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Because there’s only so many times you can play “I spy” before your brain cells start to evacuate the dancefloor.

I am a contributor who has been writing for BuzzFeed Shopping for over two years with an emphasis on home goods, parenting items and toys, beauty products, and anything that can make your day-to-day life run a little smoother.

Check out a TikTok of Murdle in action. 

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

Promising review: "I'm enjoying answering all the questions in this. Some really make you dig deep, and they also help bring up some forgotten memories. My kids are going to love having this book when I'm gone!" —T Lance

Get it from Amazon for $11.38 or from Bookshop (to support local bookstores) for $20.50. 

Seriously, as an avid pen lover: This is my fave on account of the cuteness *and* the chic-and-practical bag charm part of it all. 

Promising review: "This game is perfect to bring to a restaurant while waiting for dinner. My family all loved it, and it is easy enough for even my 4-year-old. The games go by fast, and I love that all the pieces snap together, making it easy to not lose anything." —Kelly T

I *just* got this because I'm a huge fan of the Coco Wyo style, and this one was just too cute to pass up. Can't wait to throw in my bag on my next road or plane trip.

Promising review: "Get it! This is my first set of alcohol markers (I have the water-based), and I just had to have this cute collab. I am so happy with it. The packaging was very sturdy, and the box is super cute. Markers are in swatch order already. Colors are true, and blending was smooth. Can’t wait to color the whole book!⭐️" —Seir Ortega

Perfect for a new road trip challenge —The Color Hunt: Travel Edition. (Check out this TikTok of some cool humans doing their own photography color hunt!)

Promising reviews: "I've been just delighted with this little camera. I'm new to Camp Snaps, but this felt like a great place to start. I'm a professional photographer, and sometimes that means photography can feel like work. Obviously, it's not the same quality as my DSLR or even my phone camera, but that's exactly what makes it so fun. I love that it's screen-free, slightly unpredictable, and you don't get to see what you took until later. It's put the joy back into photography for me. I've been having an excellent time taking it along on all of my adventures." —Ty

Get it from Camp Snap for $74.95 (available in 10 colors, in a pro version, and as a point-and-shoot video camera!)

Promising review: "We have brought this set on every vacation by car and plane, and it's been so much fun. It's the perfect size, and I love that the two sides connect for transport. We love this game, and taking it on the go has been fun for everyone." —Heather Pace

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 name 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 reviews: "Must-have — especially for on-the-go needs. Easy to zip up. Looks great, and love the battery there to get it ready for the next playtime. Good quality. Belkin is always our go-to." —Pinar

"This is great! The Switch 2 has very poor battery life, so this was a good solution. Very protective and sturdy." —Captain Llama

Get it from Amazon for $69.99 (available in three colors).

They also have color-your-own stickers if you want to share your coloring joy with others. (10/10 recommend putting on your neighbor's stack of papers in meetings.) 

Promising reviews: "I am absolutely in love with these tiny little books. There is no way that I can do one page a day. I do five pages a day and will buy all the seasonal little books I can afford. My 2026 suddenly got a little brighter. Thank you for these tiny little bits of micro joys. Keep up the good work. I plan on turning them into stickers once I finish coloring them. I will add these stickers to my snail mail and all my planners and journals." —Maria

"Love these coloring books! Small enough to fit in your purse. Simple pictures that are quick and easy to color. Adult coloring books are made to help relieve stress. Intricate pictures stress me out. These designs help me relax and can be colored in just a few minutes." —Colleen E

Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in maby styles and multipacks). 

Promising reviews: "Fun game! My whole family loves it. It’s small enough to take around places. Container is well made." —penalope18

"Very easy to use and fun for all ages. Great gift ideas, and it is small and compact, so you can take it anywhere with you!" —Jocelyn

Check out this video of a bookish human taking *their* Kobo to the beach!

I can't say enough nice things about the Kobo. I've had Those Other E-Readers, and while I enjoyed them... y'all, the physical buttons on the Kobo are a delight, being able to sync DIRECTLY from my library via Libby is a game changer, and the serotonin from getting to choose my own screensaver? Game changer. Say hello to *my* new fave throw-in-the-bag pal, for sure.

Promising reviews: "I love my Kobo Libra Colour. The only other e-reader I've had is a Kindle Basic, and I love the Kobo ecosystem much better. I love the buttons. I love the stylus for annotating and highlighting. I love my purchase. Do not regret it!!" —Amber-Rose BROWN

"This is my first e-reader ever, and I love it! Easy to use for a beginner. The touchscreen is fast. No ads. Shows stats/activity use, shows your book cover while sleeping. You can borrow from your local library and plenty more. 😀 Definitely recommend!!" —Darlene Totaram

Get it from Rakuten Kobo for $259.99 (available in black, white, and with or without a stylus). 

