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37 Fun Activities To Keep You From Being Glued To Your Screen This Summer
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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 Why spend hours on TikTok when glow in the dark mini golf exists? I'm a resident writer on the Buzzfeed Shopping team, where my love for shopping (and doomscrolling on TikTok) helps me curate lists of the most trending lifestyle, home, beauty, and fashion products. The set comes with nine holes, four golf balls, and a dry-erase scorecard. To play at night like the reviewers above, grab some light-up golf balls. And don't forget clubs! Promising review: "We tried to set it up in the grass, and that's not really ideal, but on a patio or down a hall — it's so much better. The silicone molding is so lightweight, and the little flag centers are marvelous to make you feel like you are more than a new learner! The set is complete with four foam balls and a scoreboard that you use a dry-erase marker on. GREAT to use only a few of the pieces for a short game for kiddos or the entire set for a more competitive experience." —Momakookie Check out these other fun versions of sticker-by-number if flowers aren't your thing. 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 absolutely love this sticker puzzle book. Illustrations are beautiful. Each puzzle has a written part of the story to go with it, so it reads like a super-mini story. The perforated pages come out without a hassle. Puzzle pieces are scattered about the page as one would expect from a puzzle. Quality is fantastic! I’m having so much fun with this. Highly recommend. I hope they create more of these." —joeschmoe Get it from Amazon for $10.48 (also available in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Edgar Allan Poe, and The Great Gatsby). Promising review: "If you love to spend your time doing arts and crafts. This will have you entertained for hours!! I love spending my time doing activities like these instead of being glued to the TV or a cellphone. Super easy to use. Very durable. The number of colors I received was more than enough. Age range can be 3+ years. I’m 25 years old and am having a blast playing with this." —Vanessa Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in packs of 24 and 36). Each kit comes with 9,600 clay beads in 48 different colors, 850 accessory beads and pendants (like letters, pearls, hearts, and shells), elastic string, tweezers, scissors, and earring hooks, so you won't have to buy anything separate to kickstart your jewelry-making era. Promising review: "Gifted the set to my niece, and she is making bracelets and necklaces without stopping. 🙂 Having so much fun. I personally liked that everything is packed nicely. The organizer box is amazing. The colors of heishi beads are so unique. And good quality of the golden letters beads." — Svetlana Makarenko Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in gold and silver). The game mat measures 4' x 4' and is machine washable! It comes with a carrying bag and 24 jumbo playing discs (12 red and 12 black). The discs are made of non-toxic, recycled EVA foam. Swooc Games is a small business that makes fun games for family and friends. The company is committed to maintaining a net-zero footprint by planting trees to offset 100% of its carbon emissions. Promising review: "This 4' x 4' reversible game mat is great for indoor and outdoor fun! I love that you can play checkers or tic-tac-toe, and all of the supplies fit in a portable bag that is perfect for storage and/or traveling. The mat is machine washable, and the pieces are made of foam that is eco-friendly. The best part about this game set is how easy it is to set up and put away. I am looking forward to using this game with friends, family, and in my classroom." —Sixth Grade Teachers This kit provides you with a banneton basket, a dough whisk, a dough cutter, five blades (with a leather cover) for designs, a bowl scraper, a scoring lame, and even a cleaning brush. You can also use the recipe book to try out different loaf recipes or to get a better understanding of every tool. Promising review: "This is just what I was looking for to start my sourdough bread journey while healing from a surgery and on leave from work. It kept me busy, and I still use it today. Great quality, durable items." —joanne Get it from Amazon for $23.74+ (available in two banneton basket shapes and in gift sets). This kit comes with 139 pieces, but requires craft glue to stick all the small details together and two AAA batteries for the LED lights. Promising review: "I gave my wife one of these for Christmas, and she absolutely loved it! She's kind of a bookworm, so this was perfect for her bookshelf. It was fun to build and pretty simple to assemble. Putting the individual books together was a bit daunting, but the final product made it all worth it. As for quality, the pieces are very thin and sort of fragile (but that's the case with most DIY models), but overall, pretty solid in construction. Well worth every penny, and kept my wife busy for a month! My only real gripe about it is that the light switch is in the bottom back of it, so turning it on and off can be kind of a pain, having to pull it out of the bookshelf every time. Otherwise, it was a successful purchase, and the perfect gift! I'd recommend it to anyone!"—Daniel Get it from Amazon for $26.38+ (available in nine designs). You'll be able to practice every cake decorating technique as this set comes with 12 different nozzle tips, a spinning cake board, 50 disposable piping bags, two reusable ones, two icing spatulas, and three cake scrapers. It even comes with how-to guides and videos so you know exactly how each tool is used. Promising review: "I got this for my little sister’s birthday since she loves decorating cakes, and it turned out to be a perfect gift. For the price, the quality is really solid — definitely a great starter set or something for casual decorators. She especially loved the guide that explains how to use each tip — super helpful for learning and pretty accurate. Great for helping her get ideas. The turntable glides smoothly, and the coupler makes switching tips easy. The piping bags are decent; they work fine for most frostings, though super-thick buttercream can cause them to burst if overfilled. There’s a nice variety of piping tips, and the frosting spatulas (especially the offset one) have been really useful for her. She’s already made some adorable cake and cupcake designs using this kit. Overall, it’s a great gift for anyone just getting into cake decorating — fun, functional, and really encouraging for creative baking." —Atali Bouck Get it from Amazon for $19.85 (available in five colors). 