These are the most popular hobbies to rediscover in middle age

A wise woman once said that getting older is better than the alternative. But not all of us are blessed with such pragmatism, and entering our 40s can be a difficult time as we come face to face with the fact that our years of peak fitness and youthful good looks are consigned to the pages of history. 

But there are positives to middle-age too. The kids are getting older and more independent, and we’re less likely to be working crazy hours to grab that next rung on the career ladder. It means that, sometimes for the first time since we were teenagers, we suddenly have a little spare time to devote to some fun pursuit. 

Adding it all together, it’s little wonder that some people go off the rails and have what’s popularly known as a mid-life crisis. But here, we offer some fun and harmless hobbies that are ideal for 40-somethings, particularly if they are pursuits you dabbled in in younger years. 

Learn a language

Most of us learned some Spanish or French through necessity at school and promptly forgot it within months. But the human brain is a mysterious piece of kit. There are some fabulous online resources for learning a language these days, and you’ll be amazed how quickly you’ll start to remember those long-ago lessons. Best of all, you’re more likely to be able to book a flight to go and test out your new language skill for real now than you were as a teenager!

Play some poker

Ah, those long ago afternoons playing poker with college buddies when you were supposed to be studying! These days, poker is more popular than it’s ever been, and we have the internet to thank. Playing online has its benefits, as long as you are selective about the platform. Check the impartial reviews, such as these Ignition online poker reviews you can trust.

Buy an old car

20 to 30 years ago, our first cars were usually old beaters that were about the same age as us, and most of us learned some basic mechanical skills out of necessity. These days, those cars from the 70s are going up in value. Working on an old car from the pre-computer age is highly rewarding, and the driving experience will really take you back. It’s all so much more fun when it’s just a weekend hobby and you’re not relying on it to start on a wintery week day morning!

What’s brewing?

Every generation of beer-lovers enjoys complaining about how the prices keep getting higher and higher. That’s part of the reason that homebrew kits are always so popular. The other reason is that brewing beer brings back memories of one of the most enjoyable aspects of teenage years – school science experiments! You can get all the equipment you need for less than $50, and then there’s a great choice of different ales, stouts and lagers you can try your hand at making.