Our Grandparents Spent Their Time 9 Old-Fashioned Ways That Are Cool With Young People Again
Myroslava Pavlyk / Shutterstock As is typical of trend cycles, many of the old-fashioned things our grandparents spent their time on are suddenly trendy again among young people.
While it might seem odd to many, these simple hobbies have become an act of self-care and a way to protect their mental health.
Many of the old-fashioned ways our grandparents spent their time are now cool with young people again
1. Baking and decorating cakes
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Whether it’s decorating cakes for donation programs or simply baking to relieve stress, young people can disconnect from their phones by returning to old-school hobbies they watched their parents and grandparents do in the kitchen as children.
For many, it’s also a hobby that brings social connection and a sense of community. Considering so many are missing out on thoughtful interactions, parties, and social events with other people, baking a cake can be a simple way to get people together.
2. Needlepointing
Much like embroidery or paint-by-numbers, needlepoint crafts are an intentional, mindful way to be creative. By sticking yarn or thread over a painted canvas or template, individuals create something tangible and thoughtful over time. While it tends to take a lot of time and a decent amount of focus, it lets people shut their minds off from the noise of the world.
For young people today who are constantly subjected to that noise on their phones and social media, of course, they’d prefer crafts like this that create space. They don’t have to fall into a rabbit hole online or subject themselves to pictures that make them feel worse about themselves. They can invest in a hobby that’s equally nostalgic and relaxing.
3. Knitting and crocheting
Grandma-core hobbies are making a comeback because they offer analog alternatives to doomscrolling, but knitting and crocheting may be doing even more for young people.
They’re rewiring the brain and improving cognitive skills over time by using slow, intentional movements to both regulate stress and improve brain function. They’re offering space to go inward, instead of being stuck in a loop of overthinking and anxiety like phones and mindless screen time offer.
4. Paint-by-numbers
Drawing and other creative hobbies are proven to help relieve stress and improve mental health, which are all things that Gen Zers could absolutely benefit from. Especially when most of their free time is spent doomscrolling on their phones, exacerbating their stress levels and inner turmoil, any excuse to step away from a screen is a good one.
That's why paint-by-numbers and other tangible creative hobbies that get people off their phones are coming back into favor. More people need the mindfulness these hobbies offer, and an excuse to turn their minds off.
5. Word puzzles
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While print newspapers and crosswords are coming back for Gen Z, sometimes even word puzzles on their phones are good enough for people yearning for old-school hobbies. Yes, our grandparents spent hours at the kitchen table with their crosswords and coffee, but even 5 or 10 minutes for young people is enough to celebrate.
Some people even suggest that modern alternatives to old-school newsletter puzzles, like the NYT’s Wordle, are bridging the gap between older and younger generations. Not only does it create five minutes of space away from work or scrolling, but it creates something for all generations to speak about with shared interest.
6. Making jewelry
Taylor Swift’s bracelet-making craze certainly brought back jewelry-making as a hobby for many young people in the past few years, but it’s already been a tangible hobby for Gen Zers trying to disconnect.
Sometimes, instead of using their hands to prop up their phone or their fingers to scroll, they want something less stressful. At the very least, it’s stressful without blue-light screens and comparison culture at their fingertips. Whether it’s new trending hobbies like beading flower bouquets or making old-school charm bracelets, it’s coming back around for young people.
7. Gardening
Regardless of whether you’re a millennial or Gen X, you probably remember a parent or grandparent working in the garden outside. At the very least, they had some kind of plant growing on their windowsill or on the front porch. Not only was it a hobby, but for many, it was a frugal part of their lifestyle.
Today, many young people are going through the same cycle. They’re investing in gardening as a hobby, but they’re also learning to save money in a society where grocery store prices are rising astronomically. For some young people, community gardening is also a sort of third space, offering connection in a time when so many are isolated and lonely.
8. Canning fruits and vegetables
Who would’ve ever thought the time-consuming, taxing hobby of canning would come back for young people? And yet, it has, in its own unique, health-conscious way.
Especially because Gen Zers are incredibly invested in organic foods and general wellness, it’s no surprise that canning foods and pickling vegetables are old-school hobbies coming back into style. They’re gut-healthy and clean, and all the other adjectives that young people are now invested in, but they’re also cheap.
With so much student loan debt and financial barriers, of course, the frugality of it all also makes a huge difference for young people today.
9. Puzzles
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Many grandparents spent their free time with jigsaw and crossword puzzles to lean into the silence and mindfulness their routines naturally prompted. However, Gen Zers exist in an always-stimulating environment, where their phones and mindless entertainment fill the silence without question.
However, many Gen Zers, now self-proclaimed attention advocates, are unplugging from their phones and stepping back from technology. Whether that’s jigsaw puzzles or spending time in nature, it’s clear that many of the incredibly simple, analog hobbies from generations past are coming in to save the day.
They’re using their hands, taking digital detoxes, and stepping away from the technology that’s both defined and drained their generation.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
