To take up a childhood hobby

[Opal93]

After years of toying with the idea I’ve decided to book a set of ice skating lessons as I did it as a child and adored it and quit when I was 14 and always regretted it. I briefly did it again 9 years ago aged 19 when a pop up ice rink opened locally that Xmas and I got a job as an ice warden. I kept telling myself that I was too old to start again, wouldn’t be good any more but I’ve come to realise that I only want to do it for personal enjoyment, I’m not aiming to be professional. I wouldn’t be confident to try spins or jumps right away but I’d be happy enough to just glide round the rink for the excercose. Now my kids are at school I’d rather spend my money and time in the morning doing this for excercise instead of spin or Pilates? Have you ever rediscovered a hobby you used to love? What is it and have you kept it up?

Just popped on to see if it was marbles!

Ice skating is great op!

A brilliant idea.

The only thing I’m worried about now is getting hurt! Definitely shows my age 🙈

I am an AFOL. That's Adult Fan of Lego. There's 1000s of us all over the world. It's led to a brilliant community - both online and in real life. It's been one of the best things I have done in my life. Given me confidence and a fun way of spending my free time.
Skate your heart away. Do it.

Ooh, lovely idea. I took up doing jigsaws lately, which I used to enjoy as a child - but I may think about reigniting another childhood thing. Even re-reading a childhood book I read when was 5 or 6. Enjoy your ice skating! ⛸️⛸️

Massive figure skating fan here!! Do you know Dave Lease? The guy who does the TSL videos? He started skating as an adult (in his late 20‘s I believe) and is the reigning US Adult Skating Men‘s Champion. Never too late!

Well done you!

You go girl!!!

Seriously I am impressed.

Take some video clips now and randomly. Then when you have been going for 2 years post them on social media. You will get a loyal following.

Do it! I took up horse riding in my 40s after doing it as a child. I love it and surprisingly there's lots of us that have started it again in our 40s/50s after doing it as children. We even have our own 'adults pony club' on a Thursday for 2 hours. At half time we stop for cake and a glass of Prosecco, very civilised

@Pumpkinsonparade

Just popped on to see if it was marbles! Ice skating is great op!

I might take up adult Pogs Aging myself quite specifically there!

OP, you're never unreasonable to do something you enjoy that doesn't hurt anyone else. And you're definitely not too old!

I started ballet again but, unfortunately, the class was cancelled so I've stopped again! I also restarted piano after many years. Have fun skating!

Do it OP! Why ever not!

@WickedWitchOfTheTrent

Do it! I took up horse riding in my 40s after doing it as a child. I love it and surprisingly there's lots of us that have started it again in our 40s/50s after doing it as children. We even have our own 'adults pony club' on a Thursday for 2 hours. At half time we stop for cake and a glass of Prosecco, very civilised

Aye, and after half time, you kick on and whack the fences up because it's a fine line between "civilised" and "dutch courage"

Go for it. I do adult tap. Started tap as a child age 3. Stopped at 15 but have danced on and off as an adult.

@Legoisthebest

I am an AFOL. That's Adult Fan of Lego. There's 1000s of us all over the world. It's led to a brilliant community - both online and in real life. It's been one of the best things I have done in my life. Given me confidence and a fun way of spending my free time. Skate your heart away. Do it.

Hail, fellow AFOL! I hadn’t built with Lego for forty years but at the beginning of lockdown I bought my first set online and now I am addicted.

I can now afford to buy all the complex sets and build the kind of structures I dreamed of as a child, but never had the bricks for.

It’s one of the great perks of being a grown up - you can afford all the hobbies you couldn’t as a child!

Another adult figure skater here! It’s incredibly rewarding, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

That's exciting. I recently started drawing pictures of animals and flowers again, something I loved as a child. With a young child I thought I didn't have time for a hobby but it's something we can do together. There's something wonderful about choosing a hobby you loved before anyone told you what you should be doing to earn a living or prepare a good CV.

I think our hobby's will make us happier :)

Go for it. I did synchronised swimming as a teenager and returned to it almost 30 years later. The club I belong to now has a really friendly masters section and I have enjoyed taking part in shows and competing. It's too much fun to feel like exercise and its doing my mental health and general fitness a lot of good.

I've seen it mentioned a few times in those '10 things that lead to a happier life' type articles, that you should try and remember what gave you the most joy as a child and get back into that.

So your plan is a great one.

Yes! I do ballet and tap

Whatttt, how is this even a question, go for it!!!

Not quite as exciting as some of these but I’ve recently started adult swimming lessons. I love being in the water but never got on with school lessons. I was super nervous going to the first lesson (feeling very old, fat and self conscious) but they were so welcoming, there’s people of all ages and sizes and every week I’m so glad I went for it. The hardest bit was just getting through the door.

Fun has no age limit. Do what makes you happy and to hell with anyone who says otherwise

Ha! I did exactly this and ended up with a broken wrist and unable to care for baby! Hope you fare better than me 😂

MsAgnes unfortunately I have to build on a budget. I rarely go above a £45 set. Still love it though and build lots of nonsense !!

Do it! I dance, did it briefly as a child but had to stop as we were too poor to pay for the lessons. Also singing, which I did until my twenties and then had a 40 year break from because life got in the way. I think that activities you did as a child come so much easier than if you try to start them from scratch as an adult, so you’ll be fine!