As kids, we enjoyed all sorts of fun hobbies. Somehow, back in the day, no matter how much homework we got, we still managed to do all this other cool stuff. But even if you are very busy as an adult, you should definitely find some new hobbies to try and attempt fitting them into your schedule. These hobbies don’t even have to be something complicated or time-consuming. There are tons of easy hobbies to pick up out there, and so everyone can find something to their taste.
That being said, some people take it one step (or more) further and engage in some pretty unusual hobbies. They range anywhere from bizarre to disturbing to downright dangerous. Some unique hobbies, however, can be quite inspiring, so take a good look at any activity before you decide to make it your hobby.
Scroll down to take a look at some of the most unexpected and random hobbies people actually do in their free time. Vote for the ones you would gladly pick up, we’re curious to see which ones would collect the most votes. If you have some cool hobbies of your own, tell us all about them in the comments.
#1 Bigger Than the Local Observatory?
“I’m 17 years old and just finished building this 14.7″ f/2.89 Newtonian reflector telescope. Despite its stubby size it collects roughly 2500 times more light than the human eye and is bigger than the scope at my local observatory.”
Image source: __Augustus_
#2 Glow up in small doses
Quarter piercing.
“A year ago, I started staying in and piercing state quarters, instead of going out and getting in trouble. Here is my collection so far.”
Image source: OfeyDofey
#3 Art’s New Meme-sona
Meme painting.
“I’m painting a collection of Memes. Here’s the progress so far.”
Image source: travischapmanart
#4 Small Space, Big Feels
“My pocket cottage! Loved miniatures since childhood, and have recently taken them on as a regular hobby. Here’s my happy place from my palm to your face.”
Image source: Vanqu7sh
#5 When your dad’s hobby is a low-key nightmare fuel
Creepy head sculpting.
“Not sure if this is the right place to post but my dad is 52 y/o and his hobby is making these weird heads. he doesn’t think they’re any good but considering he makes them from scratch I think they’re amazing!”
Image source: shxrrrr
#6 Low-Key Yardstick Hoarder Vibes
“I started by buying a few advertising rulers here and there; at yard sales, eBay, and the occasional antique store when they weren’t charging $20/stick. I figured that I would use them as wainscoting in a small room once I found me forever home. People would give them to me as gifts around the holidays. Two homes later, there was some very boring pine paneling, and needed something. I still have about 100 yardsticks left. Maybe for a vacation house someday.”
Image source: Hillary London
#7 Living That Poké-Sculptor Life
“My father carves Pokemons as a hobby.”
Image source: Raulii
#8 Souvenirs You Can’t Display
“My sand and dirt collection is from every place I visit.”
Image source: jkarnsy
#9 Meditative Stitching, Meet Giant Squid
“I sew stuffed animals. I do it all by hand so each project takes six hours from beginning to end. It’s so mind-numbing and zen. Here are some squid pictures. He’s about 5’4″ long.”
Image source: eggsistoast
#10 Quack Squad Goals
Competitive duck herding.
Some dogs are specifically trained to herd farm animals and even show off their herding skills in competitions. Humans decided that activity looks like fun, so they began herding as a hobby. Duck herding is nowadays an active sport.
Image source: AimfortheSkyLtd, aimforthesky.co.uk
#11 Plot twist: Pistachio Obsession
“My mom has gotten into some strange hobbies since we left for college. Those are pistachios. I always said she needed a hobby but I did not expect this.”
Image source: phoisgood495
#12 Mud, but make it fancy
Dirt polishing.
Those who take up dirt polishing as their hobby first extract moisture from mud and then cover it with several layers of natural soil. What you get is a smooth ball of dirt you can later display on the shelf.
Image source: The Nito Project
#13 Treasure Hunting Level: Phone
Geocaching.
Geocaching is what happens when you engage modern technologies in a treasure hunt. Geocaching enthusiasts search for treasure boxes and trinkets to then swap them with each other, but instead of maps and clues, they use satellites. However, you don’t have to work at NASA to do this, your phone is more than enough.
Image source: Michalowic, geocaching.com
#14 Rare Element Hoarder Problems
Element collecting.
