlework

Have you always wanted to learn to make clothes or produce baby blankets for your grandchildren or friends? With needlework skills, you can expand your crafting ability and create unique gifts for the special people in your life. 

Some of the most popular needlework activities for seniors include: 

• Knitting: Using two needles to create a variety of different projects out of yarn. 
• Crocheting: Utilizing a singular hook to craft yarn projects. 
• Embroidery: Using needles and different colored threads, along with a specialized hoop, to create unique designs. 
• Quilting: Using a sewing machine and patterns to put together blankets with a variety of designs. 
• Sewing: Hand-sewing or using a sewing machine to make garments, blankets, or other items. 
• Cross stitch: Using a special grid and needle technique to form various designs. 
• Latchhooking: Creating a design using pieces of yarn and a specialized hook to pull it through a patterned grid.

If you don't have anyone special in mind as a recipient of your crafts, consider donating items to local homeless charities or domestic violence shelters. Often, people need clothing and other items, especially when temperatures dip in the winter. 

Art

Have you always had a keen eye for color? Do you often find yourself doodling on napkins or sketching when boredom strikes? You may have untapped potential to be an artist later in life. 

Even if you haven't had success with one medium, try several different art techniques to see which you enjoy, such as: 

• Sculpting
• Painting
• Paper mache 
• Drawing 
• Pottery 

Create pieces to display in your assisted living community, framing them or placing them on tables for visitors to see.

Playing Games 

Unleash your competitive spirit through games! Try Bingo, a classic staple in retirement communities, or challenge yourself with a more complex game like Bridge.

With the expansion of social media and access to the internet, online games have exploded in recent years. You can connect with other players all over the world who have shared interests. 

Consider hosting a board game night at your assisted living community. If you do not have board games on hand, ask residents to bring their favorites. Check with your local library to see if any board games are available to borrow or rent. 

Hobbies for Adults at Lakehouse Fond du Lac 

Retirement does not have to mean endless days filled with dull routines. With these hobbies for adults, you can cultivate a lifestyle full of creative hobbies for seniors that you look forward to exploring every day. 

Are you searching for the perfect assisted living community in Fond du Lac, WI? Look no further than Lakehouse Fond du Lac. Our robust amenity package ensures that there are a variety of social hobbies for seniors to choose from. Residents can also come up with their own active aging ideas to cultivate the lifestyle of their dreams. 

Ready to make the transition to assisted living? Reach out to us today to learn more about all that our community has to offer, or visit our beautiful campus in person to see it for yourself. We can't wait to meet you!