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If Your Only Hobby For Years Has Been Scrolling TikTok, Check Out These 37 Things Instead
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BuzzFeed and our publishing partners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Read More Put the phone down and pick up one of these hobbies. I'm a Shopping editor (and mom to two toddlers) who covers a variety of topics, including helpful parenting/kids products, exciting gadgets, cozy products (think: home goods and fashions that'll make you want to snuggle), and any magical Disney item that crosses my path. If you're guilty of ending the day with a too-long TikTok doom scroll, you're certainly not alone. But! It's not too late to change your ways. From a friendship bracelet-making kit and a paint-by-sticker book with a vintage travel theme to a bundle of Lego tulips and a mini Kindle for endless reading, you'll find new ways to spend your time in, well, no time! Promising review: "I cracked it open and built a terrarium! I had the glass bowl and the cactus clippings on hand and hoped everything else would be there. Indeed, all you need is a little plant food and a brush. Took me hardly any time at all, and it came out great. Highly recommend as a fun craft for young and old alike." —Kimm Parker Get it from Amazon for $32.99+ (available without a container or with a variety of containers). The kit includes wooden pressing plates, tweezers, scissors, a craft knife, instructions, five bookmarks, five self-adhesive, semi-transparent films, and five ribbon tassels. Promising review: "My kids love to pick me flowers, and I love to keep them forever. We have made bookmarks for teachers, and I have even purchased some for other moms whose kiddos love to pick flowers. Super easy to use and a fun time for everyone!" —Missy Lovell Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (available in two styles). Promising review: "These are so fun! I love taking them to the lake. They are a bit slippery, which can make shuffling hard, but worth it for the waterproof aspect. They are pretty durable!" —Abby Marsing Get it from Amazon for $15.95 and check out this waterproof version of the ever-popular Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game while you're at it! Promising review: "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 Pitman I bought this kit ahead of attending The Eras Tour and would recommend also buying an additional letter set. For reasons I cannot explain, this one doesn't come with any vowels. 😅 However, the rubbery beads are perfect and very easy to slide onto the clear string that comes with the kit. I loved adding the gold star and circle dividers to add some extra pizzazz to my bracelets. The small scissors in the kit were also great for cutting the string with ease. They were rather soothing to craft, and I had a blast sharing them with other fans at the concert. Definitely get it! Promising review: "I received this kit yesterday, and so far my friend and I have made five bracelets — one anklet and a necklace. Would 10/10 recommend getting one of these kits for yourself, a friend, or someone with a birthday coming up!" —Gail Basically, instead of adding the color to these, you draw lines to create images within the colors. Fun! Pair it with these fabulous black fine-point pens for $9.99 on Amazon to complete the gift. Promising review: "Kendra Norton’s beautiful art books, Reverse Coloring books, have changed my world! My whole life, I thought I was not creative and, therefore, 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 Promising review: "I have the Star Wars and Marvel books in this series, but this one is the best! When you are doing the mazes, you can actually imagine riding the ride, even more if you add some music. The mazes are challenging, even for an adult, but very fun and definitely doable. What I like most about this book is the transition between the queue when you go up and down stairs, and go through tunnels and bridges, but then you 'board' the ride vehicle, and the maze gets all spaghetti-like! Amazing." —JC Get it from Amazon for $13.46 (also available in Marvel and Star Wars themes). I got this for my mom, who, upon waking up each morning, pulls out her phone to try and solve Wordle. She was SUPER excited once she started flipping through it — and I like that it might just get her off that tiny screen for a few. It's also pretty enough to function as a coffee table book. We love a two-for-one! Promising review: "I bought Puzzle Mania for a little brain break and got totally hooked. The puzzles are clever, surprising, and super satisfying — you get that little dopamine hit every time you solve one. I loved it so much I immediately ordered more as gifts. It’s one of those rare, no-fail presents that works for everyone." —Justin C Promising review: "Bought this as soon as I got the email that it dropped on Amazon! Love this series and will continue to purchase them. Was it the most challenging puzzle? No, but that didn't take away from the fun of putting it together. Great artwork, wacky pieces, two posters, you just can't go wrong with a magic puzzle!" —Jennifer Lawton This is one of many puzzles from the Magic Puzzle Company, so there are lots of other ~puzzling~ possibilities once this one's finished! Here's a TikTok that shows how to play. In short, you pick a 2D or 3D puzzle from the guide and set it up to match the image. Start the timer and work to solve the puzzle with the remaining pieces. When done, stop the clock to record your time. Friends can challenge each other or you can play solo to try and beat your own best score. It requires AAA batteries, so be sure to grab some! BuzzFeed contributor John Mihaly has this to say about this game: "We love the classic version in our home, and it's been in heavy rotation since we got our hands on it. The object of the game is to finish a puzzle using all 12 Kanoodle pieces. The 2D version lies flat, while the 3D version (you can play both with this set) requires you to build a pyramid of pieces. Simple, fun, and challenging (harder puzzles reveal fewer pieces to start)." Promising review: "Very easy to use and fun