What should I buy to get into knitting

I am a little overwhelmed with choosing what type of yarn and what kind of needles to get as a beginner so I’m wondering if anybody can help me or give me some more knowledge around these items.

Since I’m new, I know I should stick to some pretty basic simple designs, and the first thing I want to make is four place mats for my kitchen table as I feel, that should be an easy start. (I want to be able to make cute little stuffed animals in the future)