Hello friends! Are you looking to pick up a new hobby this summer holiday? How about a ‘weird’ hobby that while unusual, would be unique? I’ve rounded up some weird hobbies from around the world just for you! 

Miniature landscaping/gardening 

Several of my friends swear by gardening; they say it’s a relaxing hobby. If a standard-sized garden is not your jam, then try making miniature ones. Imagine you’re designing a garden for fairies and let your imagination run wild. Miniature furniture, miniature paths, even miniature plants—all these can make for a pretty magical scene.

Mud polishing 

 Polishing mud is a traditional game among Japanese children. Called hikaru dorodango in Japanese, it involves rolling moist mud by hand and polishing it until it shines. You don’t need much equipment for this: mostly your hands, water, mud, and some patience. 

Competitive memorization 

Memorizing for exams is one thing, but memorizing simply to be the best at it is a different activity altogether. Competitive memorizers learn long sequences of playing cards, names and faces of total strangers, sequences of numbers, and more within a specific time. If you win at the national level, you could flex your skills at the World Memory Championships, held annually. 

Sticky tape sculpting 

It’s in the name—making sculptures from sticky tape. Chiselling and shaping a block of rock are done by trained and skilled sculptors. Sticky tape, on the other hand, might be easier to shape. Give it a go! 

Trainspotting 

This hobby is all about spotting trains and making note of their make, colour, engine, number of coaches, and other technical details. If you’re a fan of trains, why not start by observing as many as you can? 

Tree shaping 

 Tree shaping is the art of shaping trees, while still alive, to look like other objects, usually furniture. Trunks, branches and even the roots are shaped into artefacts, without killing the tree. Tree shapers typically guide branches to grow in a particular direction, and prune and graft parts of the tree to achieve the required shape. If you think regular plants and trees look too boring, time to get them into shape! 

Competitive dog grooming 

If you like dogs and you like making them look good, then perhaps consider grooming them for competition. Competitive dog grooming turns dogs into living art as people style, groom, colour (with pet safe colours, of course) and make them look like sculptures. 

Competitive mooing 

If you are wondering what that sounds like, watch this:

Some people are good at making animal sounds. And some of those people are especially good at sounding like cows. So good, in fact, that there are annual competitions in the USA to crown the best human moo-er. If you fancy a shot at the prize, it’s time to start practising your moos. 

Collecting belly button fluff 

Finally, a hobby so weird that even I can’t believe it exists! For 26 years, Graham Barker from Australia collected his belly button fluff and stored it in jars. In 2010, he was recognized by Guinness World Records for his unique collection. At that point, he had 22.1 grams of fluff split between three jars! I’m sure you have friends who dig their nose or ears for gold. Perhaps it’s time you started digging your belly button for it!