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.

You did it! The kids are in bed, and you can enjoy some quality me-time!

Let me start off by saying I have two toddlers and I am EXHAUSTED. By the time they've finally gone to bed, I'm desperately in need of a way to decompress. Chances are, if you have kids, you are too. From a mini Bob Ross paint-by-numbers kit to a diamond painting coaster set and a mini Kindle to a beginner's watercolor book, one of these soothing new hobbies might just be exactly what you need to unwind from a day of parenting.

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!

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.

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!

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 awhile 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

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 including a little plant food and a brush. Took me hardly anytime 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 $12.99+ (available without a container or with a variety of containers).

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

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (clip the 20% off coupon on the product page for this price). 

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 when I had 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 $9.99 (available in five styles). 

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

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

Tina's House is a Sydney, Australia–based small business. 

Get it from Tina's House on Etsy for $54.90+ (available in three colors).

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 for $4.15+ (available in two sizes).

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 $23.70 (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).

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 watercolor world. So entertaining yet challenging for more advanced watercolor enthusiasts. I ordered this book as well as 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

The kit includes the yarn and needles. The PDF pattern will be sent to your email. 

Cooking Gift Set is a small business. The kit comes with six tart rings, a piping bag, three nozzles, a coupler, a candy thermometer, a baking mat, and instructions (thankfully).

Promising review: "I just tried this product for the first time the other night. It was so easy, I couldn’t believe it! The dough recipe that came with it turned out so delicious. I am very pleased with this kit. I can’t wait to make more tarts." —capy

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

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 to flip through it — and I like that it just might get her off that tiny screen for a few. It's also pretty enough to function as a coffee table book. We love a 2-for-1!

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: "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).

...and the celestial design on the front is stunning, if I do say so myself.

Promising review: "This book helps you understand that it’s okay to be completely honest with yourself. The book itself was in great condition with clean pages. I can’t wait to venture more into this lil' journey with myself. ♥️" —Molls

The bouquet includes 15 stems with a mix of flower and leaf varieties, including roses, snapdragons, and poppies, and it uses elements made from plant-based plastic. My 3.5-year-old is Lego-obsessed and had a blast working on these with me! They appear intricate, but, honestly, weren't hard to put together at all (and I'm a Lego novice)!

Promising review: "Buy this for anyone in your life who loves gardening, and you are guaranteed to see their face light up when they open it up. Got it for my mom on her birthday, and she thought it was the coolest gift ever." —Greg

Get it from Amazon for $48.49 and check out the entire Lego Botanicals collection!

This set comes with 880 pieces and features recreated versions of golden pyrite, purple amethyst, blue fluorite, watermelon tourmaline, reddish-pink rhodochrosite, and tangerine quartz.

Promising review: "One of Lego's most unique and beautiful sets I’ve seen in a while! Had so much fun putting this together and seeing all the different pieces used in the set ~ the design and color palettes are just gorgeous. Love how it looks on my bookshelf with my botanicals!" —Parker McIntyre

Promising review: "I’m 17 and I loved this. In the intro, it says the page instructions are all up to interpretation, so if it says 'spill your drink' or something, you can take that literally or choose to paint on it with something such as tea or coffee that’ll look like brown watercolor. I love that it’s bizarre prompts, but that you have wiggle room if you don’t want to do anything too wild. I would recommend this if you’re just looking for something fun or if you’re going through some challenges, this is really helpful to distract/express/push yourself!" —Marlee

I've been lucky enough to test this baby out since it was first released in June 2025, but I hadn't been able to write up a review because, until recently, it was CONSTANTLY out of stock EVERYWHERE! Finally, it appears to be available (phew), so you can *also* get your hands on it and join me in my daily gaming fun. You can easily link your old account to your new system, so no need to fret about the games you've already been happily playing for years. Your eyeballs will be so pleased with the new, bigger, brighter screen, and you're going to LOVE being able to play the new Mario Kart World virtually with your friends and family. I'll report back with more details as more new games become available, but so far it has definitely felt like a worthy investment. My husband and I have been arguing over who gets to play Donkey Kong Bananza after the kids go to bed... we might need to buy a second one.

Promising review: "This is my first time getting a Nintendo Switch, and I have honestly been using it non-stop since I got it. It’s so much fun and definitely worth the investment — I can tell it’s built to last for years of gaming. The battery life has been great; I haven’t had any issues at all, and a full charge lasts me several days of casual to moderate gameplay. I also love how versatile it is — it can be used in handheld mode, docked, or on a tabletop — it really adapts to how I want to play. Overall, it’s an amazing console that’s perfect for both gaming at home and on the go." —Ashanttii Studio

Get it from Amazon for $449.99+ (also available with a Mario Kart World bundle or a Donkey Kong Bananza bundle).

My husband and I (he more than me) would consider ourselves to be rather avid gamers. Growing up, PlayStation was always my console of choice, so I was super excited to get my hands on a newer model as an adult. It's honestly all it's hyped up to be! There are *so* many games to play now, it's overwhelming to even try to choose. That being said, our first foray into the PS5 was through Baldur's Gate 3 (which was 2023's Game of the Year winner). The experience was out of this world, honestly. The picture was so clear and the gameplay was seamless — even while playing alongside one of our friends. We always tend to get a lot more use out of it when the weather gets colder (and, ideally, our kids sleep all night).