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 $13.69. The ring easily comes apart and fits in the provided drawstring bag, so you can truly take it anywhere you go. Just make sure when setting it up, you stretch the net over the ring just enough to get a good bounce. My review: This was a HUGE fan favorite amongst my roommates and me in college! Especially living near the beach, it was the perfect activity to burn off some energy after a long day staring at screens. It's super easy to set up, so you can play in the backyard or take it to the beach or a nearby park. It takes a second to get the hang of it (especially if you are scared to dive like me), but once you get a good rhythm going, the real competition begins. Promising review: "This is a great beach game. Its simplicity as a spin on volleyball will have you and your friends be the envy of the beach. On many occasions, I was asked where I bought this game. Great fun, and a great product. Assembly was simple enough. It's just plastic clips and then finding a way to get the net tight enough onto the hoop. You might think it isn't springy enough, but it will be. Remember... This isn't a trampoline!" —Btschultz 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 and 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: "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 The kit also includes two wood carving blocks (one cherry and one basswood), three types of sandpaper, and sharpening supplies. Promising review: "Great little introduction to the hobby! It will take you longer than you think to complete, so it’s a nice free-time activity. My 8-year-old is very impressed that I 'made it with my bare hands.' I highly recommend this adorable comfort bird kit, and my advice is to take your time, it’s not a race!" —Tammi H. The kit comes with four glass jars and three tin cans, pre-measured soy wax, seven fragrance oils, 10 dye blocks, candle wicks, glue dots, a melting pot, a digital thermometer, a mixing spoon, two centering devices, dried flowers, and decorative labels. Promising review: "This kit comes with everything a beginner hobbyist needs to make custom candles for gifts or for yourself. I've been having so much fun mixing different scents and colors to create my perfect custom candle. Easy to use (with a little practice and some instruction reading) and comes with everything you need. I am really enjoying this new hobby and think I may have finally found one I can stick with, simply because of the joy it brings to make and then use my creation!" —Lauren R. Get it from Amazon for $49.97+ (also available in a black candle kit and larger sets). Elite Sportz is a small business! The set comes with five rope rings (that can be easier to throw for younger players), five blue rings, five red rings, a sturdy wooden base, and a carrying case. Promising review: "Great for the whole family. It's so simple, but good to get the kids outside having fun as a family." —Jessie Lee 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 Pair it with a set of pens in five thicknesses, which are perfect for outlining. Promising review: "I love this book. I pre-ordered after seeing it on TikTok and couldn't wait to get it! I'm working on my second coloring page and love it! THIS is a great book for older adults and anyone who doesn't think they are an artist! Just need a fine black marker and you'll be busy for hours!! I'm going to get more as gifts. This also makes a great alternative for children, teens, and really anyone as an alternative to screen time! Get one, you won't be disappointed!" —Little wave Promising review: "Perfect for the backyard! I wanted to create a comfy safe space to get away from all the stress of the world and this chair made the perfect hideaway! It took no time to hang and it very comfy and sturdy. I might get one more to enjoy with a friend. Totally worth buying!" —R Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in seven colors). 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 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 say the names of 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 If you love this, check out some of their other fun designs. Promising review: "Another stellar puzzle from Magic Puzzle Company, featuring high-quality pieces, a hidden final image, and a unique solving experience. The artwork is full of detail, making it an immersive and engaging build. The pieces fit together snugly, with no puzzle dust, and the final reveal adds an element of surprise. If you’re looking for a high-quality puzzle that’s more than just a standard jigsaw, this one is worth every penny." —Baloptimus Get it from Amazon for $22.99 (and check out the DELIGHTFUL assortment of Magic Puzzles for more options!). Promising review: "Best sushi-making kit out there, period. It contains all the tools you need to start making sushi, a really affordable kit, and it's just very entertaining to try it out with your family. It's the beginner's set you were looking for, and all parts appear to be made of non-harmful, natural, and durable materials. Five stars." —Antonio Mendez Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in three colors). It not only is full of scrapbooking inspo but also fun crafts like making your own stickers, trinket tin, magnets, frame backings, and memory locket. 