Element collecting, as in chemical elements from the periodic table, raises a lot of questions. Number one, where do people find the rarest elements, some of which can only be produced in labs and cost a whole lot of money? Number two, how do they store elements that, with incorrect handling or prolonged exposure, can be harmful for your health?
Image source: Scientific29
#15 Maps or life hacks, same vibe
“I collect maps, my dad worked for United so he always stuffed a map in my face to make sure I knew where we were going. Now I have a strange fascination for maps/globes.”
Image source: Itsthelongterm
#16 When Graffiti Wears Sweaters
Yarn bombing.
Yarn bombing is like graffiti in many ways, except instead of paint you use yarn. The very first case was a decoration on the door handle of a yarn shop, but with time it turned into an actual hobby for many. And since most things can be covered with yarn, all you need is enough material and patience.
Image source: Michellecornelison
#17 Treasure Hunting but Make It Trash
Dumpster diving.
While it is a fact that sometimes people throw away absolutely undamaged and good things, it’s a whole different question whether you want to literally dive into the dumpster to find those gems and keep them for yourself or sell them. Dumpster diving gave the expression “one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure” a new meaning.
Image source: Jared eberhardt
#18 Patience Level: Tree Shaping Expert
Tree shaping.
No, we’re not talking about trimming here. Tree shaping means you give the trunk of a tree all sorts of weird shapes depending on your imagination. One word of advice though, tree shaping takes time, lots of time, so if patience is not your virtue, think again before taking up this hobby.
#19 Because Even Baseballs Need Glow-Ups
Painting the largest ball of paint.
If you visit Alexandria, Indiana, make sure you see the local attraction — the largest paintball. When you look at this 2.5 ton ball, it is hard to believe that somewhere underneath tens of thousands of paint layers there is a regular baseball that set the entire project in motion. What started in 1977 as a fun activity for Mike Carmichael’s toddler son turned into a lifetime project. Today, visitors are welcome to put another coat of paint on the ball.
Image source: dailymail.co.uk
#20 Shrooming: Risky Foraging 101
Mushroom hunting.
Mushroom hunting is not too weird compared to other hobbies on this list, but probably was much more popular in previous decades, when supermarkets didn’t offer you any kind of produce. Before you start, make sure you learn enough about mushrooms, as not all of them are safe for consumption.
Image source: Matthew Hickey
#21 Snail Mail, but Make It Global
“Postcrossing.
I like to exchange postcards with people from all over the world.”
Image source: jadenray64
#22 Creepy Crawlies, Questionably Collected
Entomology.
If you are a zoologist, entomology, which is collecting bugs and insects, might be a fairly common activity for you because they are the subject of your studies. However, just as exhibits to be put in jars on shelves at home, this hobby raises some questions.
Image source: Thomas Quine
#23 Soap just got artsy
Soap carving.
Why use a boring bar of soap when you can turn it into a piece of art? This unusual canvas can be a way to unlock your creativity. You can even give away some of your work to your friends and family as a nice personalized gift.
Image source: Patrick Ohnewein
#24 Nature’s free therapy session
Rock painting.
You can use rocks as canvas to paint whole scenes on them, or you can take a look if its shape reminds you of anything and then paint that thing on top of the rock. All in all, rock painting is a quiet, relaxing hobby. A small bonus: you can always pick up your new canvas for free on the road.
Image source: Leppicu
#25 Accidentally Vintage Vibes
“I collect antique typewriters. Started when I thought I’d try writing something on an old manual to see if it helped my tendency to ramble. I made it one page and went running back to the computer. But the typewriter I picked up (for $5 on eBay) was such a cool little machine that I started getting into them and got hooked. As antiques go they’re often really cheap too, even in working condition.”
Image source: reddit.com
#26 Crafting Weird Strings, Not Hits
“I build instruments. I’m not that great at the music itself, but I really like thinking of different string configurations and variations in shape and materials. I started out by trying to understand guitars since I got one and had no idea how to play it; as I learned a bit more, I built things I couldn’t afford (like an octave mandolin) and finally, things that didn’t exist.”
Image source: tokenlinguist, Livingstonian
#27 When Your Teddy Needs a Vacation Too
Toy voyaging.
