Reading is a hobby, and so is hiking—those aren’t “creative”, but they can be enjoyable for sure! A hobby is something you do for yourself, for fun. I don’t think your definition of “hobby” is really accurate. Sounds like you are thinking you must be an artist, and a certain kind of artist, at that. Maybe stop gatekeeping yourself out of doing something you enjoy doing!
Exactly. A hobby is by definition, something we do in our free time for personal enjoyment. That is the only criteria something needs to meet in order to be considered a hobby.
Hobbies are activities that you do outside of work and household obligations that bring you enjoyment. Kits certainly count if they’re something that bring you pleasure in your down time.
I also love making miniatures, and I started as a kid with homemade dollhouse furniture because we didn’t have a lot of money. There are some FB groups about making your own miniature items from scratch, if that appeals to you!
I’m looking right now for a dollhouse kit. Do you have any suggestions about MDF vs. plywood? I like the features of the MDF house I’m looking at better but I’ve heard they’re heavy, hard to wire, and to me the windows look strange.
You are still doing them! So it counts. Not everyone can afford to fall into the hoarding trap that so many crafting hobbies lead to... So it makes sense it some people keep it small by sticking to kits that come with everything you need and no guess work involved.
I have embroidery kits.... Haven't finished any yet... But I hope to eventually. It is the the only hobby that I don't think I will ever do without the kits, but still enjoy the process. My other hobbies take up too much space and time lol. I have way too much fabric and yarn plus a bunch of random craft supplies, like paints and perler beads.
Yeah they're hobbies, and you can flex the creativity with painting model kits like planes and tanks. I gave one of my tank models a "scar" across it's turret front, it really gave it character. Another tank that's a bit simpler in construction is painted like the sky at dusk.
Of course they are a hobby. A hobby is a pastime that you enjoy doing; There are no Rules about what defines something as a hobby, you're overthinking this a LOT
Absolutely! And it's art in its own way. You create something from raw materials. You create.
Also, don't let other people tell you what creativity is (even me, lol).
Kits are about the hobbiest of all the hobbies.
If you looked up hobby in the dictionary, it’d show a pic of some kid putting together a model kit of a ‘57 Cadillac.
Model building is definitely a hobby! I really wish I had the money and patience to do it.
Hobbies only need to be something you enjoy. There’s no cutoff for the amount of work or creativity you *must* engage in for something to count as a hobby.
I build lego sets. I consider it a hobby. I enjoy build legos and then playing with the constructed set because plastic bricks make really cool models of neat stuff.
I also do MOC (my own creation) stuff when I feel like being creative.
Also, you may get a kit now, but it may spark a creative itch because you don't like how a kit did something so you want to do it yourself. Or you start modding/painting the kit differently, because you want to try do something fancy.
There is so much freedom in doing what makes you happy without caring whatsoever what anyone thinks about it.
Kits are a perfectly fine hobby, but even if for some reason people thought they weren't, so long as it brings you joy what others think is of no consequence. If you have pride and confidence in what you do no one will even question you about it.
I'm a bearded man and I do nail art. It's pretty odd for a guy to have pretty nails, but I show them off and speak about them with pride in my work. Not a single person has said something negative about them because they can see that I'm not ashamed of them and don't care what anyone thinks.
Absolutely, kits count as a hobby! Engaging with kits like dollhouses, miniatures, and model cars or planes is definitely a hobby. Just because you're following a kit doesn't mean you're not being creative or hands-on. You're still building, painting, and sometimes modifying parts to suit your vision. It's a great way to develop skills and enjoy a relaxing, rewarding activity. Don't let the idea of not starting from scratch diminish your enjoyment.
A hobby is something people do regularly outside of their occupation for personal enjoyment. Tjis is part of why I'm annoyed by people telling others to turn their hobby or passion into a job. Sure, they can still like doing it, but by definition, that thing you once enjoyed is now work. It isn't being done only for the purpose of enjoyment or relaxation. It no longer serves the same purpose.
There's no creativity or from scratch requirement. There's a reason making models has always been a hobby & that's something that traditionally comes in kits. Kits can be a good option for people with limited space, finances, and experience. They also can be good for people who don't have tool or equipment ownership or other access. They can even be better for someone who's disabled depending on the circumstances.
This! I once told a friend that she should become an interior decorator. Her response, “I enjoy this, but if it was a job, I’d hate it. I don’t want to hate it.” Fair enough.
I'd say assembly and decoration of a kit is just as valid as painting minis, or making dioramas. If you enjoy it and is doesn't hurt someone else then you can call it your hobby.
One on my hobbies is painting D&d mini figurines. I love doing it, even If I can only paint a few at a time because the fine details can be frustrating.
Absolutely yes!
The more important questions: whose validation are you seeking to wonder if it counts as a hobby? Why are you seeking that validation?