Promising review: "The PlayStation 5 Pro takes gaming to the next level with ultra-sharp 4K visuals, smoother frame rates and stunning ray tracing. The PSSR AI enhancement makes games look incredible, and the 2TB SSD provides ample storage. It’s sleek, quiet, and feels premium. Delivery was quick and packaging was perfect." —Uzzam Soomro

Get it from Amazon for $499.99 (also available in various bundles).

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

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 $11.99 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: "My 11-year-old artist really loves this. It’s easy to carry around to restaurants or in the car. The prompts can be drawn simply or with more detail. Definitely a great purchase!" —Annie

Promising review: "I'm normally bored by crosswords and word-search puzzles after a short time, but these have a twist in that you have to answer five Jeopardy-type questions in order to get all the clues for the puzzles. And they aren't necessarily easy, although if you don't know the answer, you can generally figure it out. I have enjoyed a number of the Brain Games series, and this is one of the best." —Ginger Russell

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

Back to the Roots is a small business based in California that was founded by two college friends. They specialize in indoor gardening kits with a mission to reconnect families to food.

Promising review: "This product has been so much fun to watch! I followed the directions, exactly as written, and the mushrooms began growing within three to four 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. I am now in the process of trying to get a second batch of shrooms from the same box — fingers crossed!" —Steph A

I gifted this to my mom, and it's been such a hit! All you have to do is fill the stand with water, dip the bamboo brush in, and start creating! It's surprisingly super soothing and is great because you don't have to think long and hard about what to draw since it disappears anyway! It's a great practice in the "art of letting go" and is honestly a lovely way to spend an hour unwinding. My toddler also loved playing with it during our last visit to their house — he was so enamored by the fact that he could draw with water and watch it disappear.

Promising review: "I work at a college in an environment where I am stressed out a lot, but I also have a lot of stressed-out college students in my office! The Buddha Board is incredibly soothing to 'paint' on (only requires water and helps remind me that tough days will fade away just like my artwork does. Several of my coworkers have this in their offices, too. And, of course, it's great when you're not stressed out too — just fun to play with!" —Violet Kayjee

Check out this TikTok to see it in action.

BuzzFeed editor Melanie Aman says, "My partner and I had been on the fence about upgrading our coffee setup to include an espresso machine, but were always a bit leery about the price. Would we use it enough to make it worth it? Would it be a hassle to use? Would it take up a good chunk of our kitchen counters?

Let me say that we are kicking ourselves for not getting one sooner! While this was a very thoughtful gift for my partner's birthday from his family, it is truly worth the price tag and is something I would totally repurchase with my own money if I ever needed to. We've used it pretty much every day since we got it, which means that the amount we've saved on espresso drinks at NYC coffee shops has pretty much covered the price of the machine. TBH, I don't even want to go get coffee elsewhere unless it's a super fancy, seasonal latte that I can't make at home.

Using the machine is incredibly easy: It turns on with the push of a button and is ready to use in seconds — no waiting 20 minutes for the machine to warm up! The touchscreen, which I didn't think I needed initially, is a huge reason that I would recommend splurging on this model over its cheaper cousin, the Breville Barista Express (which is also on sale and a fan favorite, so still a solid option!). It's nice to toggle through the menu to select the drink you want. And the touchscreen walks you through each step, so the process doesn't seem so intimidating. You can even save custom drinks once you find the settings you like. We haven't had the machine long enough to have to descale it, but given how easy every other part of using and cleaning this machine is, I'm not super concerned.

This has been a truly delightful addition to my kitchen, and if you're on the fence like I was, do it, do it, do it! You will not regret it!

Get it from Amazon for $675.95 (available in two colors).

* I Could Never Gatekeep These 28 Parenting Products From You

* Parenting Products So Good, You’ll Make It Your Personal Mission To Tell All Other Parents About Them

* For Anyone Trying To Be The "Fun" Aunt Or Uncle, 30 Birthday Gifts Kids Will Love

* Dresses, Tops, And Jumpsuits Reviewers Swear By For Breastfeeding

* Toys That Parents Swear Kids Won’t Get Tired Of After A Week

* Storage And Organization Products For Anyone With A Playroom That Looks Like A Toys ‘R’ Us Exploded

* Toddlers Are Kinda Gross, Here Are 21 Problem-Solving Products To Help With *That*

* Essentials You’ll Need When It's Finally Time To Start Giving Your Baby Real People Food

Plus, quiet toys, crafting kits, time-savers, travel strollers (and other must-haves for traveling with kids), baby shower gifts, options for your next family game night, train sets, and newborn essentials.

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.

This piece is by Heather Braga, a Shopping editor (and mom to two toddlers) who covers a variety of topics, including things that'll make parents' lives (hopefully) easier, exciting gadgets, cozy products (think: home goods and fashions that'll make you want to snuggle), and any magical Disney item that crosses her path.