The half-knitted scarf from 2019. The guitar in the corner. The dance class you left after one session.
Lots of hobbies need fine motor skills, two hands doing different things, or keeping up with a group. That doesn’t mean hobbies aren’t for you. It means adapting them.
Why hobbies stall
Hobbies are meant to be relaxing, but many of them quietly depend on fine motor control, coordination or keeping pace with a group. That’s why so many dyspraxic people have a history of starting things and stopping.
- Fine motor: Threading, cutting, tiny pieces.
- Two hands at once: Each doing something different.
- Following patterns: Step 14 of 36…
- Slow progress: Others seem to pick it up faster.
- Frustration: It won’t look like the picture.
- Group classes: Keeping up with everyone else.
The hobby graveyard
If you have a cupboard full of abandoned projects, you’re in excellent company. It doesn’t mean you lack commitment. It usually means the hobby wasn’t set up in a way that worked for you.
- The half-knitted scarf: Since 2019.
- The guitar in the corner: Three chords, then life happened.
- The model kit: Missing a piece. Or six.
- The dance class you left: After one session.
Same hobby, easier
Before you give up on something you enjoy, it’s worth asking whether it can be adapted. Often a small change to the tools or the pace makes all the difference.
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| Tiny needles and thin thread. | Chunky yarn and big needles. |
| Keeping up in a class. | Video tutorials you can pause. |
| Fiddly game controls. | Remapped buttons or slower games. |
Hobbies to try
If you’re looking for something new, some hobbies are naturally more forgiving than others. These all leave plenty of room to go at your own speed.
- Photography: Shoot now, edit later
- Gardening: Forgiving and slow
- Audiobooks: Zero coordination
- Writing: Typed, not handwritten
- Jigsaws: At your own pace
- Singing: No instrument needed
Keep going
Whatever you choose, sticking with it is easier when you set your own terms. Progress in a hobby doesn’t have to follow anyone else’s schedule.
- Go chunky and simple: Big tools, big pieces, big wins.
- Short, regular sessions: Little and often builds skill.
- Ignore the timeline: It takes as long as it takes.
- Done is beautiful: Wonky still counts.
It’s meant to be fun
Somewhere along the way, many of us picked up the idea that a hobby only counts if we’re good at it. That idea is worth letting go of.
Hobbies aren’t a test. You don’t have to be good at something to enjoy it.
You’re allowed to be gloriously average at something you love.
And you’re allowed to quit the ones that aren’t fun.
Wrapping up
Wonky, slow, and unfinished still counts. Do it for the joy.
A hobby is allowed to be slow, messy and unfinished. If it gives you some enjoyment, it has done its job. And if it doesn’t, you’re free to put it down and try something else.
Next in the series: The Sensory Side of Dyspraxia
This post is for general information and isn’t medical advice or a diagnosis. If it resonates, speak to your GP or an occupational therapist.