buzzfeed Press
29 Soothing Hobby Products For Anyone Who Needs To Relax
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We hope you love our recommendations! While every product is independently chosen by our editors, BuzzFeed and our publishing partners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. You can read more about how our affiliate partnerships work in our Editorial Standards & Ethics Guide. Take a breath and let your anxious hands crochet a super cute narwhal while you give your brain a break. Foldology is a small business that specializes in unique puzzles. Promising review: "So much fun! This activity has provided hours of enjoyment. They start off easy and with each you learn a new fold and they progressively get harder. Definitely a worthwhile purchase for someone who likes puzzles." —Amazon Customer Psst — Coco Wyo has a *ton* of other cozy stress relief coloring books with different themes in their Amazon storefront! Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon for $12.34! Promising review: "I've always loved coloring, but it had been many years since I last did it. I bought this book to unwind and relax while painting, and it was a great choice! It offers a variety of scenes, making the experience even more engaging. It allows you to explore creativity and experiment with different color combinations from your marker set. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a calming and artistic escape!" —Ally Check out a TikTok of the reverse coloring book in action. Promising review: "Kendra Norton’s beautiful art books have changed my world! My whole life, I thought I was not creative and had zero artistic ability. Now, this has become my favorite form of artistic expression. I turn on music and/or an audiobook and allow myself to go for an adventure outside of my mind, beyond my mind, if you will. This has become my favorite way to process through difficult emotions and experiences I’m working through." —K. DeWitt And check out these cult-fave black fine point pens for $11.99 on Amazon for a good doodling option! The best part?? Once you finish "Murdling," you can use your sleuthing skills on Volume 2, Volume 3, and a whole BUNCH of other themed Murdle books! Promising review: "The puzzles are a lot of fun, but the characters, story lines, and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativity! You can Murdle solo or with friends. I look forward to future volumes, but this one will keep me busy for a while!" —Liz Gately The kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel. Promising review: "I have to admit I was skeptical because of the price and size. However, I got these for my husband for his birthday (he loves Bob Ross) and what a find!! We had so much fun mixing colors and painting. Would definitely recommend. The fact that they are small makes them even more special. I wish there were more to paint!" —slb m Promising review: "Perfect for a newbie like me! I’ve never fermented anything before. In fact, I’m quite a picky eater when it comes to food. I have recently come to learn so much more about fermented foods and how healthy they are for is, so I wanted to try it. I followed the cookbook instructions and my first batch of red cabbage was amazing! This kit gave me everything I needed to make my first batch and it was actually edible to me (remember…very picky eater) so it performed its job splendidly!" —Trisha Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (also available in a version for wide-mouth jars, and a smaller kit with a jar). Promising review: "I first saw this book on TikTok and decided to look more into it. I purchased four total because I know some people holding onto things that are difficult to let go of. It’s a great way to look at things from a different perspective and truly hold yourself accountable to different things in your life. I love what it stands for and I look forward to when I burn mine after I’m done. Self love, self care, and meditation for a better state of mind tomorrow is always the goal. I definitely recommend it to those susceptible to change and the willingness to try things different." —Brent Helm Get it from Amazon for $11.61 or from Bookshop (to support local bookstores) for $18.64. Promising review: "Another stellar puzzle from Magic Puzzle Company, featuring high-quality pieces, a hidden final image, and a unique solving experience. The artwork is full of detail, making it an immersive and engaging build. The pieces fit together snugly, with no puzzle dust, and the final reveal adds an element of surprise. If you’re looking for a high-quality puzzle that’s more than just a standard jigsaw, this one is worth every penny." —Baloptimus Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (and check out the assortment of Magic Puzzles for more options). Woobles is a small business that specializes in crochet kits. Promising review: "Excellent gift for beginners looking to explore crochet or knitting. Materials were high quality and everything was very clearly explained. End