If You’re Committed To Scrolling Less, Here Are 23 Screen-Free Activities That’ll Capture Your Attention
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You know what’s better than doomscrolling? A customized paint-by-number kit that’s modeled after your pet.
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by Divinia Tarin
BuzzFeed BuzzFeed Staff
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by Courtney Lynch
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Amazon
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 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
Get it from Amazon for $19.97.
Check out a TikTok ofMurdle in action.
There are 100 puzzles total, and four different levels: For Elementary puzzles, you need to find the suspect, location, and weapon. For Occult Medium puzzles, the added challenge is that the murderer always lies, and the other suspects tell the truth! For Hard Boiled puzzles, you also need to find motive! And for Impossible puzzles, you have to discover all four elements and deal with the lying witness statement from the murderer. Sounds like fun! Plus, you're also given a logic grid for each puzzle to help you solve it!
Promising reviews: "The puzzles are a lot of fun but the characters, storylines, and other details take the Murdle experience to another level. I have no idea how the author came up with all of this creativeness! 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
"MURDLE is quite possibly the coolest and most fun I have had with logic puzzles in a while. It activates my inner J.B. Fletcher as my mind compiles the clues and sleuths out the answers. The various levels of intrigue allow the amateur sleuth in us all to develop into a top-notch armchair detective. I cannot think of a better way to spend a rainy, sunny, and/or any day than with a little crime-solving." —Highly Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Get it from Amazon for $12.48.
And if (when) you end up needing more puzzles, don't worry — there are three volumes already, plus bonus books. There's also a Murdle Jr. for Kids available!
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 differently. You’re so much more than what’s been done to you and someone’s inability to see your worth does not decrease your value. Choose you for a change." —Brent Helm
Get it from Amazon for$7.70.
Hachette Books
This book is a kind of DIY memoir — it goes through three phases of "Early," "Middle," and "Later" years, and has 201 different prompts based on your memories, experiences, and views on the world. Prompts include things like what you would have switched careers to midway through if given the chance, or a present you got from your parents that sticks in your memory, or who you think the funniest person in your family is. It would make a great gift, and be a fun way to get to know your family and friends a bit better, too!
Get it from Amazon for $11.38.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Each kit comes with two sushi rolling mats, five pairs of chopsticks, a paddle, a spreader, and a PDF of instructions, including recipes for six popular rolls.
Promising review: "The entire Bamboo Sushi Kit is absolutely well made, easy to use, easy to clean, high-end restaurant quality, and durable. It was very nicely packaged, and instructions [were] clear, in-depth, and very easy to follow. No one (myself included) in my household has ever made sushi before but (thanks to the enclosed instructions), there were no issues making it. My daughter did an awesome job utilizing these products to make 'FISH-FREE SUSHI' with Pickled Ginger on top, was delectable! Loooooove it!" —Liza
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (also available in a set of two).
The kit includes a yarn needle, easy peasy yarn, pre-started yarn, a crochet hook, stuffing, eyes, and video instructions.
The Woobles is an Asian-owned small biz selling the cutest beginner crochet kits! You might recognize them from Shark Tank!
Promising review: "I have tried to learn how to crochet with YouTube in the past without success. This kit is fabulous and the online videos are excellent. The project itself was fun. The skills I learned are worth every penny I paid for this kit. I will be buying more to do myself and gift to others!!" —Katt978
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in seven options and a set of four).
Amazon, www.amazon.com
The kit comes with three paintings — two landscapes and one portrait of Bob. It also includes seven paint pots, a miniature paint brush, miniature easel, full-color, fold-out sheets with detailed instructions, and 32-page book on Bob Ross with painting tips.
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.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
The kit consists of a melting pot, seven soy wax packets, one black tin, two metal tins, four glass candle jars, seven fragrance oils, 10 dye blocks, labels, 10 wicks, 10 glue dots, 25 labels, three sets of dried flowers, two centering devices, two gift labels pipettes, a digital thermometer, and stirring spoon.