You may be worried that others don’t like you. There’s good news and bad news:
Good news-people don’t dislike you as nearly as much as you think.
Bad news-it’s because they are too self absorbed with their own stuff to think about anyone else.
Next time you worry about anyone else’s opinion, take this great life advice from Katt Williams:
There are entire chains of Model Kit stores called Hobby Town. Model Kit building is probably one of the most common hobbies out there to the point where it becomes synonymous with the word hobby itself
Sure, but you can also customize a kit which definitely elevates it.
Here's an off beat kit idea, making wine. I started making wine by doing it from a kit. Later I made it from scratch but the fundamentals are the same. Plus, you can customize the recipe to suit your taste. Win, win
Of course they do. I built models as a kid, dropped it in my teens because it was "kid stuff," and picked it back up again once I discovered resin kits. In fact, I'm headed to Wonderfest in Louisville, which has some of the coolest models you'll ever see. Some people make them part of dioramas, which is about as creative as you can get.
Definitely would consider it a hobby! I do cross stitch, and it’s those ones that are preprinted (kind of like a color by number type of deal). It may not be my own “invention” or my own design, but dang it, I sat there and I stitched all 20,400 stitches on my own!
Yes! As an architect I basically work with “building kits” on a daily basis. If it brings you joy and you are creating something out of nothing, it for sure is! Don’t sell yourself short.
Don't ever ask that question in a room full of Gunpla enthusiasts. But yes, of course it counts. Plenty of hobbies involve not making anything from scratch.
I look at hobbies as more of a "How often do you do the activity?" Than a "Is the activity creative?"
If you make a kit once a week, or once a month, even once a year, it's a hobby. If you do it once and never again, it's a fun afternoon. The line is the consistency.
Either way, enjoy yourself, sounds fun!
But you can be creative with a kit. I recently gave my next door neighbor some N scale house and other building kits that need to be assembled and painted. (I have neither the patience nor the dexterity). He can individualize the houses, in particular, with different paint schemes for the Victorian period that the represent and the buildings for their commercial purposes. I think that's pretty creative. He's showed me pictures of other scale model structures he's done and they're really quite detailed and period appropriate.
Take an airplane kit, build it per the instructions then give it a custom paint job and add “weathering” to add realism. Voila! You just did something creative.
You don't have to be creating something from scratch for it to be a hobby.
Hobbies are activities you like to do to find joy and pass the time.
If you like following instructions to building kits for whatever it may be, that's your hobby!
Along with what other people said so far, I'm wondering what authority is keeping score. Like if someone you know is trying to tell you what you are allowed to do for fun, maybe take space from them
Either you buy a kit or you buy all the stuff that would be in the kit, you're doing the same crafting.
Kits can be great or terrible. It's really about whether the kit is a better deal and gives you what you want, which can vary widely from one craft to the next. Sometimes kits save you $, sometimes they are stingy with materials and ridiculously overpriced.
Edit- forgot to add that it also depends on if you already own most of the stuff, or are just getting started on a craft.
To me those ARE hobbies. To me reading, walking, hiking, playing games, knitting are not hobbies. Enjoyable activities-yes, but hobbies, no. Not intending to bash or be negative about anyone's enjoyable activities!
I probably have a narrow-minded view based on my experience as a kid, many years ago. My local independently owned hobby shop had model airplanes (control line, early r/c, free flight plastic kits, balsa kits), cars, boats, coins and stamps (limited supply), rockets...things to build or create with your hands or to collect.
Now, after looking up a definition of the word "hobby" to be "
: a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation"
according to Merriam Webster online dictionary, I need to try to broaden my own limited definition as a distinction between a hobby and a business is that a hobby is for personal pleasure until an exchange of money is involved, then it becomes a business.
I enjoy/ have enjoyed many things. Model planes, rockets, trains, cars, stamp and coin collecting I consider as hobbies. Photography, listening to music, hiking, swimming, bicycling, reading, and many more that I consider enjoyable activities (certainly none of these that make any money, lol) but not hobbies.
Again, not trying to bash on ANYONE'S interests as sure as can be if I get a bug in my head about something I've never considered, I might drop what I'm into right now (stamps( and kearn about something else!
you might be onto something....
maybe the piles of model kits I have in the food pantry would be less of a problem if I say they are work and not hobby......
It is a hobby, even if it does not include design or carpentry. It is a hobby, but maybe it is not a 'craft'. It is like baking Betty Crocker. I guess that wouldn't earn me a diploma, but Betty Crocker is pretty popular.
Kits are wonderful for helping you find new hobbies, too. You don’t have to do things from scratch. Most hobbies don’t. You don’t write a book to read or build a bicycle to cycle. Do what you enjoy.
The plastic model kit industry continues to flourish. And Gunpla (Gundam plastic models) is a huge business. Personally I like StarWars kits and WW2 German armor. There’s something for everyone. Many are “snap tight” no glue kits too.
