1.       Keep a long sleeved shirt or baggy T-shirt for kids to put on over clothes during painting times or other messy play activities such as baking, gardening, etc.

2.       Put newspaper underneath project area for easy clean up

3.      If your child spills something on his/her clothes that will most likely stain, remove it immediately, wash it as best as you can, and put dish soap on it. Let it sit in a dry bucket until you can remove the stain. You may have to re-wash and re-apply the dish soap several times.

4.       If eating on a carpet, first put down an old blanket or table cloth to avoid soiling the carpet

5.       Make sure girls’ hair is up and out of their face so they don’t get stuff in it!

6.       Send kids outside to eat sticky, messy, fun foods, such as popsicles, watermelon, etc. Twice the fun and half the mess!

7.       Never allow children to dump all their toys out! Teach them to take out one set at a time, and put it back first before playing with something else.

8.    Have a wet (clean) rag handy for each of the kids to clean up messy hands with immediately.

9.       Make cleaning up after a project part of the project, and do it along with them to show them how to do it properly, and also to show them how fun it can be!

10.   Keep projects short, and always stay close by to supervise so children don’t  get extra “creative” (i.e. make more messes ) when mommy is away!

1.       Horse back riding

2.       Camping

3.       Beach trips

4.       Baking

5.       Making edible bouquets/crafts

6.       VDO games

7.       Plastic and wood models

8.       Coin/stamp/rock (or other) collecting

9.       Games—ping pong, board games, brain games, pool, etc.

10.   Making and maintaining a vivarium, such as an aquarium, terrarium, or insectarium

1.       Selling womanly items (jewelry, baked goods, natural cosmetics and beauty products)

2.       Making kids’ items—toys, clothes, costumes

3.       Flower arranging

4.       Writing (freelance, reviews, bedtime stories, novels)

5.       Blogging

6.       Handicrafts (mosaic items, beading, etc.)

7.       Designing clothing

8.       Jewelry making

9.       Crocheting, knitting, sewing, quilting

10.   Cake making and decorating

1.       Running/jogging/sports

2.       Salsa/ballroom/belly dancing

3.       Working out/yoga

4.       Photography

5.       Taking  lessons (cooking, languages, art, etc.)

6.       Biking

7.       Joining or starting a club (cards, exercise, cake making and decorating, book)

8.       Volunteer work

9.       Bird watching

10.   Flower collecting

1.       Gardening

2.       Reading

3.       Scrapbooking

4.       Candle making

5.       Computer creations (digital art, movies, wallpapers, websites)

6.       Painting/drawing

7.       Redecorating your home

8.       Aromatherapy

9.       Drying and pressing flowers

10.    Card making

1.Gives you needed time away from the kids. Being a mother is tough, hard work, and can often leave you feeling like you don't want to see another baby, child, or teenager again in your life! And yet, there they are, still wanting and needing you, day in and day out (night in and night out, too!) Having a hobby gets your mind off the nitty-gritty of the daily details and gets you focusing on something else for a little while! When you come back to the world of motherhood, you will feel refreshed and ready to take on whatever challenges are sure to be there waiting for you!
2. Makes you a better Mom. We can sometimes think, subconsciously, in the back of our minds, that once we become a mom, that's all we should concentrate on and all other life and learning ends as we know it. Nothing is or should be further from the truth! If we continually keep our minds active, it helps us stay fresh, young, alive, and keen to learn new and experience--all attributes needed for good motherhood!
3. Gives Dad a chance to have quality "alone time" with the kids. Not sure how to expand on this one; I think that pretty much says it all! Of course, not all hobbies will be during times when Dad is around and can take the daddy-daycare shift, and you will often have to fit in your hobbies while the kids are watching something or being entertained somehow. But I think it's still a good excuse, don't you?
4. Having creative hobbies gives you a sense of fulfillment and personal satisfaction. Remember, above all, you are a woman, and your need for personal identity and originality is still there, even after--or should I say--especially after, becoming a mom! When you can create something with your very own hands, you feel the rush, and it gives you fresh inspiration for other things, as well! It boosts your self-esteem, and that's one thing you need to perform your best as a woman and as a mom.