product looked great too." —Nick Get it from Amazon for $29.95+ (available in seven styles). Promising review: "This is exactly what I was looking for! It lays flat to easily complete the word search and not have to fight with the book. There are different types of puzzles, and some have extra secret searches! It’s great for the slow days at work!! I will definitely be buying more of these word searches!" —Roy Y Hahn Kunitsa Co. is a small business that specializes in reading, exercise, and food journals. Promising review: "This book journal had plenty of room for all the book reviews and so much more. It has pages for daily reading tracking, pages for reading goals, pages for DNF books, favorite books, loaned-out books, and tons of review pages all you have to do is feel it out. It’s perfect!!!!" —Cody McNeal Get it from Amazon for $22.95 (available in six styles). Promising review: "I LOVED playing with Legos as a kid and have recently been having a blast trying out some of their offerings for adults. This set was super fun to put together and looks so pretty! Everything is so well done, from the gorgeous instruction manual to the amazing, unique Lego pieces for this set. If you're looking for a peaceful and entertaining way to kill some time, this is a great choice!" —Lena Psst — a lot of reviewers use silicone or plastic molds to get specific shapes! Promising review: "It’s honestly just a really nice material to work with! If you want to create things with clay, this is definitely a good choice! It’s definitely not for professional use, but I feel like that’s a given? I mean, it is Crayola. But all in all, great for those who want to use it for fun!" —Amazon Customer Promising review: "I am amazed how well thought through this product is. It is very compact and has everything you need to get started and trying your hand at pottery! My kids immensely enjoyed using it and were very excited with their creations. It's very compact, built with very good quality materials. The wheel is very stable and you can control the speed as you get the hang of it. It's well priced for a starter kit and overall a great kit." —Synghal Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available in two colors). Promising review: "This is a must have. Best lazy bread making experience you’ll ever have! Put everything into one container and then cook it in the same container! When you wash it everything slips off with no scrubbing needed. The brioche recipe rivals fresh bread served at restaurants." —Djacobs103 Promising review: "Love collecting watercolor sets, and this one is amazing — so many exquisite colors to paint with. Creativity is everything, and imagination with all these colors is unlimited. Pure happiness!" —pve Each set comes with a detailed numbered outline, four brushes, and a set of numbered acrylic paints with extra to spare. Promising review: "Colorful and fun! This is the third paint-by-number I’ve done, and by far the most challenging. Lots of fine point detail, and the paint brushes included were adequate, unlike other PBN sets I’ve bought." —Emily cox Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 27 styles, three sizes, and with or without a frame, including a DIY frame option). Promising review: "The designs and colors are the same as shown on Amazon. Finished coasters sparkle, and the vibrant colors create eight very cute cats. There were plenty of beads to complete the project, and adhesion was excellent. Letters and numbers were sharp and easy to follow. I am delighted with these coasters." —PackLeaderJ Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in four styles). Each kit includes two wood carving blocks (one cherry and one basswood), a carving knife, sharpening supplies, a template, and three types of sandpaper. Promising review: "What a fun and relaxing project. Very easy to accomplish a bird figure with this kit. This is a very beginner-friendly project, and also fun for experienced carvers. The instructions are straightforward and easy to follow, with pictures to guide you through the process. Everything you need to carve, sand, and finish the bird is provided conveniently in the kit. I really enjoyed crafting a bird figure with the kit and recommend this for anyone who wants to get into wood carving or is looking for an easy project for the weekend. Have fun and don't forget to strop the carving knife often to maintain a sharp cutting edge." —J.leprgoblichaun Each kit comes with a simple design, a cotton cloth, a bamboo embroidery hoop, a little scissor, colored threads, embroidery needles, and instructions, so you should be raring to go when it arrives! Promising review: "I’ve never done anything like this before ... but I like to try new things, and I’ve just recently moved and wanted to decorate my house with some handmade decor. This kit is a great value for the price! It came with the hoop, more than enough thread, and two needles! The printed pattern is very clear and easy to follow, and the little sheet of instructions on what stitch to