Promising review: "This gets 10 stars from the family. I bought the gray version first, and was impressed by the display quality. I bought two of the first generation of Kindle Scribe for my kids before. They love it so much and bring the devices everywhere they go. Now I am getting this one for myself, mainly for taking notes at work. However, the screen looks just too nice to resist. and I am starting to read books now! I am giving this 5 stars, and highly recommend it. And I have just purchased the fig version for my wife. It was supposed to be her Christmas gift. But getting it now as a Valentine's gift. She said it's totally worth the wait. And she falls in love immediately. Also, bringing the device to work for notes and reading during lunch break time." —Denny Chao

Promising review: "I absolutely love this Tamagotchi! It brings back so many childhood memories while still being fun and engaging today. It’s simple to use, interactive, and keeps you entertained as you take care of your virtual pet. The design is super cute, and the quality is great. It’s perfect for both kids and adults who want a bit of nostalgia. Definitely a fun little device to have or even give as a gift!" —Arlin Maciel Corniel

Get it from Amazon for $19.06+ (available in 36 styles). 

Promising review: "One of my favorites ever!!! The idea is perfect, and the pages are all unique and fun to color, with no repetition, and the details aren't too tiny. Great for anxiety if you're doing coloring for mental health. (I hate the pages that are just tiny patterns repeated endlessly. Makes my anxiety worse.)" —Ezra Johnson

Promising review: "This is exactly what I was looking for! It lies 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

Woobles is a small business that specializes in crochet kits. 

Promising review: "Excellent gift for beginners looking to explore crochet or knitting. The materials were of high quality, and everything was explained very clearly. End product looked great too." —Nick

Get it from Amazon for $29.95+ (available in eight styles, and also as Snoopy, Pochacco, a Minecraft creeper, and more!)

Each set comes with a 100-color palette, a sketch pencil, a sponge, a swatch sheet, and three water brush pens. 

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

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in five sizes and styles).

Promising review: "This workbook is perfection. So well made and explained for beginners in the watercolor world. So entertaining yet challenging for more advanced watercolor enthusiasts. I ordered this book, along with some new watercolors to practice with, and from the moment I opened it, I was obsessed. I absolutely love Sarah’s designs. As someone who hasn’t painted in years and has not much experience, I found this book to be so helpful. It was so easy for me to start painting again and remember how much joy I feel while I am doing so. Its instructions, tips, and stunning color combinations definitely helped awaken my creativity a little more each day. 10 out of 10! 🎨🫶🏼" —Ale

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 one, you learn a new fold, and they progressively get harder. Definitely a worthwhile purchase for someone who likes puzzles." —Amazon Customer

Promising review: "I personally have always loved Burn After Writing books. They're so interesting and worth the money you put into getting them. If you're looking for something affordable, self-discovery, or a little recap in your life, I highly, highly recommend!" —Hannah-Aubrey-Jay

This game is suitable for 2–4 players, aged 8 and up. 

Promising review: "We love this game. All the kids are adults, and we have a raucous time playing this. It's a great deal of fun; perfect for family time. The pace is fantastic. Whenever we have a friend over, the first game tends to go a little slower, but it doesn’t take long to learn and develop strategies to win. Love this game!!!" —Amazon Customer

Promising review: "You will get much more out of this than what you paid for. Really well done and fun, even if some players aren't Swifties." —J. Hayes

Promising reviews: "Bought for my wife, who is a huge Swiftie, and she is obsessed! Great gift for anyone who likes Swift. Contains lots of little Easter eggs and nods to a ton of her songs!" —Stephanie Koschel

"This is such an amazing creation. You can tell the illustrator put in SO MUCH WORK into researching the Tay universe and capturing absolutely every detail possible of her entire career. I gasped at the 'No, it's Becky' reference! A job very well done. I am so happy I purchased this!!" —Alexia

Promising reviews: "My kids love these! We gift them, use them as prizes, stocking stuffers, and basket fillers. They put them in their backpacks and take them to restaurants and on road trips. A fun portable craft/activity for all ages." —Mariah 

"These DIY 3D sticker scene books are such a fun and creative activity! The stickers are high-quality, reusable, and easy to work with. I love how many different scenes there are to make, and the little details are adorable. It’s relaxing, great for stress relief, and perfect for kids and adults alike. A wonderful gift idea or activity to keep everyone entertained!" —Ella

Just a quick note that sewing needles are allowed through TSA, but it's a good idea to keep them easily accessible in case they need a quick inspection. Also, any embroidery scissors need blades smaller than 4 inches, like these!

Promising review: "We have a relative who mentioned a desire to take up embroidery. This made a perfect gift for her. I haven't embroidered in years, but I'm considering getting something similar for myself. It includes everything you need for a great price." —Liz Czaja

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  

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Plus, finds from Amazon, Target, and Walmart.

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.

Reviews in this post have been edited for length and/or clarity.