Can someone give me ideas of cheap-free hobbies that I can do at home while my 1 yr old is sleeping?

Question

I'm not interested in quilting and I'm not a big reader.

Answer 1

Write to your baby for when she/he becomes a parent too. The one thing I wish I had asked my mother was more about how SHE felt while I was a new baby. I heard lots of stories about me and the pictures are there. But it would have been nice to know her feelings. Was she scared, happy, tired all the time? As a kid I wouldn't have understood, but now....

Kids won't think of that until they have children of their own. So it can be an ongoing project. It's cheap, but has more meaning then you put a price on. Just keep a day to day diary. It doesn't have to be fancy or have pearls of wisdom. Add a few pictures, maybe a magazine or news clipping and give it to the child when she's grown at the birth of her first. Sounds like the start of a family tradition.

Answer 2

For Almost Free.

Buy a pack of index cards and a photo box or slot album.

Sort through your photos for the ones that have meaning and then start documenting who, what where when and why and the most important part - how did I feel.

Thanksgiving is coming. Bring your box with pix and cards out and have that old crotchety grandparent start talking about their feelings in some old family photos. make sure that their name is on the card that they write on. Date the memories as well as the day that you wrote about them.

Don't worry about handwriting and using the prettiest pen.

Let's say that you are all digital.

Grab a bunch of photos and put them in a directory and start writing about those pix in a word processing document that you put in the same directory.

Weed out the bad and boring photos and document the rest.

Fun and almost free.

Answer 3

Try scrapbooking. This would great for a mother. You can make books for your 1 year old. Once you get all the basics (adhesive, scissors, cardstock, etc.), you can do it for fairly cheap. Not sure it's for you? Take a class at a arts & crafts store (they charge a nominal fee) to decide before buying. Look into crops, and scrapbooking groups in your area, so you can share supplies. Scrapbooks make wonderful gifts, and they are a great way to share with your child lots of memories. Priceless!!

Answer 4

I agree with the scrap booking and organizing of your pictures. I can tell you, as a mother of 5 that range from 4 mo. to 22 yrs. and 3 large containers full of pictures, it will take me the rest of my life to get it done.

Do yourself a favor and start now!

It can be very affordable if you wait to buy out of season. For instance, I just bought some Easter papers and stickers and die cuts for like 75 percent off! I will always have pictures ready to do from a previous holiday.
Hope you give it a try!

Answer 5

I taught myself how to knit. It's very relaxing and you can learn how to do it at knithelp.com. This site has videos to show how to do the different stitches. You can knit blankets for you 1yr old that he/she will love. You can find yarn at garage sales, and get yarn on sale at different stores (Michaels, Joann's, Walmart, etc).
So far I have made 2 baby blankets for friends, hats, scarves, and i'm learning how to make socks! I also work on puzzles, but with a 1 yr old you may not want to do that. He/she may get the pieces and try to swallow them or just plain old lose them. Good luck on your venture.

Answer 6

When I had to stay home due to a back injury, I strated working on puzzles. Now when I let my self rest, I still find puzzles to be a good way to relax. I found they were cheap at Wal-mart. Something like 0.88 cents for 500 pieces. Other than that I play games online for free at sites like: www.addictinggames.com or www.gameshq.net

Answer 7

Do Sudoku puzzles. There are plenty of websites offering free puzzles and if you start with the easy category and follow the suggestions for finding answers,you will find them to be an interesting way to pass the time.

Answer 8

I like to do plastic canvas. There are some very inexspensive kits you can buy at department stores. Once you start you can make the baby toys and many different things. You can even get free patterns on the internet. I think one is Freepatterns.com.

Answer 9

decoupage is fun, basically you cut out pictures or designs and glue them onto things like picture frames, small furniture, or do puzzles if you like that. Nice to do something constructive though, scrapbooking doesn't have to be expensive, just use your imagination and make some nice pages for your child to have later. When my baby slept, so did I! Good luck.

Answer 10

Bake, Knit, build a Terrarium, Paint,Draw