A hobby is an activity that people engage in outside of their work for entertainment, relaxation or to improve their skills. It is often a creative pursuit, but it may also be a social one like playing a game of golf or a board game with friends or a team. Hobbies can be casual or they can be project-based where people are really dedicated to a particular goal such as building a tree house or learning how to speak another language.
Hobbies are different from interests, which are a feeling or desire to learn more about something that could eventually become an activity. For example, an interest in skydiving may eventually lead to jumping out of a plane once you have the training and experience.
There are many different types of hobbies including collecting items, sports and recreational activities, art or making things and creative pursuits. The word hobby is derived from the Middle English verb hobeyn meaning to play or amuse. Hobbies are generally solitary in nature, although there are some that involve a social aspect such as choral singing and volunteering.
Some creative hobbies include sculpting, pottery, drawing, painting and other visual arts. Other creative hobbies can be found in the craft world such as improv, which requires witty quick thinking and teamwork or cosplay where you act out your favorite sci-fi or fantasy character. More utilitarian creative pursuits can be found in woodworking, gardening and even preserving food.
