Hidden Fun! 11 of the Best Seek-and-Find Books for Kids
by Janssen Bradshaw
I love a good seek-and-find book.
You’re probably already familiar with the classic I Spy books (which I could NOT keep on the library shelves when I was a librarian — they never made it out of the book drop before another child swooped in and snatched them up) and Where’s Waldo? from your own childhood, but now the shelves are bursting with lots of new options that your children will love.
These books are so great for a long afternoon at home or a car ride or plane trip because they keep children occupied for a good chunk of time. And they make the best gifts for children. Here are 11 seek-and-find books the whole family will love.
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Find My Favorite Things
Young children will love finding their favorite things among the busy scenes of this sturdy board book. They can follow characters from page to page, using the “Can you spot?” prompts to find animals, people, and toys.
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Where’s the Pair?
I am obsessed with Britta Teckentrup, and her seek-and-find books are some of my favorites. This one is filled with beautifully done animal patterns, and you have to find which one doesn’t match the others or which one is a pair. My preschoolers will look through them endlessly.
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Richard Scarry's Busytown Seek and Find!
Available from:Introduce your toddler to the enchanting world of Busytown with this colorful seek-and-find board book! Explore the town, find favorite characters, and locate hidden objects with your little one.
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Wacky Wednesday
Available from:In this reissued version of a classic Dr. Seuss book, things go crazy on Wednesday. There are lots of funny little details to find on each page, from the wrong kind of fruit growing in trees to a sun that’s green instead of yellow. This book never gets old!
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The Met Lost in the Museum
Available from:Have you ever visited The Met in New York City? You could get lost in there! And that’s just what one little girl does. Now, she needs help navigating the galleries and finding hidden objects along the way. Kids will have a blast finding items, learning fun facts, and exploring the museum.
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Where Are You?
This one is great for the littlest seekers. Bright illustrations and fun text encourage baby and toddler explorers to find where the little pink snake has gone. Along the way, they’ll learn more about place concepts like under/over, up/down.
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The Hardest Hidden Pictures Book Ever
Available from:Does your kid like a challenge? Hand them this hidden pictures book and let them test their seek-and-find skills. With more than 1,500 hidden objects to find, this book will keep older kids occupied (and happy) for a long time.
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I Spy (Sesame Street)
Available from:With its familiar “I Spy” structure and favorite friends from “Sesame Street,” this book is sure to be a hit with early readers. Kids are invited to look for characters and objects, reinforcing their knowledge of shapes, colors, and sizes as they go.
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Catch the Creeper! (Minecraft)
Available from:Minecraft lovers will spend hours poring over the pages of this book, looking for game characters. With highly detailed illustrations and plenty of creepers to catch, this seek-and-find book is the perfect screen-free alternative when your kids need a break from the video game.
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Ultimate Hidden Pictures
Continue on your travels with this hidden pictures book that takes readers on a trip across America. Hiding in scenes of California beaches and Arizona canyons are all kinds of items. Kids (and parents) will love working their way through the checklist on every page and seeing how many things they can find.
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The Lost House
Available from:This book is so eye-catching, with every page a completely different color! It’s gorgeous and surprisingly hard to find the objects hidden on each page. Also check out The Lost Picnic, The Lost Cousins, and the holiday companion The Lost Christmas.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2021.