It’s always a good idea to have a few boredom-busting activity books on hand. I use them to keep my kids quiet in church and waiting rooms, or occupied on rainy days and vacations with lots of downtime. They’re the perfect screen-free alternative to video games, and they make fantastic gifts for birthdays and holidays. You really can’t go wrong with a good activity book.<\/p>\n
From picture puzzles to science experiments, these activity books will keep your kids busy for hours on end.<\/p>\n
no no 9781963183290 How to Draw for Kids: Summer Things<\/i> by Alli Koch <\/p>\n
Kids who are trying to develop their artistic skills will love the step-by-step instructions in this easy-to-use book. From beach balls and seashells to ice cream cones and sunflowers, kids can spend countless hours learning to draw over 40 different summer-themed pictures. <\/p>\n
9780593886113 Would You Rather? Junior: Super Silly Edition!<\/i> by Zeitgeist <\/p>\n
This super-silly edition of the Would You Rather series for kids is so fun, even for adults! Divided into categories like “Amazing Animals,” “Silly Every Day,” and “My World,” the book gives over 200 questions with two options for the readers to choose from. Sure to produce plenty of laughs, it’s the perfect way to entertain bored kids on a road trip. <\/p>\n
9780525644200 Escape This Book! Titanic<\/i> by Bill Doyle, illustrated by Sarah Sax <\/p>\n
Can you survive the sinking of the Titanic? This highly interactive book offers young readers the opportunity to choose their own path and doodle their way through the historic event to see if they can escape the sinking ship.<\/p>\n
9781644729168 Scratch-Off Hidden Pictures Unicorn Puzzles<\/i> created by Highlights <\/p>\n
Scratch-offs bring a burst of excitement to kids as they eagerly uncover colorful hidden surprises. With every scratch of this activity book, complete with Hidden Pictures puzzles, mazes, doodle pages, jokes, and more, their imagination takes flight, turning a simple piece of paper into a gateway of endless possibilities and smiles.<\/p>\n
9781664340190 Color with Stickers: Jungle<\/i> by Jonny Marx, illustrated by Christiane Engel <\/p>\n
Like paint-by-numbers, but with stickers! Create a series of jungle pictures by matching the numbered stickers provided to the numbers on each picture. Bonus: each page includes fun facts about the jungle so young nature lovers can learn all about the animals and plants that live there. <\/p>\n
9781524790882 Odd One Out<\/i> by Buster Books <\/p>\n
The ultimate puzzle book for big kids, Odd One Out<\/i> will keep readers entertained for hours. Search through pages of brightly colored emojis for matching pairs, odd-ones-out, and other brain-tickling games.<\/p>\n
9780593435878 Fun with National Parks<\/i> by Nicole Claesen, illustrated by Candela Ferr\u00e1ndez <\/p>\n
Go on an adventure to our nation\u2019s 63 majestic national parks without ever leaving home! Filled with over 125 activities, fascinating facts about each park, an exploration of the natural wonders, history, and animals of each park, there is so much to educate and inspire kids. <\/p>\n
9781524771942 Destroy This Book! In the Name of Science! Brainiac Edition<\/i> by Mike Barfield <\/p>\n
Jam-packed with amazing facts and projects for kids to cut, color, and punch out, this activity book will keep curious minds occupied. It’s perfect for kids who love hands-on activities and learning new things.<\/p>\n
9781639622504 brainPLAY Trickiest Puzzles Ever<\/i> by Highlights <\/p>\n
Highlights is my go-to for fun activity books for kids. From hidden pictures to mazes and other fun challenges, this bulky book contains 200 brightly colored puzzles to keep your child busy.<\/p>\n
9780593523216 Mad Libs Super Summer Activity Book<\/i> by Gabriella DeGennaro <\/p>\n
Ready for some fill-in-the-blank fun? Make up silly facts about your friends, create a packing list using only words that start with the letter B, tell ghost stories around the campfire, and so much more. Plus, this edition comes with over 100 stickers for even more fun! <\/p>\n
9780744077148 Cardboard Activity Lab<\/i> by Jemma Westing <\/p>\n
This activity book will have young creators thinking outside the box\u2026literally! This hands-on book teaches kids how to build a castle, a sci-fi robot costume, or a new mode of transportation using cardboard and other everyday materials all while developing skills in engineering, art, and design. <\/p>\n
9780593225639 Let\u2019s Get Quizzical<\/i> by Rachel McMahon <\/p>\n
No need to stress, you\u2019re bound to get an A+ on each quiz in this book because they are all about YOU! From the queen of BuzzFeed quizzes, Rachel McMahon has created a series of quizzes perfect for young readers that helps kids learn all about themselves. Share this book with friends and family to learn how each person is unique. <\/p>\n
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2025.<\/small><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From picture puzzles to science experiments, these activity books will keep your kids engaged and entertained for hours on end.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":115310,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[89,168,857,1135],"coauthors":[23],"class_list":["post-13707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-science","tag-book-gifts","tag-puzzles","tag-activity-books","ages_stages-growing-reader","ages_stages-tween"],"yoast_head":"\n