Going from being happily married to single and as a single parent can be a huge adjustment for parents and their children. Newly single parents can find themselves reminiscing on their family dynamic and struggling to fill their free time when they are not working or when their child is with their other parent.
For men, research has shown that sports and exercise as a leisure activity are widespread, with men spending up to 5 hours a day engaging in these activities in one study conducted in 2022. Sports and exercise can be great, but during such an emotional time, single dads may not feel ready to settle into such a disciplined hobby.
Sports and Gaming are not the only Choices
Aside from playing sports, another popular pastime people in the US, and which men in particular love to engage in is gaming. People may choose when they come home or log off from work to play online games to decompress because they are accessible and customizable to the experience that the person wants to have.
Some people will opt to play story-based games for mental stimulation, while others will satisfy their competitive urge in tournaments, and those who gamble may choose the versatility of casino games.
While back in the day casino games were played in person, now with the online gambling market in the USA being worth 9.5 billion, gambling enthusiasts are turning to online casinos for a revamped version of their favorite pastime. Becoming a faction of gaming on its own, online casinos have evolved from the days of table games to include new slots, tournaments, and cryptocurrency casino games that gamblers and gamers alike have begun to experience.
It’s widely believed that gaming and sports are the most common hobbies among men, but it doesn’t mean that you have no other options that may be even better. While mobile or video gaming can be enjoyable for some, accessible and diverse hobbies are important for single dads to nurture them emotionally and physically during the time of being newly single. Here are 5 fun hobbies for newly single dads to try out!
1. Cultivating a Bonsai Tree
Growing a bonsai tree can seem strange as it is not a hugely common practice in the US, but it has been said to be enlightening. As a newly single dad, working on a gardening project or something at home alone is the perfect way to spend free hours to brighten up your living space and garden.
Mental health is greatly improved by plants and foliage, and bonsai trees have many benefits for the mind and for health. In countries like Japan, they are kept as they are an integral part of Japanese art and culture.
These trees are known to be healing, as they can reduce stress levels and for the lucky ones, increase their levels of focus. That is of course, if you care for them right because bonsai trees are high-maintenance plants. They are high maintenance, after all. You can also get the children involved in trimming, watering, and caring for the tree.
2. Photographing Wildlife
Intimacy and photography go hand in hand, while photographing nature is mainly just a fun activity. Getting out and about with an amateur camera to your local park, forest, or, if you’re lucky, a national park, is an easy way to leave the house and not have to break the bank. Additionally, maintaining the quality of your camera’s lenses with UES lens cleaning products is essential, ensuring that your nature shots reflect the beauty and details of the great outdoors with pristine clarity.
For someone on a budget, wildlife photography is great as you can get out in nature and create your own art at a fraction of the price it would cost you to buy one of those photos. In this stage of life, a single dad may be struggling, and nature can be great for relaxation and recentering a person’s mind.
3. Geocaching
Adventures and single dads who enjoy the outdoors will enjoy geocaching in their local neighborhood. A GPS is used by the geocacher to find small hidden treasure boxes hidden in locations that are logged online by fellow geocachers. The hidden boxes tend to have items inside so it pretty much feels like a treasure hunt for a grown man. Some of the best geocaching apps include Adventure Lab Geocaching.
Alternatively, for a dad who wants to get his fitness game or level up his navigation skills, geocaching is the way forward, without the need for an expensive gym membership.
4. Indulging with Radio-Controlled Vehicles
RC vehicles can seem like a child’s idea of a fun time, but for an adult gearhead, they’re a cost-friendly alternative! Online sellers like Amazon and eBay sell them for a mostly reasonable price, but for specific niches such as model trains or F1 cars, there are alternative purchasing stores.
RC vehicles have many different times available so their purposes can vary according to their owner’s wishes. Dads who love tech may purchase a drone for capturing aerial views and flying different routes. F1 RC race cars, on the other hand, will be perfect for dads who love to collect. Or, for a dad who may be looking for an extra income, be sold for profit.
5. Home-Brewing Beverages
After a hard day’s work, there is nothing like a cold beer for some, and what better way than to have it homemade? Not all dads will be beer drinkers, contrary to the stereotype! Brewing any kind of beverage is fun for any man who loves to experiment with recipes and flavors.
A single dad may enjoy brewing as a solo activity to enjoy his favorite beverages alone. It can be helpful in getting him used to living alone, eating and drinking alone, and enjoying it! In the same way, you might do for cooking your meals or for your children’s dinner, why not treat yourself and try out homebrewing for fresh, one-of-a-kind beverages?
Of course, brewing can be optional to the person. It doesn’t have to be alcoholic, and if you’re not a big fan of brewing, there are many hobbies to be learned at home for both creative and educational purposes.
Regardless of the purpose of a hobby, it’s important as a new single dad to fill your leisure time with things you enjoy doing.
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