No one should be left out of fun, not even toys! That’s what toy voyaging enthusiasts think. This unusual hobby includes sending your teddy bear, or any other toy for that matter, on a holiday to other places where a fellow hobbyist will host them and update you on your toy’s adventures.
#28 This Is Way More Than Just Skipping Stones
Stone skipping.
We’ve all tried stone skipping but some people took it to a whole different level when they turned it into a competition. Currently, the record is 51 bounces over the water in one throw.
Image source: bravefacari
#29 Braving Spooks for the ‘Gram
Ghost hunting.
Ghost hunters might not have all the fancy equipment the ghostbusters had in their movies, but they still aspire to catch as many ghosts as possible, even if it’s only on film. While many of us would prefer to stay away from haunted places, this is exactly where ghost hunters practice their favorite pastime.
#30 Brooms Up, Game On
Quidditch.
Yeah, okay, brooms can’t fly in our world, so what? Everything else in Quidditch is pretty real: throw a ball, catch a ball, don’t let your opponents win. While Quidditch is still not officially recognized as a sport, many campuses have their own teams, where players compete according to the rules described in the books while holding a broom in their hand.
Image source: BenHollandPhotography
#31 DIY garlic hack that actually works
“I pickle garlic and other things.
One day a thought popped into my head. “Hey, I like garlic. I wonder if I can get pickled garlic from somewhere.” Well, I couldn’t seem to find any at the local grocery store so I just decided to look up how to do it on my own. Now I’m pickling garlic with onions, peppers, and eggs.”
Image source: SonOfPlinkett
#32 Barehanded fish hunts aren’t for the faint
Noodling.
Noodling has nothing to do with either cooking or eating noodles. What it does involve is catching fish in shallow waters with your bare hands. It may not sound like it, but noodling can be pretty dangerous and you can get hurt if you don’t take precautions.
Image source: HandFishing101
#33 Helmet flex, but make it history
“I collect military helmets. There is a huge variety of different helmets to focus on. I mostly collect American helmets from WWI-Vietnam. Here is a picture of a fraction of my collection, showing some of my rarest ones.”
Image source: GeneralCheese
#34 Test Drive Your Tattoo Skills
Sketching on vehicles.
Tattooing vehicles is very close to tattooing your skin, except if done right, it’s fairly easy to remove the design. So maybe, before you decide to commit to a new tattoo, try it out on your car first?
Image source: Ink Master
#35 Not Your Average Pet Drama
Ant keeping.
Ant keeping is different from traditional pets because they live in colonies and you can’t have just one. It is also different from beekeeping, as the latter is a farming activity, while ants bring no material gain. Yet, some people choose to have ant colonies at home and observe their daily lives.
#36 Saving like a pro, no sweat
Extreme Couponing.
It would have been fun if extreme couponing had anything to do with sports, just like extreme ironing, but in this case “extreme” refers to the amount of effort you put into collecting and organizing all sorts of discount coupons. It all pays off when you go to a shop and save a huge amount in one shopping trip.
Image source: imdb.com
#37 When Your Cow Game Is Too Strong
Mooing.
Yep, mooing as in imitating the sounds cows make. You can take as much time as you need to perfect your cow impression and then probably visit a local farm and have a chat with the cows there.
#38 Professional photobomber energy
News bombing.
It’s one thing when there is a live broadcast in the street and you happen to pass by. Some people can’t resist and look straight at the camera from behind the reporter’s back. It’s a completely different thing when people turn news bombing into a hobby. They find live reports and insert themselves in the background of the shot. Well, at least you could say you were on TV after that.
Image source: ABC Action News
#39 When Your Pup Becomes a Walking Masterpiece
Competitive dog grooming.
Speaking of dogs, does your floof have lots of fur? Then why pay a groomer who will give them a pretty common, breed-appropriate haircut anyway, when you can do it yourself and have your pet sport your most extravagant design? On top of that, if you perfect your skills and enter a competition, you can even win a substantial amount for competitive dog grooming.
#40 Only a collector would call the cops on themselves
Ecstasy collection.
Disclaimer: drugs are harmful for your health and most of them are illegal to have in your possession. The world learned about ecstasy collection as a hobby in 2009, when a man called Dutch authorities to report that his collection of 2,400 tablets was stolen. While he knew his hobby was illegal, he preferred to let the authorities know, as the collection might have been very dangerous.
