Essays About Hobbies: Top 5 Examples and 9 Prompts

If you are writing essays about hobbies, check out our guide with helpful essay examples and exciting writing prompts!

Nurturing our hobbies can unleash our most creative selves, allowing us to be productive and filled with a satisfying sense of personal achievement. Devoting some time to our hobbies is the best escape from the anxieties and burnout in our academic or professional lives. It can easily brighten a dreary day or a lazy mood. 

However, with our daily grind, many of us fail to have enough time for our daily hobbies. Many instead look forward to weekends when they can afford to while away their hours, be engrossed in what they love doing the most, and leave the world behind. 

Read below our round-up of essay examples and prompts about hobbies to stimulate your motivation to write.

5 Essay Examples About Hobbies

1. People Share The Hobbies That Changed Their Relationship With Work: ‘It Has Truly Been Mind Blowing’ by Faima Barker 

“Hobbies are subjective – one person’s enjoyment might be another person’s idea of boredom – but no matter what brings someone happiness, hobbies and interests outside of work are the ultimate acts of resistance against capitalism.”

Three professionals from different parts of the world share how they have discovered new hobbies during the pandemic. These new finds have allowed productive and mental health breaks from the monotony and burnout of work, changing their lives for the better. 

2. The Modern Trap Of Turning Hobbies Into Hustles by Molly Conway

“What if we allowed ourselves to devote our time and attention to something just because it makes us happy? Or, better yet, because it enables us to truly recharge instead of carving our time into smaller and smaller pieces for someone else’s benefit?”

A woman at a wedding is genuinely proud of her achievement of sewing in pockets on her dress. But that’s only until she realizes she hasn’t made a dime. As hobbies-turned-hustles steadily rise, it offers people a potential doorway to quit their jobs. However, it also dampens how others feel about their hobbies when they don’t commercialize them.

3. Is Watching TV A Hobby? An Argument Settled Once And For All by HobbyAsk

“…The nay-sayers regularly cite television as not being a true hobby because it doesn’t require any creative input or a sense of progress; essentially, you sit back and let the TV do its magic while you enjoy without any thought.”

With obesity and inactivity associated with watching TV, some people refuse to classify the activity as a hobby. They argue that watching TV is not even a productive pursuit. However, as hobbies are defined as things that make us feel relaxed and happy, they can still count as a hobby and could even be mind-challenging as other hobbies if we choose the right content. 

4. The Big Impact Of A Small Hobby by John Donohue

“Drawing had helped me survive another very dark period of my life, earlier. Could it now be helping me to stay healthy?”

A former news editor finds a safe space in drawing again – this time with more regularity after losing a job. Trapped in a dark period, Donohue shares his story of how drawing helps relax his mind, citing several studies to support the mental health benefits one can reap from art activities and hobbies.

5. Google’s Sergey Brin Is Totally Obsessed With High-Adrenaline Exercise by Madeline Stone

“He spent so much time on his various physical activities that his father once asked him if he had chosen any advanced courses of study. ‘Yes, advanced swimming,’ was Brin’s famous response.”

The essay features Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin and puts the spotlight on his love for sports. Gathering observations from Brin’s colleagues and even his trapeze coach, the article inspires people to maintain sports and find new ones to be their hobbies even amidst their busy lives. 

9 Writing Prompts On Essays About Hobbies

1. Your Favorite Hobbies

In this essay, talk about how you discovered this hobby. Did you choose it on your own, or is it something your parents encouraged you to do? Next, recollect the happy thoughts you have when doing your hobbies. Then, look at how this positive energy spills over to the other aspects of your life and your outlook on your ambitions. Finally, write about the important life lessons you learned from taking up your hobbies. 

2. How to Make Time for Your Hobbies

Pursuing your hobbies might seem nearly impossible when you have a loaded schedule. However, even the most organized of us can find challenges in squeezing in some me-time with hobbies. So, try to challenge your readers to strictly give up a few hours a week to commit to what they love doing. Then, encourage them to engage in their hobbies with friends and family who share similar interests to make the most out of their free time.

2. Most Affordable Hobbies

There are several hobbies out there that don’t cost you much but could still be as fun. It would depend mainly on a person’s preference, mindset, and budget. So, list some low-cost hobbies and creative ideas on how people can spend less while getting the best experience out of a hobby. 

3. Why Busy People Need a Hobby

Hobbies are the first thing that goes out of the window in the schedule plan of the busiest people. But working too hard for a long duration can create a monotonous life. Workers are left questioning their sense of purpose when this happens and may fall into depression. For your essay, convince your busy readers to spare some time and turn their attention to passion and away from profit. Talk about the more excellent value that can be reaped from the fulfillment of hobbies. 

4. How Hobbies Cultivate Health and Wellness

Research studies have shown that hobbies help us achieve clarity, relaxation, and a recharged mind and body. So, gather a few recent studies enumerating the physiological and mental health benefits of consistently engaging in a hobby. Then, help your readers take the small steps to add their hobbies into their daily or weekly schedule.

5. New Hobbies To Try Out

Are there passion projects or activities you’ve meant to do but abandoned long ago? It may be a hobby that sparked your interest years ago that you’re reconsidering trying out. Write about what factors first drew you to this hobby and how you intend to try it out. Then, provide your ultimate criteria on how you would know if this hobby suits you well. Finally, encourage people to overcome their fears of attempting something new. 

6. Helping Children Choose  Hobbies

Encouraging kids to take up their hobbies can help them break away from their long screen time. But, more importantly, hobbies enable children to be productive and hone their mastery of a certain craft early. For this prompt, write down recommendations from child behavior experts on how parents can effectively direct their children’s energy to more worthwhile things such as nurturing a hobby. 

7. Sharing Similar Hobbies With Friends Or Family  

Having common interests can strengthen the bond of friendship and family. Write about hobbies you and your best friend or family members do together. Talk about how often you gather to enjoy your hobbies. Then, reminisce on the most memorable memories you’ve had while doing what you love to do.

8. How Hobbies Build Self-Esteem

Taking part in a hobby gives us the impression and confidence that we can be masters of our craft. Unfortunately, it’s an achievement we often deny in our professional or academic circles, leaving us pressured to push ourselves to our limits. For this prompt, research further on the scientific connection between engaging in hobbies and advancing your self-esteem. 

9. Being Bullied for Your Hobbies? 

Some of us have eccentric hobbies that get the attention of bullies. Sadly, because of bullying, many tend to give up these hobbies to find something more “socially acceptable.” Write about how people can focus on doing things that spark joy in them. You might also want to check our guide on essays about bullying to add suggestions on how to stand up against a bully. 

If you’re interested in learning more to improve your writing, check out our essay writing tips! You can also check our general resource of essay writing topics.