Hobbies That You Can Explore At Home With Your Children

Family fun activities to suit a range of interests and talents.

With schools across Hong Kong getting ready to reopen, many mums across Hong Kong will be breathing a collective sigh of relief! Before you know it though, the summer holidays will soon be upon us and the need to keep the kids busy will arise all over again. Since there are only so many times that our little ones can play with the same toy or read the same story, we have selected a bunch of hobbies for you Sassy Mamas out there in need of ideas and inspiration. All can be easily done at home, are ideal for social distancing, or good indoor activities on hot and rainy days (hello Hong Kong summer!). If your children inherit your talents, exploring one of your favourite hobbies together will be a great way to bond. Spark a lifelong interest and creativity in your youngster.

Read more: Extracurricular Activities And Classes In Hong Kong: From Toddlers To Teens

Hobbies At Home: Ballet

For mothers and children who love ballet but cannot visit the dancing studio right now, why not hit the barre at home in the comfort of your living room? The Lazy Dancer Tips YouTube channel is perfect for practising pliés and pirouettes and it’s a great way to keep in shape. You can select you and your child’s favourite dance routine and select the length and intensity that work best. The many core exercises available are great to help youngsters improve their centre and posture, together with the floor barre exercises that don’t always get explored in some classes (and yet are so important, especially at a young age!). 

You only need a chair as a barre, a mat or something comfortable to lie on and your computer screen. Put your tights and tutu on, and get ready to point those toes!

Read more: Dance Classes For Kids In Hong Kong: Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop And More

Hobbies At Home: Singing

Do you and your child love singing? As hobbies go, this one is great for expressing yourself and also breathing exercises! If you know every song from every musical that you’ve watched together or can sing almost every song in the charts, then right now you are probably suffering as karaoke parlours are closed. If that’s the case, Smule is perfect for you. This free app lets you choose from more than ten million songs in your favourite genres, in several different languages. You and your child can perform as a duet, solo, or even join a group performance. Enjoy creating music, record songs and let the little ones choose songs from their favourite Disney characters! Download it on iOS or Android and get harmonising.

Read more: Music Lessons For Children In Hong Kong: Piano, Guitar, Violin And More

Hobbies At Home: Drama

If your child’s hobbies include a love to express themselves, especially those who would fit well on a stage with an audience, then this one is for you. Though extracurricular classes are gradually resuming, social distancing measures will mean that it will be a while before things normalise. They say actors are like athletes; they need to practise their craft every day. So how can we recreate home-made drama activities and keep the creative juices flowing? Let them invent their theatre production with puppets! Try sock or fun paper puppets to get you started.

If your child is not a fan of puppets, no problem! Browse classic children’s stories on YouTube that your Oscar winner can watch and then reenact. Simply select the script you prefer and act it out with your children in your living room. Make it as fancy and real as possible with the use of props, costumes and makeup. Don’t forget to film the final result for a more realistic effect!

Read more: Extracurricular Activities And Classes In Hong Kong: From Toddlers To Teens

Hobbies At Home: Baking

For those with a sweet tooth or a knack for creative culinary creations, what’s better than spending an afternoon with your little master chef making something delicious? Known for its yummy and healthy snacks, Ella’s Kitchen has over 100 quick and easy recipes for big and little chefs to make at home. Take your pick from finger foods, veg lovers and batch cooking, plus, you can search by ingredient or filter by prep time, cook time, dietary requirements, occasion (lunch, dinner, pudding etc.) and more.

For something a little naughtier, check out Sugar Hero from trained pastry chef and cookbook author, Elizabeth LaBau. Here you’ll find plenty of beautiful cakes recipes, together with biscuits, candies, brownies and other baked goods. If you and your children enjoy playing around in the kitchen with colourful frostings and different flavours, then this activity is for you! Be warned though, some of these delights might look just too good to eat (we’re sure you’ll get over that pretty fast and indulge though!).

To make sure you’re not tipping the scales too far on the sugary side, be sure to take a look at the 7-day Healthy Meal Planning Guide for children aged 6 to 24 months old from the Hong Kong Governments Family Health Service Department of Health.

Read more: The Best Baking And Cooking Classes For Kids In Hong Kong

Hobbies At Home: Yoga

What’s better than enjoying your favourite relaxing activity and getting your little ones involved too? Yoga is a great discipline that not only helps our body become more flexible, but also helps with focus. Not only is it good for both the body and mind, but it’ll also get your younger yogis on the path to mindfulness and improved concentration as well – perfect for transitioning back to school!

CamiRose Yoga has a great 10-minute mama and me session that you can try with toddlers and younger children. Yoga For Kids with Alissa Kepas (via Alo yoga) is a fun 15-minute class packed with fun animal and nature poses and exercises. Yoga For Kids! also has a 30-minute yoga practice suitable for parents and kids of all ages – starting with breathing, movements and then a cool-down.

One for new mummies and babies is the Fit Mummy Project app from Kimmy Smith Fit, which offers a selection of yoga routines as well as different workouts to help mothers ensure both a strong postnatal recovery after birth whilst creating a terrific opportunity for mother and child bonding. Workouts range between 10 and 20 minutes, with little to no equipment required. Just see how you feel, grab your baby and select your workout for the day! ($78 on iOS and $85 on Andriod)

Read more: Back To The Mat: Postnatal Workout Classes In Hong Kong