There's so much happiness in taking up a good hobby! Who knew?
Time Well Spent
It should go without saying that practicing a new hobby can be inherently rewarding. Brain chemicals associated with happiness are released when you take up a stimulating pastime.
While away quarantine, or any, hours selecting just the right hue for your Parisian springtime masterpiece. Mix the perfect blend of fragrance for your one-of-a-kind bath b*mbs. Spending time doing these simple activities with a loved one only magnifies the enjoyment!
Why Starter Kits?
I love starter kits for virtually any new skill I consider taking up. They're not generally top quality, but they tend to be quite inexpensive.

If I decide I don't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped, oh well. And hey - cheddar.
If I do dig it, I can always upgrade materials and/or ingredients later. Perfect!
Simply scroll down the list, click on your favorite, grab a comprehensive starter kit and get those brain chemicals a-juicin'!
By purchasing any listed item, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Camping, hiking and overall survival skills
Pros
Cons
Itching to get out? At this low price, you'll want to toss a kit in every vehicle. Some users note the low quality of items like the utensil set. Keep in mind, however, the entire point is to survive another day; we're not trying to impress Martha Stewart here!
Painting
Pros
Cons
My in-home professional artist (my daughter, Holly) recommends acrylics over other media like watercolors or oils because they require no potentially difficult techniques to learn. You just slap your bad boy canvas with some paint and you're good! With 48 large paint tubes, and a color wheel to help create additional hues, you won't run out of shades to paint, but if you take to it, you'd do well to invest in some better quality brushes.
Growing things
Pros
Cons
Is there anything as rewarding as growing a virtual nothingburger into something truly elegant? I love a beautiful bonsai tree. Indoor plant growth can be tricky, however. Many users report that they need to do extra research to nurture the seedlings properly and avoid mold growth.
Candle making
Pros
Cons
Like other kits, this one has everything you need to create candles, yet none of the materials used to make them is terribly extravagant in quality in case you figure when it's all said and done that it's not for you.
Jewelry making
Pros
Cons
Ladies tend to have more advanced fine motor skills than the gents, but I know lots of guys who love creating wearable art just the same! This beginner's kit would make a wonderful gift for a young teen and mom to spend memorable hours together crafting and chatting.
Wine making
Pros
Cons
Ooh la la! Is there anything sexier than two soulmates spending time together week after week to produce wine in the comfort of their own home -- and then enjoying it with a delicious home-cooked dinner?
Cheese making
Pros
Cons
Travel the culinary world in your very own kitchen making your own high quality Feta, Mozzarella, Halloumi, Burrata, Ricotta, Monterey Jack, Chèvre, Goat Cheese, Cheese Curds, Cream Cheese, Butter, Cultured Butter, Queso Blanco, Queso Fresca and Marscapone! An especially wonderful accompaniment to your homemade wine!
Creating bath b*mbs
Pros
Cons
Become a "Leave Me To Dream" expert executive, assembling bath b*mbs for the ultimate in indoor relaxation! Use molds you already have in your kitchen such as mini muffin tins and get creative (they don't have to look like - well - b*mbs). Another fun mother-daughter activity putting these together!
Becoming (even more) beautiful
Pros
Cons
Conclusion:
Women of a certain age tend to get skin that's dry here and still a little oily there, so it makes sense for us to put together masks that will conform to these ever-changing variations. Videos are available on the Amazon product page if you need to watch a video to help clarify the process.
Making magical music
Pros
Cons
My daughter picked up a cheap ukulele as a pre-teen and before a year or two had passed, she could play it flawlessly behind her back, holding it over her head! (I can prove it; I have it on video) For a few bucks more she could have had this very appealing version, loaded with all the usual accessories so you can have fun on your journey to full musical proficiency.
Which hobby would bring you the most happiness? Let me know in the comments, and pick up a kit today for yourself -and- for those your love!
Great ideas! I love the way you listed the pros and cons and have the link to Amazon! Very useful info!
Great list for new hobbies! I feel like this would be a great gift guide for people who like to try new things! These all sounds fun!
I’m not much of a painter but I love diamond art. Hobbies are fun 🙂
Wow great ideas! Hobbys make life more fun.
This is awesome- I have done beer making, but wine making and cheese to go along with it sounds perfect!
These are all really cool start kits. It makes me want to go start a new hobby for sure!
Awesome list! The Ukulele jumped out for me, I love music and play guitar, and would enjoy learning the ukulele
I love these starter packs! It’s a great way to save money and get started in a new interest or hobby!
How interesting to have these starter kits to guide our artistic inspirations!
How fun to have all this information in one place to pick and choose. I was a little overwhelmed but intrigued with so many of the ideas. Thanks for putting this together – it was fun to dream!
These are all great ideas. I’ve purchased many beginner hobby kits and love learning new skills, while having fun!
Great way to start new hobbies. The starter kits are a great idea to experiment with. Thanks for sharing.
I really had no idea all of the kinds of kits were available. I am so glad I came across your site. Thank you!
These look so fun! I haven’t really looked into too many starter kits for things, but these look like really fun skills and activities too. Thanks for sharing!
What great ideas! Hobbies are an amazing stress relief!
Wow! Amazing amount of info here! I like to watercolor and play the guitar. My friend Dave is 77. He started a model airplane kit a month ago. I thought model airplanes were for kids, but he had to mold pieces to the right shapes – very involved!
Fun list. I enjoyed the pro’s and con’s of each!
Great list! I always want to try new things but it’s hard to know where to start.
This is a great post for someone who is looking to try something new! Everything in one place… and the pros and cons!
Wow! These look amazing!
These are fun and they’d make great gifts! I like the bonsai tree kit.