I have always found music good for this sort of thing. It is very relaxing, uses the creative part of your brain, and you get a skill that stays with you for th

I have always found music good for this sort of thing. It is very relaxing, uses the creative part of your brain, and you get a skill that stays with you for the rest of your life. While it is engaging, it somehow gets boring after about an hour or two, so it is unlikely to suck away an entire evening. Over the years I have learned to play dozens of instruments just by devoting an hour here and there.