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 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. BuzzFeed editor Heather Braga says: "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! Promising review: "When I first flipped through this book I was beaming with joy and excitement since I’ve been a Disney fan for years. They say food brings people together and this cookbook depicts fun and exciting food/drink recipes the whole family can enjoy. I couldn’t get over the photos for each recipe. They all had that magic touch Disney brings to its films. I see this book becoming a collectible and I feel every Disney fan should own a copy of it!" —Alena D. Promising review: "It was everything and more than I expected from this picnic basket...the blanket was nice and thick with padding and when I spilled something it just rolled right off the blanket, next the basket itself insulated and it allowed both my cold and hot to remain there temperatures, the best touch was the wineglasses, plates, and cloth napkins were all reusable, instead of throw aways. I had the best picnic date, and she wants one for herself, but in red, so definitely a phenomenal buy! Thank you, Amazon, you outdid yourself on this one!!"—Marc H. Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in three patterns). Dungeons & Dragons is THE ultimate role-playing game. If you're stuck in the house for a bit, it's the perfect time to start a campaign. 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 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). Each piece is 12x16 inches. The kit comes with 12 images, color-coded gems, a single-tip diamond painting pen, a small tray, and wax. The pen holds a small piece of wax to help you grab the individual gems. Each canvas comes coated in a sticky adhesive protected by a clear film. Because that's how the gems stick on, I recommend peeling it off a little at a time as you go to preserve the adhesive, so you're not left with a picture covered in dust and dog hair. Promising reviews: "Bought it over a year ago, I do them every so often when I’m bored and they’ve lasted me this long. They’re fun, something to do while watching my shows, there’s always left over gems so they’re nice for other things too. I’d get larger pickers cause it’s slow without but I didn’t mind much. Very pretty, shinny, the stickiness is good, it’s enough that they stay but if you need you can pry gems off or push them around" —customer "First time I ordered something like this, and I'm glad I started with this one. The pages are large, and you get 12 of them, which should last me probably two years. I haven't had this much fun doing something in a long time. I don't wanna stop. I don't know what it is, but there is something satisfying about dropping little gems on the sticky paper. I can't wait until I finish my first one." —Female in Rochester NY 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 fill it out. It's perfect!!!!" —Cody McNeal Get it from Amazon for $22.95 (available in six colors). Promising review: "I have had this pool for about two weeks now and I LOVE IT!!! Was simple to set up, I got a little electric pump. and it took about 10 minutes to inflate, then about half an hour to fill with water. Pay attention to make sure you set it up on level ground or it will be lopsided. I live in South Carolina, so it is already hot and humid, and I use it about every afternoon. It is probably good for two adults, maybe one adult and a couple of kids. The built-in seat and headrest are really quite comfy and relaxing. I will definitely buy this same pool again if it springs a leak and can't be fixed, if I could give it 10 stars, I would. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!" —Kathryn J. The kit comes with three different numbered canvas designs, seven paint pots, a mini brush, and an easel. 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 The kit comes with 8 different colored yarns, stuffing, 1 needle, 8 eyes, 5 stitch markers, 2 ergonomic crochet hooks, 1 pair of scissors, 1 crochet cactus and Desert plants pattern, and a beginner's basic crochet manual. Promising review: "The videos and printed patterns are so helpful! You get everything you need to make the plants and in my kit I received a pair of scissors that I wasn't expecting! If you're a beginner the kit is great because you don't need to purchase anything additional and you can use some of the items (like hook and stitch markers) for other patterns! The final products are adorable and I'd highly recommend." —Amazon Customer This is for ages 8+ and can be played with 3+ players. Promising review: "I cannot stress it enough, get this game and keep it in your car or bag so it is with you always. I bring it with to restaurants to occupy the kids while we wait, same for weekend getaways, or waiting rooms." —smssmssms This book is only 5.4 inches tall so it can easily slip into any bag. BuzzFeed Shopping contributor Jonathan Mazzei says: "My girlfriend got me this book as a gift a few years ago, and it turned out to be even better than I expected! The prompts are super fun, and help you to think outside of the box even during those moments when you feel like you have no ideas. It's great to casually doodle in while passing time since you don't have to think of what to draw, but it also can be really helpful when brainstorming for creative projects. My girlfriend is a visual artist and graphic designer, and she loves using it to play around with ideas and make her think of things she never would have thought of without it. Plus, it's small and super portable! Highly recommend!" BuzzFeed Shopping contributor Rachelle Yang is also a huge fan: "I've made a lot of unnecessary purchases in my life, but this is one of the best ones — I use it so much, it's starting to feel like a necessary purchase. Let me preface this by saying that I did not draw that pic above; I can't take credit for it. Whenever I have my friends over, I hand them this book and let them draw something in it (hence the amazing drawing of the house in space), and everyone loves it, even if they don't have a single artistic bone in their body. I spend so much time drawing silly little pictures that my screen time has actually gone down. It's so entertaining, and it truly amazes me how much joy can come from a book that's the size of my hand. " 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.