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Often, I find myself reaching for my phone while watching TV or listening to music—a habit I’m trying desperately to break. Since Good Housekeeping readers literally can’t stop buying the viral Buddha Board, I decided to buy one and see if it made me feel more relaxed. Long story short? This screen-free hobby keeps my hands busy and mind occupied, and I love that it’s completely mess-free.
I first tried the Buddha Board years ago after gifting it to my 7-year-old niece (my whole family lined up to give it a go), but I finally got one for myself a few months ago. After years of recommending this gift to our readers (it’s consistently one of the hottest gifts), I wanted to determine: Is the viral Buddha Board worth the hype?
The Buddha Board is a reusable water-painting canvas designed for mindfulness and creativity. Dip a paint brush in water, doodle your prettiest design, and watch as your artwork slowly fades away. The surface dries completely clean, so you can create over and over again.
As someone who lacks real artistic ability, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I love the Buddha Board. It’s so easy to use (all you need is water) and it felt fun and relaxing to doodle. Not happy with your drawing? Wait a few minutes, and you’ve got a blank slate to start again.
The board arrives with a stand—which you can fill with water for easy dipping—and bamboo paint brush. While the stand doubles as an easel, I found it challenging to control my brush strokes while my board was in the stand. I prefer to place the board on my lap, especially when I’m lounging on the couch or in bed.
Per the brand, the Buddha Board is meant to aid in mindfulness, focus, and relaxation—for the most part, I found that to be true. I enjoy using it while I listen to music or watch TV to keep my hands busy and calm my mind—it’s a great alternative to mindlessly scrolling on social media.
I had the most fun doodling lines, patterns, and script letters, as well as drawing houseplants, flowers, and trees. The brush is on the thicker side, so it can be challenging to draw super delicate lines, but I got the hang of it quickly.
I enjoyed practicing different strokes, adding more or less water to my brush to create thicker versus thinner lines. I found that thin lines fades very quickly (between 30 seconds to two minutes). Sometimes they were gone before I could even finish my vision. On the other hand, the thicker lines and shaded-in spaces took between five to 10 minutes to fully disappear.
I recommend gently dipping the brush into the water—I found it works much better when the brush is moist, but not soaking wet. Water droplets can quickly cause your drawing to run.
There’s also the Buddha Board Enso, which I’ve also tried and if I’m being honest, might prefer. It’s a little bit smaller, so it’s travel-friendly. It tucks away easier when it’s not being used. What I love most is that it comes with a refillable paint brush. You don’t have to dip your brush, just give it a gentle squeeze to control how wet you’d like your brush.
Overall, I love the Buddha Board, because it’s easy to use and completely mess free. Every drawing disappears after a few minutes, so there’s always a fresh canvas for your next doodle. Drawing and doodling on the Buddha Board is both fun and relaxing—I really love doing it while I listen to music or watch TV to keep myself from reaching for my phone.
It’s a fun gift for all ages! I brought it to my parents house, and everyone that tried it, loved it—that included my dad, sister, and 9-year-old niece. I gifted one to my younger niece years ago, and she loved it—although she used a lot more water than I’d recommend. While the Buddha Board is recommended for children 3 and up, I’d recommend it more for creative tweens, teens, and adults.
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) leads Good Housekeeping’s gift guide strategy. She writes and edits commerce content, where she analyzes lifestyle trends, shopping data, and works closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute to recommend top-tested products. Previously, she was the associate lifestyle editor for GH and wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, BobVila.com, and Unique Homes Magazine. When she’s not tracking down buzzy products, you can find her walking her dog, Skye, around Jersey City.
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