Curiosity is one of the defining characteristics of humankind. It’s driven us to create spellbinding art, build towering cities, develop lifesaving medicines and technologies, and explore the far reaches of space.
There are also many smaller, more personal benefits to being curious. Learning new things can keep our brains active and reduce our risk of cognitive decline. Our desire to find out about others can also help us forge powerful, long-lasting relationships. And asking questions can grant us knowledge that may improve our lives and the lives of others.
But, like anything, we need to nurture our curiosity so it can thrive – and an effective way to do this is by getting involved with hobbies that stimulate that part of ourselves.
With this in mind, we’ve pulled together a list of nine hobbies for curious minds…
1. Trace your family tree
The question of where we come from has motivated curious minds for millennia – from theologists to physicists and archaeologists. But you don’t need to study fossils or the Big Bang to get a glimpse into your past.
If you’ve got a curious mind, tracing your family tree could be your new favourite pastime. By diving into things like historical records, archives, and censuses, you can channel your inner detective and piece together your ancestors’ stories.
However, tracing your family tree won’t just help you answer the question: ‘Where do I come from?’ It’s also an engaging way to learn about different periods of history. By uncovering the stories of your ancestors, you’ll be able to delve deeper than the history books – past the kings and queens, battles, and coronations – and get a glimpse into the struggles and triumphs of the everyday person.
From helping us forge a stronger sense of identity to finding living relatives we didn’t know about, there are plenty more benefits to tracing our family trees than simply satisfying curiosity. To help you get started, check out our article; 10 ways to help trace your family tree.
2. Astronomy
The secrets of the night sky have captivated the curiosity of humankind for millennia. The ancient Egyptians believed the stars were the souls of dead pharaohs resting in the heavens, while the Mayans thought the shimmering shapes were gods travelling between worlds.
While we now know a bit more about what lies beyond our atmosphere, our understanding of the vast reaches of space is still limited and ever-changing – which makes astronomy an excellent hobby for people with curious minds. Because, as Star Trek’s Captain Kirk says, space truly is “the final frontier”.
You might think that getting into astronomy requires a lot of study and some pretty expensive gear. But, at its most basic, all you need to do is go outside on a clear night and look up. Our introduction to stargazing has some useful information to help you get started.
Of course, your naked eye will only get you so far. So once you’re sure you’d like to pursue astronomy as a hobby, you could consider investing in some equipment – like a telescope or a CCD camera, to take pictures of far-off phenomena.
What’s more, amateur stargazers often make valuable contributions to the science of astronomy – so who knows, you could even find yourself making a discovery. To learn more about how to become a hobbyist astronomer, check out this article from The Planetary Society.
If you’re interested in stargazing, why not sign up to our talk on The Night Sky running on Rest Less Events?
3. Quizzing
Are you a fan of games like Trivial Pursuit or shows like Pointless and Mastermind? If so, quizzing might be the perfect hobby for you.
Curiosity takes many forms. Some people are interested in specific subjects – such as biology, engineering, or world politics – while others are naturally inquisitive about everything. Quizzing provides an opportunity to explore a wide range of topics and reinforce your learning by testing your knowledge.
To start enjoying trivia as a pastime, the best advice is to attend a variety of quizzes, which can help you become familiar with the quizzing environment and the types of questions asked. Even if you don’t perform well initially, it’s all part of the learning process, and you’ll leave with a wealth of new knowledge to apply next time.
Pub quizzes are an excellent way to begin your quizzing journey. They’re typically relaxed, and you can join as a team with friends or participate solo. Plus, you can enjoy a drink or two while you play!
For those looking to take quizzing more seriously, you could consider joining a quiz league in your area or online. By doing so, you could take part in rolling competitions as part of a team. Many are open to individuals and can help you connect with a team of fellow curious minds. You can find a list of quiz leagues all over the UK on The Quiz League of London website.
Alternatively, there are plenty of online quiz games available if you prefer solo quizzing. Check out this list of the best trivia apps from Similar Web to find out more.
4. LARPing
Curiosity doesn’t just mean the desire to seek new knowledge, but new experiences too. And what better way to experience something completely novel than to become someone else for a few hours?
LARPing (or Live-Action Role-Playing) is a form of gaming where players physically portray characters in a fictional setting. Participants come up with their character (inventing a unique personality, backstory, and costume) before taking part in a pre-written, pre-organised story or quest.
The games are designed to be completely immersive and interactive, and participants must stay in character throughout, using their acting and improvisational skills to interact with others and join in with the story. The plot will also have many possible paths and endings – meaning it’ll constantly shift depending on the players’ decisions.
There are a range of LARP events that you can take part in across the UK – each of them set in different worlds and following different plots. Many events take place in fantasy realms similar to Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, while others involve historical settings like the Wild West or Medieval Europe.
To learn more about how to get started with this unique pastime, why not read this beginner’s guide from My LARP World? Or use this catalogue to find events near you.
5. Photography
Creative hobbies are ideal for curious people. A desire to know, explore, and question can drive you to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas. As entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony, Akio Morita, once said, “Curiosity is the key to creativity”.