Promising review: "This is definitely the most luxurious candle making kit I have ever used. Literally everything you need is in this box! This product is not only gorgeous but so much fun! The instruction book is easy to follow and walks you through step by step on making the candles. The included essential oils smell wonderful. It is a nice touch that you also get dried flowers to decorate your candles. And to top it all, you get numerous options of beautifully designed labels to be used with the candles you make. It is just an awesome set. I will definitely order again." —Dovile
Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in five styles).
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). It’s fun, simple and it’s going to look very cute next to my collection of cacti!!" —Abby
Get it from Amazon for $5.99+ (available in 21 different patterns).
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
You get 5 pounds of Crayola Sculpting Clay in a resealable bucket! If you wanna take your activity to the next level, you can color your project with Crayola Project Paint or Crayola Acrylic Paint!
Psst — a lot of reviewers use silicone or plastic molds to get specific shapes!
Promising reviews: "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
"The kids and I have made so much with this. It's so fun! It is not really heavy clay and dries really quickly. We have painted it (or not) and I have also sprayed it with a clear sealer and it turned out great both ways. I do not have any complaints about this product and will probably purchase more in the near future." —T&Z
Get it from Amazon for $11.24.
Each kit comes with a pottery wheel machine, a power adapter, eight sculpting tools, two paint brushes, three packs of air-dry clay, and 12 paints.
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 try 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$47.99 (available in green or purple).
Amazon, www.amazon.com
It includes a blank canvas, 48 specialty pet colors, brushes, and tech tools to make one 8" x 10" painting. The company provides the paint and a QR code to use their tech to turn any pet photo into a "paint by number" template, so you just need a printer to generate the image! Also, this was one of Oprah's Favorite Things in 2023!
Promising review: "This was so much fun! I tried three different photos in the tool they give you. It shows you a preview of each painting, which is really helpful when deciding which image to go with. Not every picture came out as good, so definitely try a few! Easy to use, and fun to paint — excited to frame it! Actually have some paint left over and will try to do another one!" —Jonathan Kebert
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
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 colors).
Each crop produces three to four servings of mushrooms, and each box can grow up two crops.
Back To The Rootsis a California-based small business founded by two college friends that specializes in indoor gardening kits with a mission to reconnect families to food.
Check out a TikTok of the mushroom kit in action.
Promising review: "This product has been so much fun to watch! I followed the directions, exactly as written, and the mushrooms began growing within 3–4 days. I will say that I did soak them for close to 10 hours before putting them back in the box to grow and I believe this helped a ton. I also kept the box inside by a window with the blinds closed in order for them to get indirect sunlight. The mushrooms grew tremendously for almost a week before they started to shrink so I clipped them to cook with and they were DELICIOUS! This was such a fun product and process to watch." —Steph Card
Get it from Amazon for $14.67.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Depending on which version you go for, you'll get 900-1,000 mini pegs and up to 12 HD designs. There are four LED light modes and it's powered by three AA batteries or micro-USB (not included).
Promising review (for the Disney edition): "This Mickey Mouse Lite Brite was such a nostalgic find! It brings back great memories, and the kids absolutely love it! The lights are bright and vibrant, making each design really pop. It’s so fun to create different pictures, and it keeps everyone entertained for hours. The Light Brite works perfectly, and it’s a wonderful activity that we can all enjoy together. Highly recommend for both kids and adults looking for a fun, creative way to spend time!" —Daniella Villanueva
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in four styles).
Amazon
Promising review: "Easy to learn, impossible to master — you can never quite tell what the other person is thinking! Hues and Cues delivers on its promise as a simple and entertaining game with a beautiful board and a fun concept." —Ian Laird
Get it from Amazon for $24.97.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
It comes with four clay pots, complete character instructions, high-quality carded wool roving, four felting needles, and a felting foam pad.
