Let’s get something out of the way right now: colouring in a dinosaur colouring book as a grown-up doesn’t mean you’ve regressed. Playing with Lego doesn’t make you immature. Rewatching The Lion King with popcorn and a blanket? Still not a red flag. In fact, it might be the smartest thing you’ve done all week. In a world that worships productivity, hustle, and perpetual adulting, embracing so-called “childish” hobbies is more than just an escape – it’s a quiet rebellion. A kind, creative, healing rebellion. Here’s why you should dive back into the “kid stuff” – with zero shame and a full heart.
Image credit: Via Pexels
1. Play Isn’t Just for Kids – It’s a Human Need
Play is hardwired into us. Kids instinctively know this. Adults forget.
It’s the first thing to go when the bills pile up, the work inbox overflows, and your calendar looks like it’s been attacked by a highlighter. But we’re not designed to function in serious mode 24/7. We need breaks, imagination, fun, and freedom.
“Childish” hobbies—whether that’s finger painting or flying a paper plane off the balcony – light up the parts of our brain that spark joy and creativity. They quiet the constant noise, and they let us reset.
Play, in its purest form, gives you permission to be fully present. No deadlines. No expectations. Just the joy of doing something for the fun of it.
2. Imagination Isn’t Just for Make-Believe
You know that idea you had in the shower this morning – the one that made you light up a bit? That spark came from the same place that used to invent stories with your action figures or build empires from shoeboxes. Imagination doesn’t expire with age. In fact, it’s what fuels invention, problem-solving, and even emotional resilience.
When you allow yourself to indulge in a “childish” hobby like drawing mermaids or making friendship bracelets, you’re actually exercising a vital creative muscle. It may seem pointless on the surface, but beneath it, you’re practising curiosity. You’re saying: What if?
And in adulthood, “what if” is a powerful question to keep asking.
3. Nostalgia Is a Powerful Mood Booster
Blowing bubbles. Jumping on a trampoline. Baking cupcakes and icing them badly. These things are tied to a sense of safety and simplicity that most adults haven’t felt in years. And tapping into that nostalgia is like emotional aromatherapy—it soothes without asking anything in return.
Research even supports this. Nostalgic experiences are linked to reduced stress and improved mood. They can even combat loneliness. So yes, when you play an old-school game of Sudoku with the same excitement you had in 2003, you’re not wasting time—you’re tending to your mental health. Besides, there’s something deeply satisfying about being fully absorbed in a game where the biggest challenge is figuring out where the number “5” belongs.
4. It Breaks the Monotony of Grown-Up Life
Routine is necessary, but let’s be honest—it can flatten you out.
You wake up, drink the same coffee, drive the same road, sit at the same desk, and scroll through the same apps. Days blur. Weeks vanish. Your sense of self starts shrinking to job titles and to-do lists.
This is where “childish” hobbies are magic. They pull you sideways out of the loop. They don’t care about your deadlines. They’re about color, chaos, curiosity, and laughter. Join a beginner’s juggling class. Buy that adult-size scooter. Learn to hula hoop again. Suddenly, the week doesn’t feel like a loop. It feels like an adventure.
5. It’s a Shortcut to Authentic Connection
Here’s a wild truth: when adults do something playful together, the masks fall off. You’re no longer your LinkedIn bio. You’re two humans laughing over spilt glitter or fiercely competing in a Mario Kart race. Childlike hobbies create a safe space to bond without ego. Whether it’s building model trains or hosting a backyard scavenger hunt with friends, you’re creating joy-based memories.
Even better? If you’re a parent, engaging in these hobbies with your kids turns into something even more magical. It models balance. It shows them that adulthood doesn’t have to be joyless. And it reminds you that you’re still allowed to have fun.
6. Confidence Comes From Joy, Not Just Achievement
We’ve been tricked into believing that confidence is built solely on climbing ladders and smashing goals. And while achievement can be empowering, so is joy.
At that moment, you finally master skipping rope again when you draw a ridiculous comic strip and laugh until your stomach hurts. When you play hide-and-seek with your nieces and realise you’re actually sweating.
These moments rebuild parts of us that life has chipped away. They remind us that we’re not just doing machines – we’re living beings. And confidence built on joy has a different kind of staying power. It’s not dependent on winning. It just is.
Let Your Inner Kid Take the Lead Sometimes
If adulthood feels like a grey hallway of responsibility, childish hobbies are the colourful chalk drawings that bring it back to life. They’re reminders that joy doesn’t have to be earned. It can be picked up, like a skipping rope, whenever you need it.
So next time you feel the pull toward something “silly,” don’t overthink it. Lean in. Laugh loudly. Create badly. Play wholeheartedly. You might just find the most grounded version of yourself sitting cross-legged on the floor with a box of crayons.