But while all creative pastimes (like writing and origami) can satisfy your curiosity, photography can be particularly effective because it thrusts you out of the house and into the world in search of your next snap. Whether you want to document wildlife or create abstract images, you’ll constantly be exploring new places, discovering new things, and meeting new people.
Photography also encourages us to hone our observation skills – to adopt unique perspectives and spot hidden details.
To get started with photography as a hobby, why not read our articles; A beginner’s guide to photography and 8 fun photography projects that you can start today?
6. Metal detecting
Are you a history lover with an adventurous spirit? Or perhaps you’re happiest when spending time in nature? Either way, metal detecting is an exciting activity for those with a curious spirit and an interest in the past.
This hobby allows you to take your curiosity for ancient times beyond books, documentaries, and museums – and delve beneath the surface (literally). Metal detecting can give you a unique opportunity to become a modern-day treasure hunter, with the chance to make a remarkable discovery with every step.
From uncovering buried collections of Roman coins to discovering Civil War-era cannonballs, metal detector enthusiasts have unearthed truly magnificent artefacts throughout the UK. These discoveries can help archaeologists piece together a clearer image of how our ancient ancestors once lived.
To get started with metal detecting, take a look at this complete guide from The Detectorist. And, to get some inspiration for what you might find, check out this piece from The Guardian about a man who found a 13th-century gold coin worth £648,000.
Note: There are various rules and regulations surrounding where you can metal detect and what you can do with your finds. You can find out more on the National Council for Metal Detecting website.
7. Cooking
Just like photography, cooking is a wonderful hobby for curious minds because it’s a chance to let your creativity shine. Once you’ve got to grips with the basics, you can play around with different ingredients and try new combinations by tweaking existing recipes or inventing entirely new dishes.
Through food, you can also explore the world from the comfort of your home. There are unique cuisines from all over the globe to try that can give you a glimpse into the customs, culture, and history of far-off places. So, by cooking dishes from different countries, you can expand your knowledge and connect with people through food.
If you’re into science, you can lean into that aspect too. Cooking is as much about scientific processes as creativity – from fermentation to freezing. And understanding how these processes work can help you create delectable dishes.
But, perhaps most importantly, cooking can take you on a journey of the senses. The search for cracking colours, splendid smells, thrilling textures, and tantalising tastes is what drives chefs all around the world.
For a wide range of recipe ideas, head over to the food and drink section of our website. Or why not sign up to a cooking course?
8. Repair and restoration
When something breaks, do you wish you knew how to fix it? Perhaps you’ve seen furniture in a second-hand shop and thought it could look great with some work but didn’t know where to start. Or maybe you simply love BBC’s The Repair Shop and would like to learn some crafting skills. If any of this sounds familiar, you might be interested in repair and restoration as a hobby.
Two defining characteristics of curious people are they’re always looking to learn new things and solve problems – and repair and restoration projects offer just that. When you set out to repair and restore something (whether it be a kettle or a car), the first step is to learn as much as you can about the item in question before coming up with possible fixes.
Researching items can lead you down weird and wonderful rabbit holes. For example, if you’re looking to repair and restore an antique dining chair, you might find yourself reading up about Victorian dining customs or why certain woods were popular at the time.
Plus, it can give you a practical outlet for your curiosity. While you unravel the mystery of how things work and bring items back to life, you can save money and live more sustainably because you’ll create less waste. You could even try selling restored items on websites like eBay or Etsy.
To get started with this hobby, it’s worth deciding what kind of items you’d like to repair and restore. Then, you can begin building a base of skills and knowledge.
For example, if you want to repair household appliances like toasters, you might want to take a basic electronic engineering course. Or, if you’d prefer to restore old furniture, why not learn carpentry or upholstery?
9. Travel
Travel is by far one of the best hobbies for people with curious minds. Immersing ourselves in diverse cultures and landscapes is the ultimate way to expose ourselves to new knowledge and experiences – whether learning a new language, tasting exotic cuisines, discovering a culture’s customs and traditions, or meeting new people.
The start of a new journey offers limitless possibilities – and each new destination will fan the flames of your curiosity even more.
While this might involve wandering through a bustling bazaar in the Balkans or trudging across Tibetan mountain terrain, you can also satisfy your curiosity by travelling closer to home.
We’re lucky to have a rich diversity of cultures and landscapes in the UK. So why not take a road trip to a different corner of the country? Or visit a neighbourhood in your city known for its rich immigrant culture?
If you’re in need of some travel inspiration (whether close to home or far away), head over to the travel section of our website.
Looking to book your next getaway?
Final thoughts…
From tracing your family tree and quizzing to metal detecting and travelling, we hope that some of these ideas have piqued your interest if you’re a curious person looking for a new pastime.
While we’ve tried to pick an eclectic range of hobbies ideal for those with an inquisitive mind, we’re all unique and different things spark our curiosity. So, if nothing here has jumped out at you, it’s worth checking out the other ideas in our hobbies and activities section or seeing what events are running on Rest Less Events.
At the end of the day, there’s no right or wrong way to follow our curiosity. Striving to acquire new skills, knowledge, and experiences in any way can challenge our minds and expand our view of the world. Curiosity is one of the things that makes us human – and we should try to embrace it whenever we get the chance.
Have you tried any of the pastimes on this list? Or do you have any other ideas for hobbies for curious people? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.