Woolbuddy is a small business that specializes in felting kits.
Promising review: "I was really excited when I got this kit. It comes with all the tools you need, including a variety of colors, and it inspires such fun creature ideas! It also includes a QR code that takes you to several (short) tutorials for different shapes, and teaches you the basics of needle felting! I thought it was going to be much harder than it was. (You don’t even need to watch the whole tutorial to pick it up.) I actually bought the same kit for a friend, who loved it also!" —David
Get it from Amazon for$29.99 (also available in five individual sets).
Uncommon Goods
It includes a silicone mold, round dough cutter, matcha green tea and cocoa powders, potato starch, and step-by-step instructions. You'll just need to add your water, sugar, and your preferred ice cream!
Promising review: "We have gotten a lot of these types of kits over the years. This one was simple to use. My daughter is 14 and was able to completely make these on her own with minimal mess and total success. Oftentimes, these types of kits are frustrating or don't turn out or need a lot of my guidance – this one did not! Win win win! And they taste delicious – and we now know how to make more if we want to." —ithoughtit
Get it from Uncommon Goods for $37.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
This kit includes a 96-page booklet with 38 origami projects and step-by-step instructions. It also comes with 162 sheets of origami folding paper in a variety of colors, plus patterned and foil sheets!
Promising review: "This is everything you could want for an introduction to the art of origami! It has clear instructions, a variety of options and paper too! This has been an entertainment piece for the family for a few nights, as the kids want to try new projects each time. Fun for all!" —Bookbum
Get it from Amazon for $12.71.
Silk + Sonder
Silk + Sonder is a small business founded by Meha Agrawal, a former software engineer who developed the planners as a way for people to stay emotionally and mentally connected with themselves through self-guided structure and creativity.
Promising review: "I started S+S to try and get my anxiety and depression better managed. I was struggling with a pretty bad depression period and wanted to be more proactive. It has kept me accountable and given me a mindfulness outlet which was much needed. I noticed a big change even just in the first week of having my first journal. Now, I am going to stick with it for a while longer! LOVE my Silk + Sonder Journals!" —Lindsey S.
Get it from Silk + Sonder at $33.20/month (available in 1-month, 3-month, and 12-month plans).
Each set comes with two square wooden coasters, four round wooden coasters, mosaic granules (enough for four coasters), protective gloves, craft glue, sealant, a stirring spoon, mixing bowl, and sponge.
Promising review: "This is a very fun hobby to do at home both by yourself or with friends or family. It’s fun and pretty simple to make. Just need to be very steady with your hands and take time. I received many compliments when I showed them to everyone. I might buy more later and do it again. I totally recommend it if you want a little hobby to do." —Lilylove75
Get it from Amazon for$23.99.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Each kit includes two wood carving blocks (one cherry and one basswood), a carving knife, sharpening supplies, finishing supplies, a template, and three types of sandpaper.
Promising review: "The box is packed full of goodies. Fun carving kit! The quality of the wood and the knife look fantastic. I'm excited to begin my wood carving journey. The booklet includes step-by-step instructions on how to carve the bird, tips for carving safely, and even show you how to wrap your fingers to keep them safe. Kit has sandpaper and beeswax included to give the finishing touch to the bird. There is also a tutorial video to help you out! Very satisfied." —Jesi L.
Get it from Amazon for $31.99.
Amazon
The kit includes two recipe cards, the Perfect Pickle Spice, kosher salt, a wide-mouth quart jar with a lid and gasket, and a wet-erase marker.
Fermentaholics is a small business that specializes in pickling and kombucha starter kits.
Promising review: "This kit is great for first-timers or experienced, and makes DELICIOUS pickles, or pickled anything for that matter. Pickles, carrots, onions, asparagus. The instructions are easy to follow and understand. Will be buying as gifts for my pickle-loving friends and more for myself. Makes me want to try the other products this company offers." —KelF
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.
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.
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