Hello, young learners! Welcome back to our exciting English class! Today, we’re going to talk about something super fun and important: hobbies! What are hobbies? They are activities that we love to do in our free time, just for fun and enjoyment. Hobbies make our lives colorful and exciting. They help us learn new things, meet new friends, and become happier!
Think about it: what do you love doing when you’re not at school or doing your homework? Do you like drawing pretty pictures? Maybe you love building amazing things with LEGOs? Or perhaps you enjoy kicking a ball around with your friends? All of these can be wonderful hobbies!
In this article, we will explore different kinds of hobbies, learn new English words related to them, and even practice talking about our own favorite activities. So, get ready to discover the wonderful world of hobbies!
What is a Hobby? Let’s Define It!

A hobby is a regular activity done for enjoyment, rather than for work or money. It’s something you choose to do because it makes you feel good, relaxed, or excited. Hobbies can be active, like playing sports, or quiet, like reading a book. They can be creative, like painting, or adventurous, like exploring nature.
For example, if you spend your Saturday afternoons reading adventure stories, reading is your hobby. If you love spending time in the garden helping your parents grow flowers, gardening is your hobby. If you practice playing the piano every day because you love the music, playing the piano is your hobby.
Why are Hobbies Important?
Hobbies are like special treasures that enrich our lives. Here are some amazing reasons why having a hobby is so great:
- Fun and Happiness: The most obvious reason is that hobbies are fun! They bring joy and happiness into our lives. When we do something we love, we feel happy and energized.
- Learning New Skills: Many hobbies help us learn new and useful skills. If your hobby is cooking, you learn how to make delicious food. If your hobby is coding, you learn how to make computer programs. If your hobby is playing a musical instrument, you learn about music and how to create beautiful sounds.
- Relaxation and Stress Relief: After a busy day at school, a hobby can be a wonderful way to relax and unwind. Doing something you enjoy can help you forget about your worries and feel more calm and peaceful.
- Creativity and Imagination: Hobbies like drawing, painting, writing stories, or making crafts help boost our creativity and imagination. We can create new things and express ourselves in unique ways.
- Making New Friends: Many hobbies involve meeting other people who share the same interests. You can join a sports team, a book club, or an art class and make new friends who understand and appreciate what you love.
- Building Confidence: When you get better at your hobby, you feel proud of yourself. This builds your confidence and self-esteem. Imagine winning a drawing contest or finally mastering a difficult song on your guitar!
- Discovering Talents: Sometimes, we discover hidden talents through our hobbies. You might be a natural artist, a brilliant musician, a fantastic athlete, or a clever builder – all thanks to trying new things!
Exploring Different Types of Hobbies!
There are so many hobbies to choose from! Let’s explore some popular ones that kids your age might enjoy.
1. Creative Hobbies: Let Your Imagination Fly!
Creative hobbies are all about making something new and beautiful. They allow us to express our ideas and feelings.
- Drawing and Painting: Do you love using colors to create amazing pictures? Drawing and painting are wonderful hobbies. You can draw animals, superheroes, landscapes, or anything you can imagine!
- English Words: draw, paint, colors, pencil, crayon, paintbrush, canvas, sketch, masterpiece.
- Example Sentence: "I love to draw my favorite cartoon characters with my crayons."
- Crafting (Making Things): This includes making things with your hands, like origami (folding paper), making friendship bracelets, building with LEGOs, or creating models.
- English Words: craft, make, build, glue, scissors, paper, LEGOs, model, origami, bracelet.
- Example Sentence: "My sister enjoys crafting beautiful origami animals from colorful paper."
- Writing: Do you like telling stories or writing poems? Writing can be a fantastic hobby! You can write about your adventures, your dreams, or funny things that happen.
- English Words: write, story, poem, journal, notebook, imagination, characters, plot.
- Example Sentence: "I keep a journal to write down my daily thoughts and stories."
- Playing a Musical Instrument: Learning to play the guitar, piano, drums, or flute can be a very rewarding hobby. Music is a universal language!
- English Words: music, play, instrument, guitar, piano, drums, flute, song, melody, practice.
- Example Sentence: "He practices the piano every day to learn a new song."
2. Active Hobbies: Get Moving and Have Fun!
Active hobbies are great for keeping our bodies healthy and strong. They often involve playing games or sports.
- Playing Sports: Football, basketball, swimming, cycling, running, or dancing – there are so many sports to choose from! Sports teach us teamwork and discipline.
- English Words: sport, play, run, jump, swim, kick, ball, team, race, dance.
- Example Sentence: "We love to play football with our team on Saturdays."
- Cycling: Riding a bicycle is a fun way to explore your neighborhood or local parks. It’s also great exercise!
- English Words: cycle, ride, bicycle, bike, helmet, park, explore.
- Example Sentence: "I enjoy cycling in the park with my family."
- Hiking and Exploring Nature: If you love being outdoors, hiking in the mountains or exploring forests can be an amazing hobby. You can discover new plants and animals!
- English Words: hike, explore, nature, park, forest, mountain, discover, animals, plants.
- Example Sentence: "We went hiking in the forest and discovered many interesting plants."
3. Intellectual Hobbies: Sharpen Your Mind!
These hobbies challenge our brains and help us learn new things.
- Reading: Books are full of knowledge and adventure! Reading can take you to different worlds and introduce you to new ideas.
