As you get older, hobbies can often fall by the wayside. Whether it’s down to mobility issues, illness, or a lack of opportunities, it can be harder to regularly do the things you once enjoyed.
However, there are plenty of alternative activities that you can try later in life to stay engaged and enhance your mental and physical health.
Here, we list 25 fun activities for seniors to try in 2025.
25 new activities to try this year for seniors
Art & craft activities
Participating in arts and crafts activities (whether alone or in a group) can have several important health and well-being benefits for older people.
Tapping into your creative side can boost motor skills, reduce stress, improve confidence, and provide a real sense of accomplishment.
If you’d like to get arty in 2025, try the following:
- Paint by numbers can be an enjoyable and straightforward introduction to watercolour painting.
- Crocheting can be a creative way to keep fingers nimble and minds sharp.
- Origami (the Japanese art of paper folding) can be a challenging and satisfying skill to learn.
- Sculpting using modelling clay can be great for dexterity.
- Scrapbooking can be a lovely way to collect and display memories to share with family and friends.
Sports & wellness activities
Exercise remains as vital as ever as you age. Taking the time to move, stretch, and work up a sweat can have all sorts of health benefits and help you enjoy a better quality of life in your golden years.
Depending on your level of mobility, you may want to try one of these physical activities in 2025:
- Yoga can be a relaxing way to stretch and strengthen your muscles.
- Walking can be excellent cardio for older people.
- Cycling on an outdoor bike (or a stationary bike indoors) can help you work out joints and muscles.
- Ballroom dancing can be a fun way to move and socialise.
- Swimming is a low-impact exercise that benefits the heart, lungs, and joints.
- Water aerobics can improve cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles and joints, and reduce the risk of falls.
- Non-combat martial arts like Tai Chai can improve balance and coordination, increase flexibility, and enhance mental well-being.
Read more: 10 things to try in your retirement years
Social activities
Social interaction can stave off loneliness, reduce dementia risks, and improve mood and brain health. Taking part in social activities can also help you make friends later in life and discover new passions and interests.
Here are a few things you might want to try this year:
- Guided tours and excursions can be a fun way to explore the local sights (or travel further afield) with a group of like-minded people.
- Coffee mornings offer the chance to socialise over a cuppa and some cake in the local community.
- Men’s Sheds have grown in popularity over the last ten years. They allow men (and sometimes women) to gather and learn new practical skills. Find a shed near you.
- Book clubs can be a terrific motivation to dive back into reading while sharing in conversations with friends and family.
- Cookery classes can reignite a passion for food while learning something new.
- Quizzes are a fun way to keep those grey cells ticking over.
- Puzzles like jigsaws or Rubik’s Cubes can keep the brain sharp and active.
- Board games can encourage friendly competition and team building among friends.
Read more: The importance of friendship in a care home setting
Mindfulness activities
Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of your thoughts and feelings. It can help older adults reduce stress, improve sleep, and manage pain. It can also help you feel a greater connection to others and enjoy a more positive outlook on life.
If you’d like to try mindfulness in 2025, consider the following activities:
- Meditation can exercise your mind, helping you lower stress levels and reduce anxiety. Try meditating with Headspace.
- Gardening can help you connect with nature while enhancing your physical and mental health.
- Bonsai trees are an enjoyable alternative to outdoor gardening, providing a sense of purpose as you tend to your tree.
- Journalling offers an outlet for your worries while helping you creatively express your feelings.
- Learning a musical instrument can maintain memory and cognitive function, reduce the risk of dementia, and improve hand agility.
There you have it — 25 things to try in 2025. If you’d like to learn more about the social activities offered at Fulford Nursing Home, please call us at 01904 654 269.