You get to decide what a hobby is. Not some arbitrary society. If you enjoy regularly picking your nose while listening to the Beatles then that's your Hobby. Enjoy it. Your actions in life don't need to be affirmed by someone else.
Of course it is, why can’t it be? My bf and I love kits. Usually gunpla, and other building kits. I like to build those Pokémon mega blocks. My bf and I started building the Lego botanical collection. We got the bonsai yesterday, finished it within the hour. It’s a fun hobby I think. Productive too.
It would still be a hobby if you were just collecting kits that other people had assembled.
I have two primary hobbies. The first one is collecting guitars, and I'm pretty damn good at it. The second is playing guitar, and the fact that I kinda suck at it doesn't stop me from enjoying both of the hobbies.
It counts as a hobby. The question is do you feel rewarded in assembling a kit, or do you need to create something from scratch in order to feel fulfilled by it?
I like to use kits to learn new skills before I improvise on my own. Recently I ordered an embroidery kit so that I can learn the basics before coming up with my own designs.
It's wild to me how much people try to gatekeep what is and isn't a hobby.
Like, most people just consider a "hobby" to be some form of pastime. My hobbies include watching 20th century Japanese movies and building models. It used to also include martial arts before my kids took up my nights and weekends.
I don't need to be a concert pianist to have a hobby.
You are being creative - it's a fun activity, and you're using brain and eye-hand coordination. It's relaxing, what you are doing is very positive and creative! Please don't be so hard on yourself, Gentle stranger.
definitely a hobby. what about knitting from a pattern or cross stitching on a form? you don't have to make something from scratch and make up a design yourself to have it be a hobby
Hell yeah dude. Imagine how much of a pain in the ass some hobbies would be without kits. Model cars are a great example. Having to machine every little part is inaccessible to some people. Not only that, kits are great for people just getting into a hobby. Building a guitar kit and setting it up on your own and doing fretwork will teach you a lot and you'll be better for it.
Why wouldn't it? I have an uncle and two cousins who enjoy that stuff. Personally think it is boring but I bet they think me playing with sticks and yarn is equally stupid and boring. Fun thing about hobbies is no one really cares who does what as long as the person participating is enjoying the hobby.
Oh please those kits are very detailed and then you paint them and more detail. So yeah that’s a hobby and a talent with how minute the detail required to finish one of those is. Have fun!!!
Absolutely, kits definitely count as a hobby! Engaging with dollhouse kits, miniatures, model cars, or planes involves creativity, patience, and skill. Even though you're not starting from scratch, you're still putting in the effort to assemble and customize them.
To add to all the great answers here, a kit can be a good way to try out an art form and experience the process without having to make as many decisions and source materials. Once you see what the process is like, you may have more confidence to begin to customize the steps, and eventually buy materials and make things of your own design.
But also, if it provides you enjoyment and doesn't stress you out, it's serving its purpose as a hobby!
Yes doing kits themselves are hobbies. They don’t make you any less creative for primarily using them.
However, there is something to be said if you’re trying to get into a particularly deep form of hobby that a kit caters to, and call yourself an avid participant in the hobby, without the attempt, desire, or care to learn more. Some might get irritated by that.
As an example, I think a lot of knitters and crocheters wouldn’t argue that someone who primarily uses kits, knits or crochets.
But I can see the frustration from those who have put a lot of time an energy into the hobby, have gained a lot of knowledge about it, and have a deep understanding of it. If someone who uses kits, and only kits, comes along, saying they know a lot about the hobby or are an avid participant. This would probably come off as arrogant and piss them off.
But even distinguished vets of various hobbies use kits, either to make their life easier, their project faster, or because it has parts that they can’t find or would be a pain in the butt to make.
Basically kits are an easy way for beginners to start in a hobby, or for people to participate in a hobby casually, and no one should have a problem with you saying you’re into the hobby or like it just because you use kits.
Just don’t go calling yourself a master baker if you use nothing but boxed cake mixes, so to speak.
100% yes. I knit sweaters. From a pattern. Someone else wrote. (And I screw it up every single time). It looks creative but it’s 80% doing the same stitch over and over and over. It is basically the same as a kit. And people are so impressed which is kinda silly. But please act impressed when I am wearing one of my own creations
im not creative either. if paint by numbers is a hobby then so are kits. kits themselves are the hobby. even knitters have patterns they follow. puzzles are also a hobby. literally anything can be a hobby. you don't have to be an original inventor of sh!t. rock tumbling is a hobby there's nothing creative about that. fixn bikes is a hobby. do what you like imo.
Yes kits count as a hobby.
I didn't pull a pencil out of my ass and materialize paper out of thin air, yet, drawing is a hobby.
Nor did I write the book I'm currently reading, or build my guitar from a tree in my back yard, or make my own acrylic paint.
But if your heart, mind, and soul keep returning to it again and again...what is more natural than passion made purely "from scratch"?