use and how to do it is clear enough (and anything I don’t understand, I just watch a tutorial on YouTube). I’m about three hours into the project already, and I didn’t want to put it down last night." —Abby Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in 21 patterns and colors). Promising review: "Edd Kimber is so creative with his bakes and this book is full of fun and interesting cookie recipes. love the flavors in this book...subtle and layered. Baking small batches is surprisingly liberating. Most ingredients are on hand and I'm not stressing about what to do with large quantities of cookies. With small amounts, it feels easier to play and experiment." —Monica Each kit includes four natural crystal-filled geodes, one pair of safety goggles, one display stand, and one learning guide. Promising review: "I’m an adult in my 30s, but I was such a rock nerd as a kid, so when I saw this kit, I knew I had to buy it! I ended up buying it for myself and my adult siblings as a Christmas present — we had so much fun cracking open the rocks on Christmas Day, it brought be back to my childhood! Highly recommend this kit. You get a lot of rocks for the price, and it’s so fun cracking open a rock and discovering what’s inside." —Anna Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three sizes). Promising reviews: "Got this for a student who is struggling with feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and anger. She hated regular journaling, hasn't taken to any of the coping skills we've tried so far, but...She LOVED this!!! She was so excited to take it with her and have it available during classes. I already ordered another one for another student to try." —Jackie "I am 50 and I love it. It has helped me reconnect with my inner child and helped me accomplish creative mini goals, which is cool. I highly recommend, especially for the price!!" —Toni Adams Paper Peony Press is a Texas-based boutique publishing company that specializes in purpose-driven books. Promising review: "I’ve tried several instructional books on hand lettering. This book is the best by far. I won’t say the names of the other books, but suffice it to say they are all at the top of the list when you search for hand lettering. It is the only book that gives practice for the base strokes and also discusses posture and how to hold the pen, and at what angle to the paper. It is also a lovely book to work with; nice artwork/illustrations. I recommend this book to other beginners out there!" —Karen Rorick Promising review: "I am delighted with this product. The accompanying instructions were very helpful. I made my first hand-churned butter, which I consider being a homage to my grandparents, who were dairy farmers. The process is really surprising when the butter seizes up — I think it was very important to me to see and experience that moment. Subtle, but crucial... At any rate, I used it, cleaned it, so have experienced both. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this little yet sophisticated butter churn." —Nanci Hamilton Promising review: "I used these molds to create homemade Nestle Crunch bars. It was easy to load these molds. I placed them on baking sheets and banged them on the counter to remove air bubbles, then loaded into fridge/freezer. The molds are compact enough that they fit easily into my side-by-side fridge. I did not add any release agents to the molds before using, and the chocolate bars popped out very easily." —Keith G. Eighty Eight Miracles is a small business that specializes in tarot decks. Promising review: "I've been reading tarot for close to 15 years and have had many decks. This deck is one of the most beautiful I have purchased. I love the simplicity and elegance of the gold on black. I also love the enormous size. Yes they are a bit more difficult to work with, but I've always loved larger decks. They give an air of mystery, glamour, and drama. I recommend shuffling sideways or doing a table shuffle." —K. Lily Shrinky Dink paper lets you color designs on it that you can then cut out and bake to shrink them down, giving them a stained glass effect that makes them great for keychains, suncatchers, and little trinkets. Promising review: "Fun for ALL ages! Recently remembered how fun these were. I have a smaller daughter, so it gave me an excuse to buy these. They're secretly for me — half kidding. These are so simple to use and create great crafts. These will keep your little one's imagination going, occupied, and helps practice fine motor skills. I would definitely recommend to ANYONE, not just little humans." —Alex Soper Get a 25-sheet set from Amazon for $14.99. BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: Our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way. Karly Jacklin is a resident writer, cat mom, and obsessive online shopper who is passionate about quirky pet products, home decor, size-inclusive fashion, and, above all, perfumes. Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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