MORE Granny Hobbies You’ll Love in 2026!
Good Things Guy | 15.02.2026 13:00
How to replace bad screentime habits with activities that nourish you instead? Ask yourself, ‘What would Granny do?’
South Africa (15 February 2026) – Many more of us are choosing to spend time a little more intentionally this year. For me, the change came about after I started logging my screentime.
Turns out, my weekly average in December came up to (about) 4-6 hours every day. Granted, the bulk of it happened over the holidays, and I am a ‘background noise’ person – meaning I always have a YouTube video or podcast playing. Still, that’s a lot of screentime.
I went into 2026 wanting to change that.
I’ll admit, the first week was difficult. It involved consciously choosing not to prolong the habit of reaching for the phone or tablet. Again and again. It was a challenge, but one I quickly overcame when I discovered just how much more I could nourish my mind ‘in real life’.
How could I have forgotten!?
It happens, friends, and most of us get so caught up in the scroll we don’t even realise it at first. Until a notification pops up saying you’ve spent 96% of your free time thumbing away at your smartphone…
Much like the experience of our Editor, Tyler, switching back to the analogue way of living has become a real joy for me. Enter my granny hobbies!
A granny hobby is a cosy, slow, hands-on activity traditionally associated with our moms and grannies – crochet, gardening, baking bread, embroidery, birdwatching, scrapbooking…
Basically, it’s anything tactile, analogue, repetitive, and soothing.
Personally, the best part about leaning into a ‘granny hobby’ is that it gets you away from the screen and out of the cycle of over-consuming. You choose creating (granny hobbies often involve a craft) over scrolling and slow dopamine over instant dopamine.
A big part of that, for me, has also been learning that productivity shouldn’t be attached to your hobbies, and neither should comparison. It’s more about engaging in activities that calm your nervous system, improve your attention span, and engage your senses.
Last year, we shared a list of granny hobbies to get stuck into. This year, we’re sharing a few more.
Weaving
Weaving is one of the oldest human crafts that carries a great depth of storytelling and culture. Women have historically been the primary weavers. Isn’t that cool? These days, weaving is made easy with looms (you can buy a variety, or you can make your own simple frame loom at home). The craft itself is steady and rhythmic which makes it feel meditative. Your focuses are colour, texture and pattern and it’s very rewarding to see a piece come to life. There are many different forms of weaving to experiment with!
Contemporary Quilting
Contemporary quilting is the same thing as regular quilting but with interesting colours, layouts and designs that fit the bill of modern art. You still get all the benefits of calm, focused work but you’re also creating pieces that would look stunning in your home! One large piece can take up to months to make, which teaches you a thing or two about patience, and putting the work in.
Tiny Macramé
Macramé jewellery and mini art is like pocket-sized version of those big knotted wall hangings we were all obsessed with in 2019. It uses the same knotting technique, but works on a smaller scale. You can make delicate earrings, necklaces, tiny plant hangers or even little woven artworks you can frame. It also keeps that repetitive, calming handwork that helps you switch off your brain, and you can play with colour, beads, or crystals. Also great for friend gifts!
Junk Journalling
It’s like scrapbooking, except instead of buying fancy and expensive paper packs, you’re using what you have on hand – old receipts, packaging, tea tags, magazine clippings, scrap bits of paper and material. I enjoy the process of creating pretty collage-style pages with ‘junk’ that would have otherwise ended up in the bin. It also reframes your perspective and forces you to pay attention to all the ‘junk’ you generate on a daily basis!
Water Aerobics
Water aerobics is actually one of the smartest low-impact workouts you can do. It’s basically strength training and cardio, in a gentle pool session. Because the water supports your body, it’s easier on your joints while still giving real resistance, which means you get toned and fitter without feeling wrecked the next day. Join a class for social, screen-free, good for your heart and muscles, surprisingly energising boost!
Seed Saving
Last year we mentioned gardening – the next step is seed saving. It’s literally the process of letting your best tomatoes, chillies, beans or herbs fully mature, collecting the seeds, drying them properly and storing them in labelled envelopes for the next planting season. Instead of buying a new packet every time, you’re picking out the strongest plants from your own garden and replanting those genetics. In the process, you learn about life cycles and build a greater connection with your food. Then comes seeding swapping – there’s a huge community for it in South Africa!