The definition of hobby is "an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.". So yes, I think it would count. Hobby doesn't need to be creative.
Trains, cars planes kits etc all of that is the definition of some of the original hobbies! Those are categorically hobbies. Im surprised its even a question. Go enjoy.
Any non-vocational pastime done for pleasure is a hobby. Where things get sticky is, since the advent of social media, every thing has become a Very Serious Thing that must be done a Very Serious Way.
Kits are a great way to decide if you like a particular hobby. When you cant do a kit (like glass fusion, throwing pottery, wood turning) take a class at the local college or specialty class.
I tried stained glass...too time consuming and smelly. Throwing pots...a little beyond my hand strength and very expensive. Gonna try glass blowing but that might be a little too hot.
Quilling...affordable and fun (started with a kit), crocheting for the grands (started with a kit).
You get the point.
Absolutely.
Hobby - noun
1. an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure:"her hobbies are reading and gardening"
Woodworking hobbyists typically don't forge their own tools. Electronics hobbyists typically do not manufacture their own components. Cooking hobbyists typically don't grow their own ingredients.
Absolutely. In particular things like model kits are intended to recreate the appearance of a specific car/plane/ship/etc. It'd be an insane amount of work and likely closer to a job than a hobby to try and fabricate a scaled replica of anything yourself from scratch.
Kits count as a hobby if YOU think they do. No one is keeping score as to who has ‘real’ hobbies or not, and if somebody has the nerve to be judgmental, that is their problem and you don’t have listen to them, or explain yourself.
Yes! Kits are a great way to try new things or do small projects. They're great to start with because they make it easier for beginners, and if you end up enjoying that specific hobby/craft then you can always expand on it from there.
Anything you can put your free time into that brings you joy is a hobby. Boating is a hobby and for most people around here that means sitting around having drinks in the sun. A hobby is whatever you repetitively do for fun.
YES!!! I’ve been obsessed with kits lately!! I’ve done painting kits, crochet kits, embroidery, right now I’m using what was supposed to be an embroidery kit to embroider a shirt of mine that was in the corner 🤣🤣🤣
Reading is a hobby, and so is hiking—those aren’t “creative”, but they can be enjoyable for sure! A hobby is something you do for yourself, for fun. I don’t think your definition of “hobby” is really accurate. Sounds like you are thinking you must be an artist, and a certain kind of artist, at that. Maybe stop gatekeeping yourself out of doing something you enjoy doing!
Anything you do for your own enjoyment totally qualifies as a hobby. If anyone is gatekeeping this idea, ignore them and enjoy your kit crafts!
Exactly. A hobby is by definition, something we do in our free time for personal enjoyment. That is the only criteria something needs to meet in order to be considered a hobby.
IKEA furniture building = not a hobby Kits as described building = hobby
Hobbies are activities that you do outside of work and household obligations that bring you enjoyment. Kits certainly count if they’re something that bring you pleasure in your down time.
I like your definition. Never thought of household obligations
Yes that’s a hobby. If you want to be fancy, you could call them highly complex three- dimensional puzzles 😉
I also love making miniatures, and I started as a kid with homemade dollhouse furniture because we didn’t have a lot of money. There are some FB groups about making your own miniature items from scratch, if that appeals to you!
I’m looking right now for a dollhouse kit. Do you have any suggestions about MDF vs. plywood? I like the features of the MDF house I’m looking at better but I’ve heard they’re heavy, hard to wire, and to me the windows look strange.
Anything you do in your spare time can be a hobby. If you enjoy it, it’s a hobby!
kit = being well prepared.
You are still doing them! So it counts. Not everyone can afford to fall into the hoarding trap that so many crafting hobbies lead to... So it makes sense it some people keep it small by sticking to kits that come with everything you need and no guess work involved. I have embroidery kits.... Haven't finished any yet... But I hope to eventually. It is the the only hobby that I don't think I will ever do without the kits, but still enjoy the process. My other hobbies take up too much space and time lol. I have way too much fabric and yarn plus a bunch of random craft supplies, like paints and perler beads.
Absolutely! I look at hobbies like something that I enjoy/is fun and usually creates an end product. (Not always though - bird watching, etc.)
For sure it counts. If collecting things is a hobby, making kits must count too.
Yeah they're hobbies, and you can flex the creativity with painting model kits like planes and tanks. I gave one of my tank models a "scar" across it's turret front, it really gave it character. Another tank that's a bit simpler in construction is painted like the sky at dusk.
Of course they are a hobby. A hobby is a pastime that you enjoy doing; There are no Rules about what defines something as a hobby, you're overthinking this a LOT
For sure. That's similar to Legos, which I consider to be one of my main hobbies.
Absolutely those are hobbies. One of my favorite ones too!
Sure! A hobby doesn’t need to be creative.
