When we are young, our hobbies are structured around activities meant to help us challenge all and any excess energy into meaningful activity. Our parents and caregivers provided us with all of the necessary tools to keep us busy for hours on end maybe as a way to even maintain some of their own sanity, right? Be it a coloring book, making slime, paining, climbing trees, looking for bugs in the backyard or even building pillow forts. No matter the activity, hobbies that encouraged creativity are a big part of our early lives and in that sense, hobbies will always help us associate with our childhoods and connect us to our inner child, just waiting to have fun.

So why is it that as we get older, the idea of having a hobby seems more like a chore or a distraction from our life goals? Why is it that hobbies for adults are often termed “mid-life crisis”?

As we get older, many of us don’t take the time and the mental space to create – sometimes just for the sake of creating – and get lost in activities outside of our normal day to day hustles. We don’t realize that hobbies allow for peace of mind and also allow us the freedom of doing something without the pressures of perfection. The key to starting a hobby is finding something that encourages attention and concentration and can consistently be done daily, weekly, or monthly.

Creativity comes in lots of different forms, and there are many activities that help us tap into the feeling that our younger selves knew so well.Here are 10 hobbies that are simple, creative and meaningful. Most are even away from media devices as a way to encourage us to look outside of technology for simple pleasures that bring forth a sense of child like wonder.

#1 Scrapbooking

How many of us have had scrapbooks or journals as kids? Most often than not, it was a collection of memorabilia that had special meaning – either of people, places or experiences. It was such a thrill to document, decorate and even color important days and events in our lives. Having something tactical and physical was a great reminder of who we were and what gave us joy. Nowadays with social media and a post-and-share mindset, digital memories tend to be forgotten as soon as they are shared. While that is wonderful in many ways, physical scrapbooking offers a way to intimately honor our memories outside of the noise of the internet.

Scrapbooking doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. So take some time to print your favorite images from your phone or invest in an instant camera. Use pens, paint, stickers and glue that you might already have around the house and go create a scrapbook to document those important memories. Even day to day adventures can be scrapbooked with newspaper and magazine clippings and nicknacks.

If scrapbooking is a new concept for you, check out your local craft store for inspiration and resources. Dig into your child’s art closet. Even check online on Pinterest or YouTube. Get together with your family and spend an afternoon having fun creating a book that you’ll treasure for years to come.

#2 Plan a herb garden

As we move more towards a ‘home everything’ culture due to everything that is happening around us, so many of us are looking for safer, sustainable ways to live and thrive. Gardening is an incredible way to touch and feel the earth and be connected with nature. And the beauty of gardening is that it can be done in a pot or a small patch of land. You really don’t need a whole lot to start gardening. If vegetables and fruits seem overwhelming, start small with an herb garden. Signup for a seeds exchange or even ask a friend for a sapling and start your very own herb garden. Plant a few herbs to start with—this is important because it takes time to learn each herb’s right care. It’s also important to research which seasons are best for certain herbs and plan your garden accordingly.  Creating an herb garden is a wonderful way to step away from life’s distractions and truly connect with nature.

#3 Play with flowers

Playing with flowers and learning about flower arrangements is an incredible way to bring some peace and color in your life. Touching, feeling, and learning about plants while making your own bouquet is creative outlet and a soothing way to connect with nature. The possibilities are endless when it comes to playing and arranging flowers.

You can go as deep and as wide with flower arrangements as you like. Visit your local flower market and pick out flowers that are in season. Arrange them in colors or textures. Or even by individual stems and work out your own pattern and arrangements. You can even bring in a little culture and diversity to your flower arrangement by looking into practices like Ikebana – the Japanese art of flower arrangement.You can even consider crafting flowers from paper or even using plastic flowers from your local craft store if buying fresh flowers is not practical where you are.

Katie, a past podcast guest and creative florist, has a weekly online flower arrangement channel on Instagram where she showcases beautiful flower arrangements.

#4 Make your own self-care products

Making your own skin and beauty products is a great way to get creative as well as live a more sustainable/zero waste lifestyle. It is also a great way to minimize the amount of processed ingredients you put on your skin. Nearly every product we use on our skin, hair and body can be procured and produced in-house with a few tools and techniques. Homemade is easy, sustainable and cost-effect in the long run. If homemade is intimidating, start small.

Start by considering what products you wish you had in your bathroom or products that seem too expensive to purchase. Instead of buying them, make your own. Maybe even have a night in with your family and friends and make a batch of lip balm, body scrub or hair cream.

Paula Saalfeld, a long time contributor of CulturallyOurs has a many tutorials around hair care and body care products that she makes at home along with simple easy to follow recipes.