Creative hobbies: benefits for the body and mind

Painting, embroidery, drawing, sewing, jigsaw puzzles, modelling clay... Children and adults are increasingly engaging in creative leisure activities. At first you might think that these are just manual activities. In reality, hobbies are much more. They make us more relaxed, more confident, less stressed and are a good way to have fun while enhancing our imagination and creativity. Let’s discover the benefits of crafts for children and adults!

 

What is a creative hobby?

A creative hobby is any intellectual and personal activity that allows you to work on your imagination and creativity in the making of objects or paintings. Broadly speaking, creative hobbies include all manual activities that require creativity to create handmade objects. It is also known as DIY = “Do it yourself”

Whether you are a child, an adult or a senior, you can enjoy crafts anytime and anywhere. These activities are beneficial to the mental and physical health of those who practice them regularly. On the internet, you will find many ideas for hobbies that require few accessories and equipment and are offered at affordable prices. With a wide range of activities to choose from, hobbies are fun and enjoyable to do with family, friends or alone.

What are the benefits of creative hobbies?

In addition to stimulating the brain, crafts such as paint by numbers and diamond painting have many benefits for both children and adults. Craft activities allow you to refocus and relax. 

 

Creative hobbies stimulate the brain

In order to fight against ageing and brain depletion, it is important to do creative activities from time to time. Craft activities help to keep both of your brain's hemispheres awake. When you do a creative hobby such as paint by numbers, your left hemisphere analyses the pattern to be created and your right hemisphere produces ideas that will make your artwork unique.

 

Creative activities promote concentration and reduce stress

Creative activities have the advantage of focusing your thoughts on one goal: creating a project. To do this, you need to take the time to think, imagine and design what you want to create. This often takes you away from your daily worries, allowing you to focus on the moment and reconnect with yourself.

It may be difficult to realise, but when you start painting or drawing on canvas or paper, your concentration is at its highest. Educational, fun and creative, these hobbies are great stress relievers, although they do require concentration. By focusing your attention on a creative activity, you are able to escape your daily stress, allowing your brain to drift off into a different world.

 

Creative leisure improves perception

Playing creative games increases the brain's ability to perceive different variations. For example, putting together the pieces of a 2D wooden puzzle is a very important topic, as it awakens and captures the player's attention and improves perception. The same applies to paint by numbers. This activity allows you to project yourself into other artistic passions and make a unique creation with a variety of colours.

 

An artistic activity expresses your creativity and emotions

Art is a mediator between a support (painting, cooking...) and your emotions. Crafting is therefore an opportunity to engage in new activities and to express your emotions on a work of art that you will create. When you are happy, your choice easily goes towards bright colours in a painting or a drawing.

On the other hand, when the person is depressed or sad, inspiration will be more difficult to find. In any case, you are the one who decides at each stage of creation, which allows you to select what will make you feel relaxed and proud. This makes hobbies a real emotional catalyst.

 

Hobbies develop dexterity and self-confidence

Over time and with experience, you will learn to put the right colours together on a painting or beads for example. Don't worry if you are not very good with your hands. Indulge in the activities you enjoy and develop your skills. For children, creative activities are a better way to train their motivation and motor skills.

Support your child in developing their creativity. In addition, taking up a creative hobby greatly improves self-confidence. Indeed, creating an object yourself (rather than buying it) and handling it with your hands is a form of personal achievement. At the end, there is often a great sense of pride and this boosts morale and self-confidence.

 

Crafting ideas for adults

Drawing, sewing, decorating, scrapbooking, modelling dough for children, creative cooking... Creative leisure activities offer a wide range of activities. They require concentration, involve your skills and creativity and help you progress. Would you like to try out new creative activities? 

 

Embroidery, an interesting creative hobby

Like jewellery and bead making, hand embroidery is an easy activity to do on your own. 

Diamond painting is a mix between paint by numbers and cross-stitching. It is an exciting creative hobby that allows you to have fun and relax. There are many designs such as flowers, animals, cities, etc.

A kit of accessories is also essential for practising diamond embroidery. It is made up of a pen, rolls, illuminated tablet, storage box, etc. These items are designed to facilitate practicing this creative activity. The concept of diamond embroidery is to place the small rhinestones provided on the corresponding symbols. In the end, you will obtain a gorgeous work of art to embellish your interior decoration. You can also give it to your child as a birthday or Christmas present. It's a nice change from the traditional toys sold in the shops.

Cross-stitch embroidery is a good way to get started with no experience. This creative hobby is relaxing and brings you inner peace while stimulating your creativity. The concept of this craft is to cover the surface of a canvas with a design of your choice using various coloured threads to form crosses. You will need a pre-printed canvas, a coloured paper guide, a set of embroidery threads and an accessory kit with a few small useful items.

 

Paint by numbers, an exciting activity

Do you like painting but have no experience? Opt for paint by number. This method of art and creative hobby consists of painting a work on a pre-printed canvas, divided into a multitude of numbered areas. You then paint each numbered area corresponding to a specific colour with the associated paint pot.

On Figured'Art website, you will find many designs with full kits including the necessary painting materials. Paint by number allows you to learn to identify the different areas, colour variations and tone changes in an image. With this learning method, you will gradually be able to paint works of art from a blank canvas.

As with diamond embroidery, a complete kit is essential for this creative hobby. The kit includes, among other things, a linen canvas in the pattern of your choice, brushes, numbered paint pots, a wooden frame (optional) and a hanging kit. Japanese painting, flower painting, landscape painting, animal painting... On Figured'Art website you will find a painting to satisfy your creative desires and enjoy a real moment of pleasure.

 

The 2D wooden puzzle - a stimulating creative hobby

Assembly games such as the wooden jigsaw puzzle allow children to learn DIY at an early age. This clever activity teaches the player patience and determination. The wooden puzzle is an early learning tool that involves putting together objects from the pieces that fit together. Much more than a simple game, it develops your emotional and physical capacities and can be enjoyed alone or with others.

In addition to the traditional flat wooden puzzles, you can find beautiful 2D wooden puzzles. They help to develop other cognitive and sensory skills in the child's and adult's brain. The jigsaw market offers many ideas for an early learning game that will change the traditional creative hobbies such as sewing, modelling clay, drawing on paper, etc.

The 2D wooden puzzle is a creative game that appeals to your senses. It is also a physical representation of various animals or other characters. Building is a fun, calm and enjoyable time to share with your children. Once assembled, you can add it to your collectibles, decorate your desk with it, or give it to a loved one, as it can be an original wooden decoration. It's a great gift that is sure to please.

Discover your next projects on Figured'Art website!