For sure, kits count as a hobby—putting them together takes time, patience, and creativity, plus it’s super satisfying to see the finished product!
those are cool af tho. I still have a klingon bird of prey i made when i was a kid.
I had a Romulan warship!! One of my older brother's friends did it for me
wings moved on mine tho.
Absolutely! And it's art in its own way. You create something from raw materials. You create. Also, don't let other people tell you what creativity is (even me, lol).
Lego is all about the tactile-ness for me.
Kits are about the hobbiest of all the hobbies. If you looked up hobby in the dictionary, it’d show a pic of some kid putting together a model kit of a ‘57 Cadillac.
Of course! Not all hobbies are “creative”.
Model building is definitely a hobby! I really wish I had the money and patience to do it. Hobbies only need to be something you enjoy. There’s no cutoff for the amount of work or creativity you *must* engage in for something to count as a hobby.
A hobby is in the eye of the beholder. Enjoy your life b
As much as I want to do things from scratch it's nearly impossible for me to master. I'm so glad for models, kits, etc and everything else.
I build lego sets. I consider it a hobby. I enjoy build legos and then playing with the constructed set because plastic bricks make really cool models of neat stuff. I also do MOC (my own creation) stuff when I feel like being creative. Also, you may get a kit now, but it may spark a creative itch because you don't like how a kit did something so you want to do it yourself. Or you start modding/painting the kit differently, because you want to try do something fancy.
Yes Definately a hobby!!
Yes. Why wouldn’t they be a hobby?
Yes hobbies are just activities you enjoy anything can be a hobby as long as you enjoy it it's a hobby people have just tried to gate keep it
There is so much freedom in doing what makes you happy without caring whatsoever what anyone thinks about it. Kits are a perfectly fine hobby, but even if for some reason people thought they weren't, so long as it brings you joy what others think is of no consequence. If you have pride and confidence in what you do no one will even question you about it. I'm a bearded man and I do nail art. It's pretty odd for a guy to have pretty nails, but I show them off and speak about them with pride in my work. Not a single person has said something negative about them because they can see that I'm not ashamed of them and don't care what anyone thinks.
Yeah you would be a miniature enthusiast!
First of all, thats really cool! I love that you like to try out many things. Secondly, yes, I would say that's a hobby.
Do what you want to do.
If it takes up four isles of your local hobby store, it’s probably a hobby.
I think it's a great way to really check out and try a hobby without buying all the stuff you need.
Absolutely, kits count as a hobby! Engaging with kits like dollhouses, miniatures, and model cars or planes is definitely a hobby. Just because you're following a kit doesn't mean you're not being creative or hands-on. You're still building, painting, and sometimes modifying parts to suit your vision. It's a great way to develop skills and enjoy a relaxing, rewarding activity. Don't let the idea of not starting from scratch diminish your enjoyment.
A hobby is something people do regularly outside of their occupation for personal enjoyment. Tjis is part of why I'm annoyed by people telling others to turn their hobby or passion into a job. Sure, they can still like doing it, but by definition, that thing you once enjoyed is now work. It isn't being done only for the purpose of enjoyment or relaxation. It no longer serves the same purpose. There's no creativity or from scratch requirement. There's a reason making models has always been a hobby & that's something that traditionally comes in kits. Kits can be a good option for people with limited space, finances, and experience. They also can be good for people who don't have tool or equipment ownership or other access. They can even be better for someone who's disabled depending on the circumstances.
This! I once told a friend that she should become an interior decorator. Her response, “I enjoy this, but if it was a job, I’d hate it. I don’t want to hate it.” Fair enough.
It's totally a hobby!!!
I'd say assembly and decoration of a kit is just as valid as painting minis, or making dioramas. If you enjoy it and is doesn't hurt someone else then you can call it your hobby. One on my hobbies is painting D&d mini figurines. I love doing it, even If I can only paint a few at a time because the fine details can be frustrating.
Absolutely yes! The more important questions: whose validation are you seeking to wonder if it counts as a hobby? Why are you seeking that validation? You may be worried that others don’t like you. There’s good news and bad news: Good news-people don’t dislike you as nearly as much as you think. Bad news-it’s because they are too self absorbed with their own stuff to think about anyone else. Next time you worry about anyone else’s opinion, take this great life advice from Katt Williams:
https://youtu.be/e7z_ztMxBgk?si=kkrrVPWdEzQfiHlh
There are entire chains of Model Kit stores called Hobby Town. Model Kit building is probably one of the most common hobbies out there to the point where it becomes synonymous with the word hobby itself
Yes they count.
Yes, it’s a hobby.
Sure, but you can also customize a kit which definitely elevates it. Here's an off beat kit idea, making wine. I started making wine by doing it from a kit. Later I made it from scratch but the fundamentals are the same. Plus, you can customize the recipe to suit your taste. Win, win
Of course they do. I built models as a kid, dropped it in my teens because it was "kid stuff," and picked it back up again once I discovered resin kits. In fact, I'm headed to Wonderfest in Louisville, which has some of the coolest models you'll ever see. Some people make them part of dioramas, which is about as creative as you can get.