for all ages. Great gift idea and is small and compact, so you can take it anywhere with you!" —Jocelyn Promising review: "Great beginner's deck! Original imagery, detailed guidance on the card including the meaning in the upright and the reverse, yes/no/maybe, the planet, the astrological sign, the Chakra, and more!" —Shawnna Promising review: "This zen garden is absolutely worth it if this is what you're into. The tools provided are excellent in terms of durability and style. The little pieces that come along with it are perfect, and nothing is missing. The sand is fine, but the key is to take your time with your creation. Make sure the lines are even all the way around. I can literally do this for hours and hours... To the creator of this magnificent product, thank you!!!!!" —Customer 123 This book is brand new! So there are no reviews just yet. There are over 1,000 Spanish words and phrases to be found throughout the book, each with the correct pronunciation and definitions alongside them! Promising review: "Not only is this introductory book beautifully put together, but the author also helps you to build your own beautiful style! She provides easy-to-follow guides and plenty of room to practice. Overall, she provides the tools a new hand lettering artist needs in their toolbox and references for different alphabet styles that I continuously look at to practice lettering. I’ve been practicing lettering for a while and have picked up a couple of books here and there to practice with, but this book really took my hand lettering to the next level, physically and with confidence. I also really appreciate that the author used good quality paper to practice on, as I’ve used other books with poor quality paper that has ruined some of my pens. Definitely recommend this to any and especially new hand letterers!" —Melissa Each comes with 12 posters and the stickers to complete them, including beautiful iterations of a lighthouse in Maine and the Monaco Grand Prix. Promising review: "I had never even heard of paint by stickers. I’m so glad I purchased it. It’s so nice to do and relaxing. And I love the travel posters that I’m making." —Patty Z Reviewers also love using it to help kids relax. Promising review: "This little cloud guy is adorable and squishy! His face is very sweet, and the color morphing is great. I really like it’s calming, and even if you don’t use it for meditation, it’s a cute night-light." —RgHound Promising review: "My husband put together the paper airplane and went to the park and had a blast flying it. He flies real planes and remote control ones. I wasn't sure if this would be fun for him, and it was!" —Hill the Thrill Get it from Uncommon Goods for $60+ (available as a bundle). Promising review: "Building this set was relaxing and enjoyable. There is variation between the tulips, so that the build steps are not all the same. The set is packaged in five groupings, allowing you to build two or three tulips at a time without worrying about losing small parts if you're not planning to build the entire set in one evening. I built on my own, but I think this would be a great set to build with a friend or family member. The finished product is attractive and definitely worth displaying. The detail is lovely and the colors make you think of spring." —HuskyFan Get them from Amazon for $59.95 and check out the entire Lego Botanicals collection! Promising review: "As the world’s biggest Pokémon fan, I was ecstatic when I found out that LEGO was releasing a Pokémon line. After building Eevee, I had high expectations for Pikachu. LEGO definitely didn’t let me down. Pikachu looks amazing once complete and is extremely detailed. The display stand and lighting bolts add some pizzazz to the set. The set does have a decent amount of repetition, considering Pikachu is symmetrical. I do wish that you could display it off the display stand. But, overall, I really enjoyed this set. Can’t wait to build the big one." —PhillyCharizard006 And it stores in a convenient case for storage between games. Promising review: "This product met all expectations! Easy to set up right out of the box. We've used it on our kitchen table as well as a fold-up table on vacation. The paddles and ping pong balls are top-notch. The carrying case makes it easy to transport. I bought other ping-pong balls, and they weren't as good as the ones from this brand. Perfect for indoor or outdoor fun!" —SS There are 100 puzzles total, and four different levels of difficulty to tackle —each puzzle features a logic grid to help you solve it! 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 such 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 If you want to keep the fun going you can *also* snag Murdle: Volume 2 and Murdle: Volume 3 for more puzzling. Promising review: "I absolutely LOVED this book from the creative activities to the photos of the art — chef's kiss!! The photos of the crafts and trinkets were so well thought out and just so visually appealing. The breakdown of each activity was also very easy to understand and insightful." —lepetit The kit's three paint-by-number canvases include two landscapes and one portrait of Bob. They'll also get an instruction sheet and a mini book all about Bob! 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 Get it from Amazon for $8.76 and check out the coloring book version! 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: "The company is very supportive and their kit is great. It has everything you need to start working with wood. Additionally, I have really appreciated the professionalism and customer service received from them." —Sam Promising review: "Came with all the gems 💎 and supplies needed to get this done! I only used one of the red sticky pads and hand-placed them one by one. It took me about a month and a half to complete because I did it on and off during my free time. It is truly therapeutic and good for mental health, and super satisfying when completed! 