21 Best Craft Kits for Hours of Creativity
Updated: Feb. 01, 2024
If you're hoping to add a bit of crafty goodness to your life, try a craft kit. They're definitely not just for kids anymore.
Get crafty!
Craft kits are a great way to start a new hobby, and since they come packed with everything you need, you don’t have to make any last-minute trips to the store. Craft kits are also portable, so you can take your craft-in-progress with you on your next vacation or start a new craft while lazing on the couch. If you’re tired of binge-watching and need a break from jigsaw puzzles, why not try a new craft?
As a lifelong crafter—my mother opened a yarn and craft store when I was a toddler—I often try out new-to-me crafts by using a kit. In that way, I also know if I should bother investing in pricey art supplies or if I’ll just move on to the next craft when I’m done with my kit.
Most craft kits are designed to offer a dual payoff: entertainment for a few hours and something to hang up, wear, or share. “A kit’s design may be more appealing to an adult, as it can be a great addition in a home for decoration,” says Jessie Decarlo, craft merchandiser for crafting superstore Joann. “The creating of the kit is also a mindful, soothing process that’s perfect for unwinding after a stressful day of work.”
If you’re ready to try a new craft, read on. We’ve pulled together some of the most fun craft kits for every skill level, along with a few tools that will help you with perfecting your newfound hobby. Once you learn the skills and have the necessary tools, you can start crafting anything, including these DIY Christmas ornaments, DIY Mother’s Day gifts, Halloween crafts, and more.
Hello Lovely Soap-Making Kit
Best for: Those who like practical things
If you love the idea of gorgeous handmade soaps but hate the attached price tag, why not make your own? This kit teaches you how to combine finely ground oatmeal and creamy shea butter into a soap that’ll calm, exfoliate, and soften even the most sensitive skin types. You can also add in the included soothing creamy vanilla fragrance for soap that smells good enough to eat. The kit includes enough ingredients to make up to ten bars of soap, so you can share with friends—they make great gifts for grandmas too.
Crochet The Golden Girls: Sophia Crochet Kit
Best for: Pop culture fans
If you’ve ever found yourself starting a conversation by saying, “Let me tell you a story. Picture it. Sicily, 1922…” this is the craft kit just for you. Golden Girls fans will delight in ten separate patterns and enough yarn and extras to actually create Sophia—glasses, pocketbook, and all.
Make Your Own Rainbow Macrame Kit
Best for: Wannabe hippies
Kitschy, ’70s-inspired crafts are back in a big way. With this adorable macrame kit, you can make a sweet wall hanging for a baby’s room or something to keep on the wall of your home office. It comes with bright yarn, rope cut into the sections you need, and clear instructions so you know exactly what do to. Bonus idea: Add a few drops of essential oil to the enclosed wooden bead for a mini fragrance diffuser. For the right kid, this kit can make for a fun gift for a teen.
Bucilla Stamped Embroidery Kit Cactus Bloom
Best for: Beginners
Kick off your crafting hobby with the trendiest of craft kits. “Stitch and embroidery kits are for sure the most popular kits sold right now, but keep an eye out for punch needle, as those kits are on the rise,” says Decarlo. In general, don’t feel compelled to create the exact image that comes in the kit you purchase. “Customers have free range on how they can create with these kits. We want them to think of the guidelines as just a guide and not concrete instructions. This is truly their project, and they should feel free to make and create as they please,” she adds.
Sunrise Punch Needle Kit
Best for: Creative hipsters
Hop on the rising punch-needle trend with a cheery sunrise. It may seem complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really easy and fun. One of the keys to the craft is the funky-looking needle that you thread with yarn and literally punch repetitively back and forth through the cloth to create a rustic-looking design. Think hooked rugs updated for a more modern approach. This kit is the perfect unique gift for your friend who is impossible to shop for.
The Cookie Cups Rainbow Ravioli-Making Kit
Best for: Anyone who aspires to be a gourmet chef
Remember last year when everyone was making sourdough bread? Well, if you’re not quite a whiz in the kitchen, you could cheat and try this adorable kit technically made for kids. The kit comes with two variations, one for sweet ravioli and one that’s a bit savory. The directions are really easy, so a very smart kid or a not-so-talented adult chef could whip up delicious ravioli in no time.
Crepe Paper Flower Kit
Best for: Flower children
Silk and paper flowers are definitely having a home decor moment, and with this kit, you can make paper poppies on your own. The kit comes with everything from foam balls and floral tape to extra-fine crepe paper, full instructions, and patterns that are easy to follow. This would also make a great Mother’s Day gift!
DIY Solar-Printing Kit
Best for: Nature lovers
The secret of this kit is the photo-sensitive paper that develops in the sun. Simply place plants or any shapes you like on top of the treated side of the sheet, affix it in place, and leave it out in the sun for the recommended amount of time. There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching the shapes emerge.
Hide and Seek Rock-Painting Kit
Best for: Anyone who wants to spread positive messages wherever they go
A few years ago, I visited a yoga retreat and walked the grounds for hours. I kept finding hand-painted rocks with inspirational and supportive messages painted on them. This sweet kit allows you to paint rocks with messages or smiley faces. The paint is weather resistant, so all your hard work won’t go to waste. The painted rocks also make a sweet gift for Mom.
DIY Kintsugi Kit
Best for: Perfectionists who need to learn to accept the imperfect
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing cracks with gold or other precious minerals. The idea is to embrace flaws, not cover them up. This wonderful kit comes with everything you need to mend a chipped plate or vase.