5. It gives you a goal, something to look forward to. As a mom, especially a stay-at-home mom I'd say, there are moments (dare I say long moments?) when you feel like the days and nights become blurred, you lose track of what you are doing and where you are going. If you can enjoy a hobby, it breaks up the routine and gives you something to shoot for, such as, "If I get X and X done by such and such a time, I can have time for my hobby!" Then you can enjoy yourself--believe me, it makes the times with the kids sweeter as well!
6. Hobbies are relaaaaaaaaaaaxing. Ah, relaxing! What a wonderful word! It has been proven over and over that having time for yourself, time to relax, to unwind, to let nature and beauty fill you, is good for the soul and brings you happiness! And we should also know that a happy, relaxed mom, makes happy, relaxed kids! (Well, at least it helps! Ha!)
7. It gives you something to pass on to the kids. Some hobbies are "just me" or "just me and my friends" kinds of hobbies that are relaxing and very important. Others are the kind you can do with your kids, with your family. Building family traditions is very important and special and creates memories that will last for a lifetime. It also gives your kids a gift they can pass on to their own children in the future.
8. It relieves built up tension and stress. Not only do moms have their "mom responsibilities" to fulfill, but they often have to juggle other chores, jobs and errands into their already busy and packed lives. This can build stress, which can turn to negative feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Having a hobby is a good outlet for these feelings and stress, giving you a chance to turn them into positive, creative, happy feelings. Doesn't that sound nice?
9. Having a hobby rejuvenates you. Busy moms often feel depleted by the end of the day. Taking time for a hobby refills your "mom reserves" and gives you something that you can in turn give out to others and to your children. It gives you fresh inspiration and ideas that can be completely unrelated to whatever hobby it is you are doing!
10. Hobbies help you enjoy life! Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured! Getting things done is one aspect of enjoying life--another is having fun, seeing and experiencing the joys of life that's all around you! --We need both! Don't miss out just because of a pile of laundry or a messy baby room (aren't they always messy?) Again, if you are enjoying life, you will also enjoy your kids more, and when they are grown up with a family themselves, they will remember that your example--that joy, peace, and living life to the full are what gets us through the days with a smile on our face (well, most days, anyway!) and their lives will be enriched because of it!

1. Have a designated “take out” night so you don’t have to cook, but have time while the kids are doing their homework or playing games for your hobby!
2. Hire a babysitter once a week and go on that hike or photography trip, or participate in a weekly club of your choice!
3. If you have older children, give them a little extra allowance or special privilege in exchange for taking the baby or putting away the laundry so you can sneak off for an hour or two. If you don’t have older children, let them watch a little extra TV or their favorite movie on a weekend night to give you a bit of extra time.
4. Trade off with Dad—your turn this time, my turn next time!
5. Same idea, but with other parents or moms—I’ll take your kids this week, you take my kids next week! Then have a ball with the kids, going wild with crazy fun! (Don’t worry, you’ll get your hobby time next to recuperate!)
6. Include your children! This of course only works for some hobbies, but why not at least start with that?
7. Schedule it. Don’t try to do more than you can all at once, or you will feel overwhelmed and will give up before you even give it a fair chance! Be realistic, but don’t make excuses, either! You CAN do it—at least sometimes! Start with an easy goal, like once a week, and see how you can fit in more later on.
8. Plan your hobby, and organize your hobby supplies first (if it’s an “at home” hobby) so that you can spend the time actually DOING the hobby, rather than feeling like you’re spinning your wheels looking for stuff and just generally feeling aimless.
9. If it’s an “away from home” type of hobby, discuss it with your family and see how you can work things out. Why not include Grandpa and Grandma in the “mommy gets a hobby” drive, or an uncle or aunt?
10. If all else fails, invite your girlfriends over (you could rotate having this “hobby party” at different moms’ houses), let the kids play tent or hide and seek in the yard (be sure to pump’m up with plenty of homemade snacks to keep’m going!), and all you moms do something “hobby-ish” together, like play cards, watch a favorite movie, or sit around and make cool mom stuff.