Hobbies make you happy

Reading: Weird hobbies

There are many different hobbies to choose from. Some, such as football or playing computer games, are well-known. But why not try something more unusual? We talked to four teens about why they enjoy their weird hobbies so much!

Max, 13, does soap carving. He uses bars of soft soap and a small knife to make animals, flowers, or letters. A year ago, he saw soap carving videos online. “I knew I wanted to try this new hobby – it looked so calm and relaxing,” he says. “At first, I didn’t want anyone to see my creations. But my parents said they were beautiful, and one day, my best friend asked me to make a special carving for his sister’s birthday. And next month, I will start selling my soaps at the village market! I hope lots of people will buy them.”

Lila’s hobby is drone racing. The 15-year-old discovered it when she joined the school’s tech club together with her best friend. It’s a fast and exciting hobby where you fly small racing drones through obstacle courses. “You need a good controller,” she explains, “but even the best controller won’t help you if you don’t train enough! I’m pretty good now. But when I first started, I crashed my drone several times because I was flying too fast.”

Sophie, 14, enjoys sheep herding with her Border Collie, Bess. Twice a week, Sophie and Bess spend the afternoon at their local farm. “Mr. Baker, the farmer, helps me train Bess”, Sophie explains. She uses words and gestures to tell Bess where to move the sheep. Bess runs quickly to guide the sheep through gates. Sophie enjoys her hobby because it is challenging, and she gets to practice so much with her dog.

15-year-old Akil is a competitive jigsaw puzzle solver. When he was 10, he saw a competition at a local community centre. There, players tried to complete 500-piece puzzles as quickly as possible. “Now I practice at home with different puzzle sizes to improve my speed,” Akil tells us. “I separate the pieces by shape and colour before I do the puzzle. Sometimes I compete against my older brother to see who finishes first.” Akil likes that each puzzle is different, and it makes him think quickly while staying calm.