Image source: nbcnews.com
#41 Proof that superpowers are overrated
Fork bending.
A lot of superheroes, especially those with super strength, can bend metal with no effort. And while most regular humans can’t really bend an entire iron fence in a go, some of them give it a try, albeit in baby steps. This is how fork bending became a hobby.
Image source: Bubba73
#42 Airplane bags: the weirdest souvenirs
Collecting in-flight sick bags.
Most of us, when boarding a plane, hope that we’ll never have to take the in-flight sick bag out of its pocket. But there are people who take them on purpose, even if they don’t feel sick in the slightest. Even though this is a fairly simple act, it turns out, you can have an entire collection of sick bags and turn it into your hobby.
#43 Laundry’s wild new adrenaline rush
Extreme ironing.
No, extreme ironing doesn’t mean you have to iron clothes for your entire family. It’s about taking ironing to all sorts of extreme locations. Ironing while suspended from a cliff? Done. During a parachute jump? Check. Underwater while scuba diving? Completed. And if you think there can’t be too many people who partake in this hobby because come on, this is ironing we’re talking about, think again. Extreme ironing has long stopped being a hobby and has become a competitive sport.
Image source: 60 Second Docs
#44 Proof you can flex with a cup collection
“I collect cups.
If it’s cylindrical and made from paper, plastic, or Styrofoam…and has a logo on it…I want it. I do not collect shot glasses, regular glasses, beer mugs, or steins. Water bottles and those old plastic casino buckets count. This is a small sample of my collection. I have over 600. I began collecting in 2006.
I like to think that I chose cups because I like the idea of something so common being displayed with so many differences. Additionally, it’s proof that a company will slap its logo onto everything. Take Mcdonald’s, for example. The golden arches pop up on the cup, fry boxes, burger wrappers, and even napkins.”
Image source: fumor
#45 Patriotism, but Make It Art
Anthem listening.
“I like listening to national anthems. It’s a great way to study language and culture. The bad thing is that it’s really hard to be critical (in a literary and artistic sense) without someone being offended and yelling patriotism. Also, I know people who absolutely refuse to sing foreign anthems. I just think it’s interesting and that I should be able to appreciate them for their musical and lyrical value.”
Image source: molecularpoet
#46 Not Just Creepy, Honestly Fun
Clowning.
Clowns get a lot of bad rep for being creepy, but some people actually enjoy it. They dress up as clowns, walk the streets, and perform occasional hijinks on unsuspecting passersby, all in good nature for a hearty laugh.
Image source: theclownschool.com
#47 Death-Defying Commute or Just Extra?
Train surfing.
Another extremely dangerous hobby, train surfing, means riding on the outside of the train at full speed while holding onto the handrails. While in some countries with overloaded train commutes, this is an unfortunate necessity, in other places, people practice train surfing as a hobby that gives you a huge adrenaline rush.
Image source: shiey
#48 When Hogwarts Ghosts Don’t Text Back
Witchcraft.
At some point in your life you realize that the letter from Hogwarts is not coming. Some people move on, others decide to practice witchcraft on their own. The problem here is that outside the Harry Potter universe, witchcraft is often used to harm others. Whether you believe in this or not, if your neighbor keeps boiling stuff in a copper cauldron, maybe it’s a good idea to stay away.
#49 Lowkey dedication or next-level weird?
Collecting navel fluff.
Australian Graham Barker took weird to a whole new level when he started collecting navel fluff back in 1984. Up until now he has collected 22.1 grams (0.78 oz) of navel fluff. The only reassuring thing here is that it’s all his own, and he doesn’t go after other people’s navels.
Image source: dailymail.co.uk
#50 When Bugs Throw Shade
Beetle fighting.
Disclaimer: we are against animal cruelty. While beetle fighting might not be as violent and harmful as dog or rooster fighting, it still involves pitting two bugs against each other for the audience. It has even turned into a gambling opportunity.
Image source: Beetles As Pets
#51 Proof that patience pays off
This is a pure copper sulfate crystal. I spent 2 months growing it
Image source: crystalchase21
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