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Have a relaxed but productive (and screen free!) time.

Wanna try something new but don't know where to start? Try a kit or activity that lets you dive right in. Plant some bonsai trees, try your hand at baking sourdough, or get in touch with your creative side with a new art project. 

Promising review: "This is a beautiful practice book. It's top-shelf all the way. The cover is sturdy, so you can use this without a table or desk beneath it. The paper is smooth and thick. This would make a wonderful gift for anyone even remotely interested in modern calligraphy — especially for yourself!" —nclovely1

Promising review: "Very beginner friendly, was supplied with enough supplies to do all the designs, the supplies were good quality, yarn did not fall apart, and still was very soft and glided perfectly through the needle. Totally recommend." —Amanda

Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in seven styles).

Promising review: "This works like magic! It's easy to use and makes a beautiful gift from the kids!" —Sj773

It comes with seeds, burlap growing pots, an expanding-soil disc, bamboo plant markers, a bonsai clipper, and a simple instruction booklet.

Promising review: "Superb place to begin your bonsai hobby! I love growing plants, so I finally decided it was time to try my hand with some bonsai. Needed a good start, though. This right here will be your good start. The package comes with everything you will need for the first few weeks at minimum. Biodegradable pots to germinate your soon-to-be dwarfed trees. Soil platters that will expand to the correct amount for each pot. A nice amount of seeds. I really like the fact that the trees are from different areas." —Jeffrey W.

This kit comes with an eBook, 1,000 pre-generated characters, a map, and more to help you get started. If you're already familiar with DnD, check out one of the many expansion books available.

Promising review: "My son is getting into D&D, and I wanted to get something with some decent starter material. Coming with seven sets of dice, this makes it extremely easy to get games going right away. Not to mention campaigns already ready. If you're looking for a great starter set, this is the one you want!"—Jason Willis

The kit comes with five lighting elements. The finished product can open like a book so you can admire all the details. See the booknook in action on TikTok. 

Promising review: 'OMG! This is every puzzle person’s dream. I finished it in one (very long) session and loved every minute of it. The instructions are very easy to follow. There were extra pieces included. It’s absolutely adorable! I want all of their booknooks." —Rachel

The 78 press-out cards come with illustrations based on the classic Rider-Waite-Smith deck. Grab some colored pencils here!

Promising review: "This little coloring book is delightful! I love the idea of coloring your own cards — putting a little more of 'you' in the 'energy' of the cards. It's soothing and relaxing to color away while contemplating the meaning of the card. I haven't colored all of them yet. I'm taking my sweet time and enjoying the process of creation! The cards come perforated around the edges to help you push them out. They color well." —asha_kira

The book comes with space to draw small things like a nail art design, thimble, and coat button.

Promising review: "The only way that I’m able to make art is when I have a prompt because otherwise I just get stuck on what to draw. This is amazing for people who need to wind down a bit and focus on something. The book is small, but it comes super packed with interactive prompts, and I can’t wait to do them all." —E

It comes with nine colors of clay, a bracelet, tools, glaze, jump rings, charm loops, a display stand, and a 60-page instruction book. 

Promising review: "This is the coolest thing I’ve purchased from Amazon. I’m a crafter, so it fit very well on my shelf of little kits. It’s super easy to follow the instructions — make sure to bake, then put the glaze on the charm. This is really a great gift or activity to do to pass the time. I’m going to try Klutz's other kits." —Brittany

It comes with 275 beads, six double-strand keychains, coordinating cords, and double gold lobster/key ring hooks.

This is one of Oprah's Favorite Things last year! Check out our list of the best kid-friendly items on the list. 

Promising review: "A great tool for keeping your mind busy. The instruction book is a little difficult to follow, but with the use of YouTube and the book makes for a great experience." —Camille L. Branch 

It comes with 25 sheets and instructions. 

Promising review: "My kids and I have a blast making these! I recommend getting a hole punch and making key chains! You could also make super cute earrings as well. Really easy to use product and keeps kids busy for at least an hour." —Amanda 

Promising review: "This mini pottery wheel was great for my daughter, and we had a blast playing with it. It was a bit of a learning curve at first, but we figured it out. I wish the pottery we made could be bigger. Maybe this is just a beginner's kind of device, but it sparked my interest so much that I want to get something larger now and do some real pottery. Overall, it was worth it." —Jason Custodio

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in regular or deluxe, which makes double the amount of projects). 