Basket of Strawberries Diamond Mosaic Kit
Best for: The one who lives for summer
Diamond mosaics are another popular trend in crafting, and this kit allows you to create your own basket of strawberries. This pack contains an adhesive canvas with a colored chart, diamond mosaic pieces in 18 colors, two trays, tweezers in a PVC case, stylus, wax, resealable zipper storage bags, stickers for marking the bags, and detailed instructions. Though it sounds complicated, once you get the hang of it, it’s incredibly easy to create a diamond mosaic.
DIY Bath Bombs
Best for: The spa lover
Believe it or not, bath bombs—those amazing fizzing balls that make your bath water smell heavenly—can be really easy to make. This quality kit comes with a metal bath bomb mold, a major draw since plastic molds can get smooshed after a single use. It also has mica colors and body glitter, so your creations will be anything but boring. The finished product makes a lovely gift for a friend.
Klutz Sew Mini Treats Craft Kit
Best for: Anyone who wants an easy project that lasts an hour or less
If you can’t get enough kawaii or super-cute items inspired by the Japanese trend, this kit will make you grin from ear to ear. There are 18 patterns to make adorable food plushies, including smiling bacon and crazy-cute toaster pastries.
Little Bridges Grandma & Me Explore Outdoors Activity Kit
Best for: Crafty grandmas
This is a really sweet kit because it was developed specifically to create an experience for a grandparent and grandchild. Created by award-winning children’s book author Kate Jerome and published through Simon & Schuster, the kit encourages connections and meaningful conversations between generations. It’s also a really nice way to encourage shy kids to interact with the grandparents they might not see often.
Creativity for Kids Hat Not Hate Quick Knit Loom Kit
Best for: Crafting with a conscience
There is so much to love about this kit. First off, it makes knitting and crocheting easier because it comes with a loom, easy-to-use tools, and instructions. It’s also made for crafters of any age. Best yet, it’s the kit that gives back. Founded by anti-bullying activist and Lion Brand Yarn ambassador Shira Blumenthal, #HatNotHate collects homemade blue hats from around the globe to distribute to kids and students while educating them about bullying prevention. In case you’re wondering: Blue represents awareness and solidarity, so it’s considered the color to wear in support of anti-bullying.
Xyron Glaminator Foil Laminator
Best for: Anyone who’s a bit extra
Some of the best kits are actually products you’ll use often that come bundled with a product that allows you to instantly start crafting. What’s cool about this one is that you can add another level of glam to your projects. Let’s say you have an award but want it to stand out. You can laminate it and then add foil or other decorative elements. Having tested it out, I can tell you that once you figure out the difference between cold lamination (for applying adhesives) and thermal lamination (the one you’ll use most often), you’ll want to add foil to pretty much everything you own or display. Also worth exploring are multipack kits that give you a wider variety of foil. Pro tip: You’ll probably need a laser printer for more sophisticated designs.
Luna Bean Keepsake Hands Casting Kit
Best for: Newlyweds or anyone celebrating an anniversary
What’s really nice about this craft kit is that it’s deceptively simple. Just mix the molding powder (follow the instructions and read through before even getting started) and then put your hand—or your hand intertwined with the hand of someone you love—in the bucket. After the initial mold sets, you pour in the casting material to make a perfect mold. It’s a wonderful idea for new parents or engaged couples.
Artifact Uprising Softcover Mini Photo Book
Best for: The photographer of the family
While this one isn’t technically a kit, it’s a way of curating some of your best moments in book form for you or someone you love. It also makes for a really wonderful keepsake or memory of your vacation, family reunion, or summer fun. You can use the online editor to add images to fill up to 30 pages, though you can add up to 120 pages for an additional 50 cents per page. Choose from eight different cover options and make a highly personalized gift.
DIY Mochi Ice Cream Kit
Best for: Budding chefs
I recently bought this one as a thank-you gift for an online friend who went out of her way to help me with a project. As the mother of a teen, my friend is always looking for things to do with her daughter, and this offered the cool factor (literally) along with a way to create something yummy they were both able to share.
Mekabre Loa Voodoo Doll Kit
Best for: Anyone into the spookier things in life
What could be better than personalizing a slightly creepy hand-stitched voodoo doll that comes packaged in its own coffin box? One that comes with printed spell cards for cleansing, dreaming, healing, love, protection, and success. While the manufacturers say that this is just a novelty tool, a really extensive review on Amazon listed one of their favorite things about this doll: “The pins. Plenty of pins.”
Cricut Maker 3
Best for: Serious crafters
Cricut is the holy grail of cutting products. The newest release cuts through 300 different materials and is faster and quieter than any of the previous models. And excuse me for geeking out for a moment, but this baby has the capability of feeding directly into the machine, so you can cut up to 12 feet as you go. Think banners, bedroom decorations, or even party decor. There are small online communities of crafters who have created careers through using their Cricuts. If you’d prefer a machine that comes with everything you need to get started, you might want to try the Explore Air 2, which is bundled with some great extras.
Sunnyclue DIY Earring-Making Kit
Best for: Jewelry lovers
The cool thing about making your own jewelry and crafts is that you can often create many pairs for less than the price of a single pair of earrings. This kit comes complete with funky-looking, bohemian-inspired charms and dangles along with turquoise beads to complete the look. You’ll also find bead spacers and hoop earring findings, so you can make your new earrings in a matter of minutes.
Originally Published: December 17, 2021
