Revisiting Childhood Hobbies Can Offer Insight into Adult Identity

Returning to a hobby abandoned in childhood has the potential to engage three aspects of the self: the past as remembered, the present activity, and the future one hopes to become, according to Hollen Reischer, visiting assistant professor of psychology at the University at Buffalo. Narrative identity, she explained, refers to the "internalized, evolving story of the self."

For many, these revisited activities bring forth memories and connections to their younger selves. Dan P. McAdams, a psychology professor at Northwestern University, notes that revisiting the past and bringing something forward can be a positive experience, helping individuals integrate their lives around something that was once significant.

Kristen Martin, author of The Sun Won’t Come Out Tomorrow, learned to crochet from her grandmother in childhood. The grandmother, known for knitting, used the activity to keep her hands busy while her mind worked. Martin, who has since taken up knitting and crocheting again as an adult, finds it a relaxing, low-attention activity often done while watching television, mirroring her grandmother's engagement with the craft. She also shares her grandmother's joy in creating items for others.

Benjamin Vigeant, 40, a social media manager from Chicago, rediscovered his childhood passion for pinball in his late twenties. This led him to start a pinball league, highlighting a desire for competition and community. A 2023 Teen Vogue article noted that young people are reclaiming childhood hobbies as a means of "healing their inner child," suggesting that revisiting these activities can be a way to reclaim parts of one's personal story.

The process of returning to a childhood hobby can illuminate how an individual has changed or, conversely, how enduring parts of their past self remain. This engagement can lead to a deeper understanding of one's adult identity by connecting past experiences with present actions and future aspirations. Conversations around hobbies often focus on their ability to provide fulfillment and build community, but exploring childhood hobbies specifically offers a unique path to self-discovery.