All reading counts: audiobooks, graphic novels, kid's books, etc. Check out the 52 Book Club website for more details and their community page. 

Promising review: "I'm absolutely in love with this book! I'm fairly new to amigurumi, and I think this book has really helped me along this journey. There are simple patterns and some that are more complex. With every new one, I learn something new about crochet. If you are looking to learn how to make amigurumi, then this is the book for you!" —Olivia M

It comes with an 80-page instruction book, 33 Lego pieces, 6 plastic balls, string, paper ramps, and other components. Reviewers say you may need to supplement the kit with some of your own bricks. 

Promising review: "I purchased this for my grandson. We sat down together and made the first one together. It did require several Lego pieces from his own collection, but the pieces needed to create the catalyst for the chain reaction was in the kit. He’s enjoying it." —Sara

Each cat has a name and scale, from Do to Ti. They meow them when bonked! You can also stack them to create chords. 

Promising review: "Adorable cats. My piano students — and not just the toddlers, but teens as well — can't resist touching them to play some Mother Goose songs." —Eva F.

Get a pack of eight from Amazon for $69.99.

Promising review: "When my granddaughter comes, I always buy her a craft for how to sit and do. She absolutely loves this. Kept her busy for hours and very inexpensive." —Arlene  

Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in 10 designs).

Promising review: "Absolutely love this journal! So so soooo many activities to keep you busy, and the supplies you need are just everyday household items! very fun and engaging, and helps get rid of perfectionism. Also keeps your mind off anxiety and stress. Very helpful and I really love it! The activities vary from sew this page, infuse this page, drop a journal from a high place, freeze this page, press flowers, poke holes in this page, and so much more! There are even activities and a cut-out postcard on the cover jacket. So fun and engaging! Hours worth of activities to do. Worth the money!" —Squishmallows101 

There are 50 pages with different woodsy subjects and places to practice wet-on-dry, wet-on-wet, and other techniques. Also consider getting some watercolors and watercolor brush pens. 

Promising review: "If it were possible to give this book more than five stars, I absolutely would!! Painting is one of my favorite hobbies and finding actual coloring books for painting as a medium is difficult. When I saw this book and how the pictures were pre-sketched and that it gave step by step instructions, I was sold. This is perfect for beginners and skilled painters. It teaches different skills and techniques that really made me feel like an artist! I absolutely love forest animals and the book itself has such a plethora of subjects. I'll definitely be purchasing each and every new edition of this book that becomes available!! Looking forward to the third installment!!" —Amazon Customer

This set doesn't come with paint, so grab some here. Oh! And grab some binder clips here. 

Promising review: "I got this to paint with my 89-year-old mother, and we both loved it. Easy to travel, so we painted at the local coffee shop. Tons of supplies provided. Very happy and well worth it." —Robin

Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in 13 styles).

Promising review: "I’m a young adult who spends a lot of time in the hospital due to bad health issues. Most of the time it’s nerve wracking and very boring. I ordered this little book to take with me for next time, and I was very happy with it! It kept me busy and calmed my nerves. It was easy to do and therapeutic. I like the variety of pictures!" —Cherry  

Promising review: "I honestly thought this was going to be way more complicated than it is. Quality was good and the instructions were perfect. I was able to make my first picture in a few evenings. Very relaxing new hobby :)"—Nikkia 

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $15.99.

The kit includes a set of metal letter stamps, a hammer, a steel bench block with rubber feet, a pair of mini chain nose pliers, a roll of stamping tape, a black enamel marker, a stamping blank, four round stamping blanks, two fishhook earring findings, three cord crimp ends, five jump rings, a faux leather cord, and easy-to-follow instructions.

Promising review: "I bought this as a birthday gift for my 11-year-old daughter. It’s perfect for her. She has had fun creating her own jewelry" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $29.95 (also available in two other styles).

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.

Rebecca O'Connell is a BuzzFeed Shopping editor with over 10 years of experience finding and vetting new products. She's personally tested hundreds of products, sifted through tens of thousands of consumer reviews, and met with countless brands to expand her breadth of recommendations. Her work has been featured in prominent publications like Rolling Stone, Mental Floss, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Merriam-Webster. 

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.