👍" —Allyssa Allison 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 five styles). I own Coco's Cozy Corner coloring book and love using it to unwind after a chaotic day of chasing around my toddlers. The Girl Moments iteration is just so cute, it'll likely be my next purchase after I finish the one I have! Promising review: "I absolutely love this book! The illustrations are beautifully detailed, and the paper quality is outstanding. It's a great way to unwind and get creative. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys coloring!" —Sorianny Check out a TikTok of the mini Kindle in action. Promising review: "This is such a great Kindle! It’s lightweight, the perfect size for going in a purse or bag, and the matcha is SUCH a great color. I already have a Paperwhite SE that I love, so I decided to get this Kindle for travel purposes. The battery life isn’t as great as my Paperwhite, but it still lasts me a while with daily reading! It fits perfectly in my hands and makes reading very comfortable. The only thing it is missing is the warm light option, but that is not a deal breaker for me. If you are looking for a lightweight and comfortable Kindle, this is the one for you." —Christine Heath Get it from Amazon for $109.99 (available in black and matcha, and with or without an ad lock screen). MNM Impressions Co is a small business based in Missouri that sells handmade wooden items. Promising review: "Item matched description and met expectations. Super cute bookmark idea. I paired this with a page holder for a reader-themed white elephant gift exchange, and the recipient loved it." —Ashley Get it from MNM Impressions Co on Etsy for $4.05+ (available in two sizes). Tina's House is a Sydney, Australia–based small business. Promising review: "Really cute kit to try punch needle crafts. I like that the kit came with everything I could need to complete the project, and the tools are of good quality. Fun and easy!" —Christie Get it from Tina's House on Etsy for $57.69+ (available in three colors). BuzzFeed Home and Garden Editor Sally Elshorafa has and loves this book! She said, "This book rules! There are SO MANY STICKERS of all sizes, so you never really run out of ways to use them. J'adore!" Promising review: "The stickers are unique and beautiful. The pages on the back of the stickers are equally as stunning. Get it!" —k80 Get it from Amazon for $16.62 (also available in a second version). Also check out a Taylor Swift Eras-inspired sticker book. The Cherry Blosson US is a North Carolina–based small business. Promising review: "This is the cutest embroidery kit! I purchased this for my mom who's just been placed in a nursing home, and she loves cross-stitching. I can't wait for her to see this. I know she'll love it!" —Janae Get it from The Cherry Blosson US on Etsy for $15.29+ (available in nine designs). Promising review: "This model has been such an enjoyable build. As of now, I am not completely finished. Having put in around 20 hours, I'd say I have another 8 hours to go. The pieces are all vibrantly pre-painted, except for one large base piece. The glue and tweezers that come with it are perfect for the job. The cloth I had gotten for the couch was not large enough, but I improvised by using another color cloth (that also came with the kit) for the seat. The attention to detail in this little study is just first-class. I even recognized books that I have read/purchased in the past within this model! I have no experience building wooden kits, and I still managed to do this one perfectly with minimal struggle. I will certainly be buying more Robotime models in the near future; the greenhouse one is next :)!" —B.R.J.G. Get it from Amazon for $41.99 (available in eight other styles). It has 25 projects that'll each take less than 30 minutes to complete. Heads up that you'll need to grab a watercolor paint set, too. Promising review: "This workbook is perfection. So well made and explained for beginners in the world of watercolor. So entertaining yet challenging for more advanced watercolor enthusiasts. I ordered this book and 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 little experience, I found this book very 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 The kit includes the yarn and needles. The PDF pattern will be sent to your email. There's enough clay to make 20 projects. Make It Real is a small business that sells kid-friendly art kits. 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 $14.99+ (available in two styles). If you don't own a Nintendo Switch 2 yet, you can snag one on Amazon for $449. I am not mincing my words when I dare say this game is better than Animal Crossing. At the time of this writing, it has only been released for a little over three weeks, and yet there are already a wild amount of videos across social media platforms with players showcasing their custom buildings and their experiences throughout the game (my 4-year-old has been begging to watch them nightly). There is just so much to do that I can't even begin to scratch the surface (though that's mostly because I have a full-time job and am a mother of two). My husband and I have been fans of the franchise since we were kids and cannot get over 1. how beautiful *and* fun this game is, and 2. how it honors the original games' origins' in such a special way (don't worry, no spoilers). Playing it feels like visiting old friends! But even if you weren't an OG player, you'll still enjoy logging hours on this game. My fellow editor and pal Jenae Sitzes has also jumped on this bandwagon, and we are having a *blast* talking about how much fun it is (and by that I mostly mean sending silly memes back and forth of people "watering" their plants by spitting on them and oggling over all the incredible things players have built that we'll never get to do). This game is a bonding experience! Just dive right in! Promising review: "This really is a great, cozy game. Lots to do, the storyline is interesting, and it's nice to see a Pokémon IP that isn't just the same regurgitated formula. I also really like the developer's previous Dragon Quest Builders games. That said, there is no combat or fighting, so as mentioned, this is 100% for cozy gamers." —Brandon O'Bryan Get it from Amazon for $69.99 (available in physical or digital copies). 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. Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.