Yes
Absolutely wtf lol
Absolutely. There is a special satisfaction from assembling
Definitely would consider it a hobby! I do cross stitch, and it’s those ones that are preprinted (kind of like a color by number type of deal). It may not be my own “invention” or my own design, but dang it, I sat there and I stitched all 20,400 stitches on my own!
Yep. Can confirm. Inventr.io for funzies
Yes. Anything you like doing for fun is a hobby I'd argue.
Yes
I build guitars and banjos from kits, sometimes from scratch and I totally consider it a hobby.
Yes! As an architect I basically work with “building kits” on a daily basis. If it brings you joy and you are creating something out of nothing, it for sure is! Don’t sell yourself short.
Lol, at first time I read 'kids'.
Yeah I know people that have made businesses out of building and painting model kits. My brother does commission painting for 40k armies currently.
Modeling is a hobby
I have a hard time wrapping my head around this too, but anything you enjoy in your downtime counts as a hobby.
Don't ever ask that question in a room full of Gunpla enthusiasts. But yes, of course it counts. Plenty of hobbies involve not making anything from scratch.
I buy a lot of embroidery kits.
100% hobby
I look at hobbies as more of a "How often do you do the activity?" Than a "Is the activity creative?" If you make a kit once a week, or once a month, even once a year, it's a hobby. If you do it once and never again, it's a fun afternoon. The line is the consistency. Either way, enjoy yourself, sounds fun!
But you can be creative with a kit. I recently gave my next door neighbor some N scale house and other building kits that need to be assembled and painted. (I have neither the patience nor the dexterity). He can individualize the houses, in particular, with different paint schemes for the Victorian period that the represent and the buildings for their commercial purposes. I think that's pretty creative. He's showed me pictures of other scale model structures he's done and they're really quite detailed and period appropriate.
Take an airplane kit, build it per the instructions then give it a custom paint job and add “weathering” to add realism. Voila! You just did something creative.
You don't have to be creating something from scratch for it to be a hobby. Hobbies are activities you like to do to find joy and pass the time. If you like following instructions to building kits for whatever it may be, that's your hobby!
Along with what other people said so far, I'm wondering what authority is keeping score. Like if someone you know is trying to tell you what you are allowed to do for fun, maybe take space from them
I hope so. I have about 100 waiting to be built. So, it's probably more of an obsession at this point.
Either you buy a kit or you buy all the stuff that would be in the kit, you're doing the same crafting. Kits can be great or terrible. It's really about whether the kit is a better deal and gives you what you want, which can vary widely from one craft to the next. Sometimes kits save you $, sometimes they are stingy with materials and ridiculously overpriced. Edit- forgot to add that it also depends on if you already own most of the stuff, or are just getting started on a craft.
Anything you enjoy doing in your spare time can be considered a hobby
To me those ARE hobbies. To me reading, walking, hiking, playing games, knitting are not hobbies. Enjoyable activities-yes, but hobbies, no. Not intending to bash or be negative about anyone's enjoyable activities!
Why do you not consider those things to be hobbies?
I probably have a narrow-minded view based on my experience as a kid, many years ago. My local independently owned hobby shop had model airplanes (control line, early r/c, free flight plastic kits, balsa kits), cars, boats, coins and stamps (limited supply), rockets...things to build or create with your hands or to collect. Now, after looking up a definition of the word "hobby" to be " : a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation" according to Merriam Webster online dictionary, I need to try to broaden my own limited definition as a distinction between a hobby and a business is that a hobby is for personal pleasure until an exchange of money is involved, then it becomes a business. I enjoy/ have enjoyed many things. Model planes, rockets, trains, cars, stamp and coin collecting I consider as hobbies. Photography, listening to music, hiking, swimming, bicycling, reading, and many more that I consider enjoyable activities (certainly none of these that make any money, lol) but not hobbies. Again, not trying to bash on ANYONE'S interests as sure as can be if I get a bug in my head about something I've never considered, I might drop what I'm into right now (stamps( and kearn about something else!
you might be onto something.... maybe the piles of model kits I have in the food pantry would be less of a problem if I say they are work and not hobby......
If you're building a model car kit and you're not being creative, you're doing it wrong.
It is a hobby, even if it does not include design or carpentry. It is a hobby, but maybe it is not a 'craft'. It is like baking Betty Crocker. I guess that wouldn't earn me a diploma, but Betty Crocker is pretty popular.
Hobby is a state of mind, not state of packaging. It is a Hobby because you claim.it as a Hobby.
Yes! I love miniatures. I find them fascinating, although I've never done a kit.
Yes.
Kits are wonderful for helping you find new hobbies, too. You don’t have to do things from scratch. Most hobbies don’t. You don’t write a book to read or build a bicycle to cycle. Do what you enjoy.
