7 childhood activities from the 1960s that adults are rediscovering as relaxing hobbies

There’s something kind of funny about adulthood.

We spend years trying to grow up, then one day we catch ourselves thinking, “Wait, why did I ever stop doing the stuff that made time disappear?”

A lot of the “kid” activities from the 1960s were simple, low-tech, and surprisingly good at quieting a busy mind.

If you’ve been craving a hobby that feels soothing instead of stressful, here are seven throwback favorites worth bringing back:

1) Jump rope as moving meditation

Do you remember the rhythm of it?

The soft slap of rope on pavement, the way your body eventually finds the timing without you forcing it?

Jump rope looks like cardio (and it is), but the relaxing part is the pattern.

When your feet and hands sync up, your brain stops multitasking.

You can’t scroll and jump rope at the same time, and honestly, that’s the point.

If you want to make it feel calming instead of intense, try this:

• Set a gentle timer for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Jump at an easy pace where you could still breathe through your nose.
• Count in a simple loop, like 1 to 20, then start over.

I’m a trail runner, and I still keep a rope around because it’s one of the fastest ways to get out of my head and into my body.

It’s like pressing “reset” on a cluttered day.

If your inner critic starts yelling, “You look silly,” answer back with the most adult response possible: “So what?”

2) Jacks when you need a tiny win

Jacks is one of those old-school games that feels almost too small to matter.

A little rubber ball, a handful of metal pieces, and a simple goal.

That’s exactly why it works; when life feels big and messy, small tasks with clear rules can be incredibly comforting.

Jacks gives you instant feedback as you try, you miss, you try again, you and improve.

Here’s how to make it a stress-relief habit:

• Keep a set on your desk or coffee table.
• Play one quick round when you’re stuck on a problem or feeling mentally fried.
• Focus on smoothness, not speed.

It’s oddly satisfying to watch your coordination come back.

Plus, it reminds your brain that progress can be simple and tangible.

If you’re someone who’s always chasing productivity, jacks is a gentle way to practice doing something just because it feels good.

3) Model kits for deep focus

If you grew up in the 60s, there’s a good chance you remember model cars, planes, or little spaceships spread across a kitchen table.

As an adult, model building is basically mindfulness with glue.

You’re working with your hands, following steps, paying attention to tiny details, and watching something come together piece by piece.

That slow assembly does something magical for anxiety.

It narrows your focus to one manageable action at a time.

I used to work as a financial analyst, so I’m not new to detail and patience.

What surprised me is how different it feels when the details are for joy.

There’s no quarterly report here, just a wing to attach and a little satisfaction when it lines up perfectly.

A relaxing approach:

• Pick an easy kit first, nothing with a thousand micro parts.
• Put on a calm playlist or a familiar podcast.
• Stop as soon as it stops being fun, even mid-step.

It’s a hobby that teaches you to slow down without making you feel like you’re “failing” at relaxation.

4) Letter writing and pen pals to slow time down

When was the last time you wrote a real letter? A letter where you took your time and your thoughts had space to unfold.

Letter writing is one of the most underrated ways to calm your nervous system; It’s slower than typing, and because it’s slower, you tend to choose your words more carefully.

You also tend to feel more connected, even if you’re writing to a friend you’ve known forever.

If you want to try it without making it a huge project:

• Buy one simple set of stationery or postcards.
• Write a short note, five sentences is enough.
• Mail it the same day so it doesn’t become another unfinished goal.

Here’s a quote I come back to when life feels rushed: “The desire to reach for the phone is often the desire to escape ourselves.”

Even if you don’t totally agree, it’s a helpful question: What happens when you stay with your own thoughts long enough to write them?

Bonus: Letters are a low-waste, low-spend hobby if you keep it simple.

I’m vegan and generally try to live with a lighter footprint, and this is one of those habits that feels meaningful without being consumption-heavy.

5) Jigsaw puzzles for a calmer brain

Puzzles were everywhere in family rooms back then, especially on rainy afternoons.

Now, adults are returning to them for the exact reason they worked on us as kids.

A puzzle gives your mind a single problem to solve that isn’t personal, just: “Where does this piece go?”

That kind of harmless focus can be deeply soothing, especially if your brain tends to loop on worries.

Try making it a “nervous system” ritual:

• Keep a puzzle on a board so you can do a few pieces at a time.
• Pair it with tea, music, or silence.
• Don’t rush to finish. The calm is in the process.

If you live with other people, puzzles can also be a quiet way to be together without forcing conversation.

Side-by-side calm is real intimacy but, if you live alone, it’s a gentle way to spend an evening without defaulting to screens.

6) Kite flying as a lesson in letting go

Kite flying sounds childish until you try it again and realize it’s basically therapy with wind.

It gets you outside, forces you to look up, and asks you to cooperate with something you can’t control.

That last part is the secret sauce.

You can’t bully a kite into flying as you adjust, you wait, and you respond.

It’s a surprisingly embodied practice in flexibility, which is a fancy word for “not fighting reality quite so hard.”

If you want it to feel relaxing:

• Go at a time when the area won’t be crowded.
• Leave your phone in your pocket.
• Let it be imperfect.

Some days the kite soars, other days it flops.

It’s a playful reminder that you can show up without guaranteeing results.

If your life has been heavy lately, kite flying can bring back a lightness you forgot you were allowed to have.

7) Marbles for tactile calm and simple play

Marbles might be the most surprising one on this list, and also one of the most soothing.

There’s something about the smoothness, the cool glass, the tiny burst of color.

It’s tactile, and tactile experiences can ground you fast.

When you’re anxious, your mind is usually in the future and touch pulls you back into the present.

You don’t have to recreate the whole neighborhood marble scene to benefit, because you can:

• Collect a small jar of marbles from a thrift store or antique shop.
• Sort them by color or size when you need to unwind.
• Learn one simple game and play it with a friend or kid in your life.

Adults sometimes resist anything that looks “pointless,” but play is how your brain practices being safe.

If you’ve been feeling tense for no clear reason, marbles can be a quiet way to remind your body, “We’re okay right now.”

Final thoughts

If you’re thinking, “I don’t have time for hobbies,” I get it.

However, the people who feel most grounded usually are the ones who keep a few small rituals that bring them back to themselves.

Here’s a reflective question to end on: Which of these activities feels like the version of you who could breathe a little easier?

Sometimes, you just need a small doorway back into calm, and it turns out the 1960s left us plenty of them.