My Dad Needs a Hobby

Volunteering at a local animal shelter, hospital, food pantry, soup kitchen, school (any level even college) would be great.

Since you mention an in the home hobby, cooking, deep cleaning, organization of the home, wood working, 3D jigsaw puzzle building, jigsaw puzzles, jewelry making, gardening, playing chess online, model car or ship building, doll house making, sewing, and/or small electronic repairs.

You have been given plenty of suggestions but the reality of this is you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

Gardening, growing herbs
Learn a new language/ or musical instrument
Volunteer with kids/ sports
Photography

My Mom passed away a couple of years ago, my dad got into Genealogy, Sons of the American Revolution and he joined the Hood County Historical Society. He would go around and take photos of headstones that needed repair or find headstones that were of a historical importance. He enjoys history. He is "dating" someone now which is a new experience for us. I like her a lot. =)

He also got season tickets to the Ft. Worth Symphony and is an usher at the Opera House (theatre) in his town. He enjoys traveling and travels all over the world. He visits myself and brother (lives in Wisconsin) a lot as well.

My dad will be 80 this year!!

He needs to figure out what he would enjoy doing.

How about a volunteer activity. Some cause he believes in? There are organizations that have "grandparent" volunteers. So many of our youth need a fatherly influence.

N.,

It would help if we know what he likes to do. Is he still married? What's his wife (your mom?) say?

Does he live in his own home or has he done a retirement community? Our neighbors did that and loved it - 2 bed/2 bath apartment and no worries!

My dad just moved last year. He's 80 and is now going through all of his pictures and slides - yes - 80 years worth of pictures!! He's been putting pictures on his printer and scanning them on to a DVD player and "thumb drives" for us kids so we have them too. It takes up a lot of his time.

If he plays cards and has other friends that can play? Set up a round of pinochle or cribbage. Then he's socializing and not alone.

If he likes woodworking? He can take up woodworking. That's very gratifying.

Good luck!

Why does he want something to do at home? I think he should look into volunteering doing something he cares about. I have volunteered at an environmental center...leading "family hikes", licking envelopes, putting data into a database, etc. Or he could volunteer at a school if he likes children. He could volunteer at a museum. I volunteer at a natural history museum every week right now. I have volunteered for Fish and Wildlife. I have volunteered helping graduate students with their research...checking live traps, doing bird netting. I have volunteered at a wildlife rehab center feeding the birds of prey. Many many places take volunteers and it is nice to give back. I know a lot of retired people who join boards...they get on the board of a local non profit group that they care about. Another thing a lot of people do is join a club...a gardening club, a book club, a bible club, etc. He could host at his home.

Wood working - can complete small projects within a day or two (lots of DIY projects on Pinterest)
Gardening (can starts seeds inside with bright lights)
Wine or beer making
Volunteering (can do some things at home)
Cooking/baking
Photography
Join a book club
refurbishing furniture
astronomy
music - pick up an instrument

I'm a mosaic artist. I work with glass but others work with paper, dishes found objects etc. it started out as a hobby for me but I am now in a gallery and take commission work. Good luck to your dad!

Can he volunteer?
Can he work with at-risk kids in the area?

What does he like to do? He's obviously mobile since he plays a sport (which one?) if it's something that kids do? I would suggest he go to the school and ask to help out.

Probably not for everyone...but I bought my retired dad a beehive for keeping bees!

my dad is in his 60's and he likes to make model cars.
he also enjoys wood working.
crochet, bob ross style paintings, latch hook, knitting, cross stitch, leather goods making, any kind of craft would be good too ( think herschners catalogue sent to him so he can pick out and order what fits his fancy)

How big is his house? Maybe he could work on de-cluttering, going through old photos, etc?

Does he want a hobby?

Volunteer... local schools, read to children, meals on wheels, hospital hospitality.

Build projects at home. Woodworking, etc.

Mid 60's is not that that old. He can handyman around the house. Help others.

knitting
stained glass work (lamps, sun catchers, etc)
basket weaving
volunteer work
build bird houses/feeders
make planters from hypertufa

This might be weird, but what about a Wii? We don't have one ourselves, but it is my understanding you can do bowling, fishing, all kinds of fun things! I think it would be pretty cool, myself :)

Gardening and wine/beer making are both hobbies that pay off, not just fill time.

Volunteering can be a great hobby. My dad is also retired, and he started volunteering in the gift shop at the local hospital. He has spent time visiting hospice patients, too. For the last several years he's also taken on some part-time subbing assignments at the local elementary school. He's 75. Being around the kids keeps him mentally alert, for sure. The assignments can be accepted on a daily basis. They call and if he wants to go, he does. If not, he declines.

When I was a child, my grandfather liked to whittle. It's an old time hobby/pass-the-time thing. We kids were given bars of soap to learn on. It was fun. :)