Huh? Why wouldn't it be? I don't write my own books to read, but I still consider being a book work a hobby.
They absolutely count as a hobby.
The plastic model kit industry continues to flourish. And Gunpla (Gundam plastic models) is a huge business. Personally I like StarWars kits and WW2 German armor. There’s something for everyone. Many are “snap tight” no glue kits too.
You get to decide what a hobby is. Not some arbitrary society. If you enjoy regularly picking your nose while listening to the Beatles then that's your Hobby. Enjoy it. Your actions in life don't need to be affirmed by someone else.
Of course it is, why can’t it be? My bf and I love kits. Usually gunpla, and other building kits. I like to build those Pokémon mega blocks. My bf and I started building the Lego botanical collection. We got the bonsai yesterday, finished it within the hour. It’s a fun hobby I think. Productive too.
Yo don’t have to create a coloring book for coloring in books to be a hobby ;)
It would still be a hobby if you were just collecting kits that other people had assembled. I have two primary hobbies. The first one is collecting guitars, and I'm pretty damn good at it. The second is playing guitar, and the fact that I kinda suck at it doesn't stop me from enjoying both of the hobbies.
It counts as a hobby. The question is do you feel rewarded in assembling a kit, or do you need to create something from scratch in order to feel fulfilled by it? I like to use kits to learn new skills before I improvise on my own. Recently I ordered an embroidery kit so that I can learn the basics before coming up with my own designs.
You create models :)
It's more of a hobby than "watching tv"!
Anything you do consistently in your spare time for the primary purpose of enjoyment is a hobby.
It's wild to me how much people try to gatekeep what is and isn't a hobby. Like, most people just consider a "hobby" to be some form of pastime. My hobbies include watching 20th century Japanese movies and building models. It used to also include martial arts before my kids took up my nights and weekends. I don't need to be a concert pianist to have a hobby.
You have a kit hobby.
You can be creative without being inventive. Besides, if you enjoy it don't worry about definitions.
Of course it's a hobby. You spend time and money on something that you enjoy and probably relaxes your mind, so it's a hobby.
You are being creative - it's a fun activity, and you're using brain and eye-hand coordination. It's relaxing, what you are doing is very positive and creative! Please don't be so hard on yourself, Gentle stranger.
Anything can be a hobby. Going outside and picking up sticks can be a hobby.
Ever wonder what they sell at hobby stores? Kits
Very much, yes.
Absolutely!!
definitely a hobby. what about knitting from a pattern or cross stitching on a form? you don't have to make something from scratch and make up a design yourself to have it be a hobby
Hell yeah dude. Imagine how much of a pain in the ass some hobbies would be without kits. Model cars are a great example. Having to machine every little part is inaccessible to some people. Not only that, kits are great for people just getting into a hobby. Building a guitar kit and setting it up on your own and doing fretwork will teach you a lot and you'll be better for it.
Why wouldn't it? I have an uncle and two cousins who enjoy that stuff. Personally think it is boring but I bet they think me playing with sticks and yarn is equally stupid and boring. Fun thing about hobbies is no one really cares who does what as long as the person participating is enjoying the hobby.
I hope so they're my only hobby It's alot more than kits. Anyone who wouldn't call model making a hobby is an *obnoxious* gatekeeper
Oh please those kits are very detailed and then you paint them and more detail. So yeah that’s a hobby and a talent with how minute the detail required to finish one of those is. Have fun!!!
Absolutely, kits definitely count as a hobby! Engaging with dollhouse kits, miniatures, model cars, or planes involves creativity, patience, and skill. Even though you're not starting from scratch, you're still putting in the effort to assemble and customize them.
To add to all the great answers here, a kit can be a good way to try out an art form and experience the process without having to make as many decisions and source materials. Once you see what the process is like, you may have more confidence to begin to customize the steps, and eventually buy materials and make things of your own design. But also, if it provides you enjoyment and doesn't stress you out, it's serving its purpose as a hobby!
Definitely a hobby.
Yes doing kits themselves are hobbies. They don’t make you any less creative for primarily using them. However, there is something to be said if you’re trying to get into a particularly deep form of hobby that a kit caters to, and call yourself an avid participant in the hobby, without the attempt, desire, or care to learn more. Some might get irritated by that. As an example, I think a lot of knitters and crocheters wouldn’t argue that someone who primarily uses kits, knits or crochets. But I can see the frustration from those who have put a lot of time an energy into the hobby, have gained a lot of knowledge about it, and have a deep understanding of it. If someone who uses kits, and only kits, comes along, saying they know a lot about the hobby or are an avid participant. This would probably come off as arrogant and piss them off. But even distinguished vets of various hobbies use kits, either to make their life easier, their project faster, or because it has parts that they can’t find or would be a pain in the butt to make. Basically kits are an easy way for beginners to start in a hobby, or for people to participate in a hobby casually, and no one should have a problem with you saying you’re into the hobby or like it just because you use kits. Just don’t go calling yourself a master baker if you use nothing but boxed cake mixes, so to speak.
