To have “childish” hobbies?

[Littleanchor]

I am 32 and I still play the sims occasionally and I love to colour. I have an assortment of different colouring pens and books and find it very relaxing to switch my mind off and do some colouring. Is this really pathetic?

They’re not my only hobbies. I also like to swim and read and go to shows and concerts, and we don’t have children so spend a lot of weekends exploring new places etc. but I almost feel ashamed of playing computer games and colouring in… my friends and colleagues are at home raising children and I’m sat colouring haha. Does anyone else have hobbies or interests that would be perceived as childish?

Can't see that what you like doing is any more childish than kicking a ball around in a field (ie. football 😁).

Its absolutely fine and very healthy. I’m 55 and am a professional, married with no children and I love colouring, simple painting and doing the odd jigsaw. I think it does me a lot of good, mentally.

I'm 39 and I play video games constantly. The Sims is a classic and a firm favourite of mine too. I also get platinum trophies for all of my favourite games. I'm even proud of one or two of my platinum trophies as they're extremely hard to get. Anyone who judges gamers is a bit of a mouldy turnip if you ask me. A lot of the games I play are made for adults too so they're built specifically with people like you and I in mind.

Of course you're allowed to game and colour etc. It keeps the mind sharp too which is always a bonus.

Do what you enjoy, OP. Life is hard at times and finding pleasures which don't hurt yourself or anyone else is a great break and distraction from problems.

I have 2 colouring books in my desk drawers. I use them to occupy my hands in long meetings (I wfh) and when I’m particularly anxious or stressed.
I had a family member who was sectioned several times due to her mental health and I remember her telling me the best advice she ever had from a hospital was to get some colouring pencils and scribble it you’re feeling pent up then start colouring when you calm down. It helped her a lot so I’d say it’s a pretty good hobby to have.

I find anything Christmas related relaxing so will watch films/read books/ do puzzles with festive themes throughout the year.
I also cross stitch, walk, garden, cold dip, swim, read and crochet - apparently this makes my hobbies both childish and old person-ish (according to DH and my mum). I don’t care - do whatever you enjoy.

Edited to add as I remembered after I’d posted - my LO is just about big enough to move from Duplo to Lego and I’m really looking forward to that as I enjoy the kits.

I personally think having a creative outlet is very important for your wellbeing/MH.

Gaming isn’t just ‘for children’. It’s a universal interest with no age limit. It’s only on Mumsnet where people are weird about adults gaming.

The adult market for colouring is huge and a lot of the books are very intricate and can require a fair bit of skill. I colour, and some of the pictures I colour can take several evenings and about a million ruinously expensive coloured pencils to complete! Not a children’s hobby at all.

Your hobbies sound great - fun, creative and relaxing.

I echo what’s already been said. People that criticise are either thoughtless, insecure, or both. Often it’s something they’ve absorbed from somewhere else and hopefully they grow out of it and become secure enough to enjoy their free time in a way that makes them happy.
Im nearly 60 and like puzzles, colouring, computer gaming, Lego and also like dressmaking, quilting, knitting, crochet and model making amongst many other things. I figure as long as I’m not hurting anyone how I spend my free time is my business.

it’s nice being older as ceasing to give a shit balances out the lack of collagen :-)

I wasn’t encouraged to play or be imaginative when I was a child, in fact I’d say I was actively discouraged and I think some of my more childish hobbies and interests (I have lots) are perhaps due to that. Maybe not. But in any case, live your life.

Am almost same age and... gutted my xbox no longer works and can't play my fav games! Play away, it's great to switch off, far better than the rubbish that's on TV (of which I never turn on).

I bought my partner the Lucky Cat lego this year for his b'day. Don't know what possessed me to do it other than it looked cute and he does like the design of waving cats as a rule. Turned out that he was well into it, spent the evening on his b'day putting it together happy as Larry. I've since bought him a couple of other bits of lego. I had no idea Lego had changed so much, it's really good fun now :-)

Edited to add, he's now 60.

This is the only criteria by which you should judge yourself. You are not pathetic by any measure. I ride horses and collect dolls, neither are cheap hobbies but I pay for them and I don't care what other people think. If anything, you can think of your hobbies as an arsehole filter - anyone gets sneery, bin them from your life.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a good hobby and it sounds like you've got a good mix of things that make you happy.

My workplace puts out colouring books and pens for people to use. Ditto with origami sheets and crosswords, word search, suduko etc. It's actively encouraged to pick an activity and have a bit of down time.

We're all somebody's child regardless of how many years we've lived.

I do jigsaws. Never too old or too young to do things you enjoy.

Adult colouring
Pokemon console games
Lego

In fact most of my hobbies are for children lol

You've done it now. Lego is ridiculously addictive.
My dd bought me a small kit for Christmas about 4 years ago. I now have no room left for any more. And I'm 68 next week. I do have space for 1 more if I shuffle stuff about but it will need to be a specific size.
I also love colouring in.

I love the idea of playing Sims and I am in my 60s. I'd just not know how to go about it. I am clueless about that sort of immersive computer game.

I'm hopeless at painting but really enjoy it, I 'paint' using blown up plastic bags dipped in paint and splodged onto a canvas, the splodges look like flowers . It's very childish a bit like potato printing but I love it.

I have a lego obsession. I find it really helps with mental health, focussing on the build helps to destress and feel centered. Its so mindful. Yet I have been told lego is for kids....sod off is it! They make specific ranges aimed at adults ffs!

ETA the worst thing about lego is following any groups on SM, and seeing comments from Americans about "legos" NO!!!!!!!! Just fucking NO!

I'm 32 and I have 2 children. When they go to bed I play cosy video games, do coloring, read, or crochet!

I can only assume I also have childish hobbies as I spent my childhood horse riding and reading, which is exactly what I’ve spent the last few decades since being an adult continuing to do.

I also like Lego, especially Duplo, I collect it and build with it.

I’m currently building a Lego ( well it’s not actually Lego but similar) replica of my dog breed. It’s not something I’d usually do but it’s been tons of fun.

As others have said, if it’s not hurting anyone and you enjoy it, who cares? It’s more childish to judge other people’s hobbies I’d say!

I collect teddybears.
I am in my 60s and have collected them for over 30 years.
I enjoy my hobby and it doesn't hurt anyone.

Animal Crossing and colouring for me.

I've lots of grownup hobbies too knitting, cooking, dressmaking etc.