Unfortunately, you will also find a lack of diversity on this book list because even when it comes to publishing activity books, everything either skews white and male or is produced by a company, which is probably also mostly white and male. In the future we hope to see publishing companies seeking more authors of colors to create activity books, because they are an excellent way to introduce kids to different cultures and people from different backgrounds in a fun and engaging way. Despite the lack of diversity on our list, we think you’ll find an activity book (or maybe a few) that your kids are sure to enjoy. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk! Now, let’s get on to the books!
General Activity Books for Kids
Jumbo Pad of Picture Puzzles by Highlights
No one does puzzles like Highlights! With the Jumbo Pad of Picture Puzzles, kids will enjoy more than 125 of Highlights best picture puzzles and activities including Hidden Pictures, What’s Wrong, Spot the Differences, and more. This jumbo pad is sure to entertain, delight, and challenge any kid as they expand their minds and discover new strengths and skills.
The Kid’s Awesome Activity Book: Games! Puzzles! Mazes! And More! by Mike Lowery
Based on the Kid’s Awesome Activity Calendar and from the author and illustrator of the Doodle Adventures series, The Kid’s Awesome Activity Book is filled with nearly 100 games, prompts, and crafts along with hundreds of stickers that invite kids to design, draw, and discover. In this book, kids will find plenty of activities that encourage their creativity. They can decode a mummy’s message in an ancient cave, find their way through a beehive maze, write a song for a cat-astic rock band, or design a spaceship.
Trendy Themes Activity Books
This set of activity books features themes like monsters, space, animals, and cars. Each activity pad is packed full of coloring pages, puzzles, and word games that will keep kids entertained for hours.
Unbored Activity Kits
These activity kits bring the popular Unbored books to life with clever activities for kids that will kick their creativity into high gear. The set of three includes Unbored Time Capsule, Unbored Disguises, and Unbored Carnival. The Time Capsule kit lets kids store stories and trinkets to be rediscovered in the future. The Disguises kit allows kids to create silly characters. With the Carnival kit, kids can host an eventful and fun competition that the entire family will enjoy.
Activity Books for Kids Who Love Science
Ada Twist’s Big Project Book for Stellar Scientists by Andrea Beaty (Author) and David Roberts (Illustrator)
For kids who are constantly asking questions because their favorite word is “why” comes the activity book featuring the beloved character from the bestselling picture book Ada Twist, Scientist with over 40 things to discover, draw, and create. This activity book contains plenty of kid-friendly projects that explore Ada’s favorite science subjects.
Destroy This Book in the Name of Science! Brainiac Edition by Mike Barfield
Your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to destroy this book…in the name of science, of course. This activity book combines fun and learning with a blend of fascinating information, art projects, and cool experiments that will inspire any young science enthusiast.
STEM Activity Book: Science Technology Engineering Math: Packed with Activities and Facts by Catherine Bruzzone (Author), Sam Hutchinson (Author), Jenny Jacoby (Author) and Vicky Barker (Illustrator)
The purpose of the STEM Activity Book is to pique children’s interest in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math. Mazes, puzzles, quizzes, and other activities are used to introduce kids to these subjects, show the importance of these subjects, and encourage interested children to continue within these fields as they grow. For focused STEM activities, there is also STEM Starters for Kids Activity Books in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and even Art for the STEAM crowd!
Activity Books for Travel-Loving Kids
The 50 States Activity Book by Gabrielle Balkan (Author) and Sol Linero (Illustrator)
Take a journey across the United States with this fun and fact-filled activity book, without having to deal with packing a bag, traffic, or the TSA. Within The 50 States Activity Book, there are state trivia, puzzles, a fold-out map, and plenty of stickers.
Find Tom in Time: Ancient Egypt by Fatti Burke (Illustrator)
In this first book in the Find Tom in Time series, not only is Tom lost in time, but he has also lost his cat Digby! Can you find them in this colorful interactive book packed with beautiful and detailed illustrations and fascinating facts about ancient Egypt? Along with Egypt, kids can also journey to Ancient Rome or Ming Dynasty China to find Tom and Digby.
On the Plane Activity Book by Heather Alexander (Author) and Putri Febriana (Illustrator)
This activity book includes puzzles, planes that are ready and waiting to be decorated, mazes, quizzes, games, and plenty of facts and trivia about flying and airplanes that will have kids flying high on fun.
Activity Books for Artistic Kids
Blank Comic Book: A How-To Series Level 1 / Blank Comic Book: A How-To Series Level 2 by Brighter Child
The Blank Comic Book features more than 100 pages of classic comic book panels along with an introduction from professional comic book artist Joshua Janes and 40 classic comic book stickers for future comic creators to write and draw their own adventures. Kids will also discover tips, tricks, and techniques for creating engaging characters, drawing eye catching illustrations, and developing sensational stories.
Doodle Town by Dominika Lipniewska
Doodle Town is an entertaining introduction to imaginative drawing with more than 60 activities along with removable stencil sheets. With just a pencil (or crayon) and their creativity, any kid can transform a picture into a whimsical world with drawings and doodles.
Stickyscapes at the Museum by Laura Junger (Illustrator)
This one-of-a-kind book includes a huge double-sided panoramic scene and over 100 stickers that can be used to create a one-of-a-kind museum. One side of the fold out shows a busy museum during the day. There are priceless artifacts, dinosaur skeletons, and some very bore security guards. The other side shows the museum at night when dinosaurs roam free, knights prepare for battle, and paintings jump out of their frames!
Activity Books for Little Foodies
Kid Chef Junior: My First Kids Cookbook by Anjali Shah
If your kid can’t get enough of MasterChef Junior (or they’re just naturally curious about what’s going on in the kitchen), then this book is for them! Kid Chef Junior is not the typical activity book, but it is full of creative and fun recipes along with plenty of age-appropriate tips that will help kid chefs build essential kitchen skills and cooking confidence.
Playing with Food: An Activity Book by Louise Lockhart
Playing with Food is an activity book that invites kids to play with food. With Lockhart’s vibrant and colorful illustrations, young foodies can engage in all aspects of food from growing and preparing to cooking and presenting without creating a huge mess. They can decorate the birthday cake of their dreams, plan a café menu, or fill the kitchen shelves to the brim. The book also includes simple kid-friendly recipes and craft ideas like making a chef’s cap.
Book-Inspired Activity Books for Kids
The Captain Underpants Extra-Crunchy Book O’ Fun by Dav Pilkey
George and Harold are back for more adventures, fun, and games with their tighty whities–powered superhero, Captain Underpants! Join them as they prank their clueless principal Mr. Krupp and help them get out of some “puzzle”-ing situations. Kids can also create their own Captain Underpants Flip-O-Rama comic book!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Mad Libs by Mad Libs
Kids who can’t get enough of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series can use their own creative imaginations to write new hilarious stories starring Greg, Rowley, Manny, and the rest of the Wimpy Kid gang. Looking for more books to keep your kids engaged and learning? Soft Books for Babies and Toddlers Dinosaur Books for Preschoolers Children’s Books About Diversity That Celebrate Our Differences