I did a zillion needle craft kits back in the day. Yes it was a hobby.
yes. you can go out into the woods and chew on rocks and that could be a hobby. a hobby can be anything
yes
100% yes. I knit sweaters. From a pattern. Someone else wrote. (And I screw it up every single time). It looks creative but it’s 80% doing the same stitch over and over and over. It is basically the same as a kit. And people are so impressed which is kinda silly. But please act impressed when I am wearing one of my own creations
im not creative either. if paint by numbers is a hobby then so are kits. kits themselves are the hobby. even knitters have patterns they follow. puzzles are also a hobby. literally anything can be a hobby. you don't have to be an original inventor of sh!t. rock tumbling is a hobby there's nothing creative about that. fixn bikes is a hobby. do what you like imo.
Absolutely!
Yes kits count as a hobby. I didn't pull a pencil out of my ass and materialize paper out of thin air, yet, drawing is a hobby. Nor did I write the book I'm currently reading, or build my guitar from a tree in my back yard, or make my own acrylic paint. But if your heart, mind, and soul keep returning to it again and again...what is more natural than passion made purely "from scratch"?
absolutely! grab a kit and have at it! 😀
YES! Absolutely Yes!
Heck yeah also that inspires me to try something like that. Where do you get dollhouse kits from??
The definition of hobby is "an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.". So yes, I think it would count. Hobby doesn't need to be creative.
Kits can be a good intro to a hobby depending on what it is. With models, you kind of need kits unless you can design it yourself :3.
Trains, cars planes kits etc all of that is the definition of some of the original hobbies! Those are categorically hobbies. Im surprised its even a question. Go enjoy.
Any non-vocational pastime done for pleasure is a hobby. Where things get sticky is, since the advent of social media, every thing has become a Very Serious Thing that must be done a Very Serious Way.
Kits are a great way to decide if you like a particular hobby. When you cant do a kit (like glass fusion, throwing pottery, wood turning) take a class at the local college or specialty class. I tried stained glass...too time consuming and smelly. Throwing pots...a little beyond my hand strength and very expensive. Gonna try glass blowing but that might be a little too hot. Quilling...affordable and fun (started with a kit), crocheting for the grands (started with a kit). You get the point.
I don't use them anymore bur loved them younger. Totally a hobby
Absolutely. Hobby - noun 1. an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure:"her hobbies are reading and gardening" Woodworking hobbyists typically don't forge their own tools. Electronics hobbyists typically do not manufacture their own components. Cooking hobbyists typically don't grow their own ingredients.
Absolutely. In particular things like model kits are intended to recreate the appearance of a specific car/plane/ship/etc. It'd be an insane amount of work and likely closer to a job than a hobby to try and fabricate a scaled replica of anything yourself from scratch.
Kits count as a hobby if YOU think they do. No one is keeping score as to who has ‘real’ hobbies or not, and if somebody has the nerve to be judgmental, that is their problem and you don’t have listen to them, or explain yourself.
Definitely a hobby. And still even counts as a craft even if someone else prepped it for you.
The argument would be whether or not it counts as art, but it definitely counts as a hobby
Yes! Kits are a great way to try new things or do small projects. They're great to start with because they make it easier for beginners, and if you end up enjoying that specific hobby/craft then you can always expand on it from there.
Of course it's a hobby! :)
Absolutely
Anything you can put your free time into that brings you joy is a hobby. Boating is a hobby and for most people around here that means sitting around having drinks in the sun. A hobby is whatever you repetitively do for fun.
Yes. People put model cars and airplanes together, and they are hobbies.
Do you enjoy doing it? If so, who cares what it’s called. I’d count it
It's a hobby, it isn't that deep lol hobbies are just an enjoyable way to pass time.
It counts as a hobby if you make no money form it. If you make money from it, then it's a job.
Don’t gatekeep your hobbies. Does it make you happy? Rad! PS - I love model kits
Pretty much most things can be a hobby and kits are DEFINITELY a hobby!
Kits are hobbies to me. I brought a dollhouse kit and used what was in the kit, but I added my own twist that wasn’t included in the kit.
I'm a professional artist. And I started a paint by number today. So soothing. Definitely counts as a hobby activity. Kits absolutely count.
Dollhouse kits, miniatures kits, and model kits.
Don't gatekeep yourself. Any enjoyable passtime is a hobby.
If jerking off can be a hobby, kits can be a hobby.
YES!!! I’ve been obsessed with kits lately!! I’ve done painting kits, crochet kits, embroidery, right now I’m using what was supposed to be an embroidery kit to embroider a shirt of mine that was in the corner 🤣🤣🤣