Gen Z Is Embracing ‘Grandma Hobbies’ — & We Could All Benefit

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Is there anything better than an afternoon at grandma’s house? The cozy comforts of her vintage décor, worn-in couches, and endless snacks always brings me peace. It feels like time slows down when chatting over cups of coffee and looking through old photo albums — and now it seems like Gen Z is trying to reclaim some of that quiet peace at home. A new survey found that Gen Z is embracing “grandma hobbies” in favor of screen time, and we can all benefit from that!

A May 2025 survey of 1,600 Americans ages 18-28 found that the majority of youth have at least one “grandma hobby,” which they have turned to as a way to “sharpen attention, soften anxiety, and restore a sense of place in the real world.” These include journaling, gardening, napping, crocheting, playing board games, watching old movies, knitting, doing Jigsaw puzzles, embroidery, and more.

The number one most popular activity was reading printed books (10.9 percent) followed by baking (8.8 percent).

And Gen Z credits the reason for this new hobby shift is simply for fun (23.81 percent), followed by their mental health (22.06 percent). Sixteen percent noticed improved mental health and lowered stress from their slow-paced hobbies, so that’s a huge win!

This trend matches my own experience. My Gen Z sister got me into coloring bold and easy coloring books with alcohol markers as a way to relieve stress and spark creativity, and now I’m obsessed. I’ve also taken up cross-stitching, and I have always loved reading physical books. The fact that these are now cool and trendy ways to pass the time offline (“grandma” is apparently not considered cringe anymore!), makes me happy. I love seeing this push to a slower, hobby-driven way of life that’s not always about making money.

Pinterest is seeing this trend as well. They recently released their 2025 Summer Trend Report, which found that teens are searching for summer crafts, book clubs, and painting ideas. Searches for things like “cute summer crafts” have gone up 106 percent, “book club crafts” have gone up 558 percent, and “summer romance books” have gone up 51 percent.

It seems like “Grandma hobby” summer is replacing “hot girl summer,” and we couldn’t be more excited!

Trying to get your teen into game night? Here are some fun board games that will make them want to join the fam.
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