- English Words: read, book, story, library, learn, knowledge, adventure, chapter, page.
- Example Sentence: "My favorite book is about a magical adventure, and I read a new chapter every night."
- Puzzles and Brain Teasers: Jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, and Sudoku are great for improving problem-solving skills and focus.
- English Words: puzzle, brain, solve, challenge, logic, strategy, focus.
- Example Sentence: "I love to solve jigsaw puzzles; it’s a fun challenge for my brain."
- Collecting: Some people enjoy collecting things like stamps, coins, stickers, or toys. It’s like being a detective, searching for rare items!
- English Words: collect, stamps, coins, stickers, toys, rare, hobby, treasure.
- Example Sentence: "He collects old stamps from different countries as his hobby."
4. Other Interesting Hobbies: So Many Possibilities!
- Cooking and Baking: Learning to cook and bake can be delicious! You can make cookies, cakes, or even healthy meals.
- English Words: cook, bake, recipe, kitchen, ingredients, delicious, cake, cookies.
- Example Sentence: "I helped my mom bake a delicious chocolate cake using a new recipe."
- Gardening: Planting flowers, vegetables, or herbs is a relaxing and rewarding hobby. You get to see your plants grow!
- English Words: garden, plant, flowers, vegetables, grow, seeds, soil, watering.
- Example Sentence: "We plant colorful flowers in our garden every spring."
- Photography: If you love capturing moments and beautiful sights, photography can be a great hobby. You can take pictures of people, places, or nature.
- English Words: photo, photography, camera, picture, capture, scene, moment.
- Example Sentence: "She uses her camera to capture beautiful scenes of nature."
Talking About Your Hobby in English!
Now, let’s practice how to talk about our hobbies in English. Here are some useful questions and phrases:
Questions to Ask About Hobbies:
- What is your hobby?
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- When do you usually do your hobby?
- Why do you like your hobby?
- What do you learn from your hobby?
- Do you do your hobby alone or with friends?
Phrases to Talk About Your Hobby:
- "My hobby is __." (e.g., "My hobby is drawing.")
- "I love to __." (e.g., "I love to read.")
- "In my free time, I like to __." (e.g., "In my free time, I like to play football.")
- "I enjoy __." (e.g., "I enjoy building with LEGOs.")
- "It makes me feel __." (e.g., "It makes me feel happy.")
- "I learn __ from my hobby." (e.g., "I learn new colors from my hobby.")
- "I usually do my hobby __." (e.g., "I usually do my hobby on Sundays.")
Let’s try it! Imagine your hobby is playing video games.
- Student A: "What is your hobby?"
- Student B: "My hobby is playing video games. I love playing exciting adventure games."
- Student A: "That sounds fun! When do you usually play?"
- Student B: "I usually play video games on weekends, after I finish my homework. It helps me relax."
- Student A: "What do you like about playing video games?"
- Student B: "I like solving challenges and exploring new worlds. It also helps me think fast."
Now, imagine your hobby is baking cookies.
- Student A: "What do you enjoy doing in your free time?"
- Student B: "In my free time, I enjoy baking cookies. I love trying different recipes."
- Student A: "Wow, that’s great! Why do you like baking?"
- Student B: "I like baking because it’s creative, and the cookies taste delicious! It makes me feel proud when people enjoy what I bake."
- Student A: "That’s wonderful! Do you bake alone or with someone?"
- Student B: "Sometimes I bake alone, and sometimes I bake with my mom. It’s fun to do it together."
Finding Your Perfect Hobby!
Do you already have a hobby? That’s fantastic! If you’re still looking for a hobby, don’t worry! The best way to find one is to try new things.
- Think about what you enjoy: What activities make you feel happy and excited?
- Try something new: Ask your parents or teachers if you can try a new activity. Maybe join a club at school or a workshop in your community.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment: It’s okay if you try something and don’t like it. That’s part of the process of finding what you truly love.
- Talk to your friends and family: Ask them about their hobbies. You might get some great ideas!
Remember, there’s no right or wrong hobby. The most important thing is that you enjoy it and it makes you feel good.
Let’s Review Some English Words About Hobbies!
Let’s make sure we remember some of the new words we learned. Can you match the word with its meaning?
- Hobby
- Creative
- Active
- Read
- Draw
- Play
- Collect
- Explore
- Learn
- Relax
Meanings:
a. To gain knowledge or skill.
b. To make pictures with a pencil or colors.
c. To do something for enjoyment, not for work.
d. To find out about new places or things.
e. Full of new and interesting ideas.
f. To do something, like a game or sport.
g. To be calm and rest.
h. To gather things together.
i. Involving physical movement.
j. To look at and understand words in a book.
(Answers will be at the end of the article!)
Conclusion: Your Hobby Journey Starts Now!
Hobbies are a wonderful part of life. They bring us joy, help us grow, and make us happier. Whether you love drawing, playing sports, reading, or anything else, your hobby is special.
So, keep exploring, keep trying new things, and most importantly, keep having fun! Your hobby journey is an adventure waiting to happen. What will be your next amazing hobby discovery?
We hope you enjoyed learning about hobbies today. Keep practicing your English, and don’t forget to share your favorite hobbies with your friends and family! Until next time, happy learning and happy playing!
Answers to the Word Matching Game:
- c
- e
- i
- j
- b
- f
- h
- d
- a
- g