Activity Books To Keep Your Kids Occupied This Winter
by Jennifer Garry
The dead of winter is most definitely my least favorite time of year. Here in the northeast, it’s gray and cold and sometimes icy. While I’m all for trying to get the kids outside as much as possible, sometimes 20 minutes is all their rosy cheeks and frozen extremities can handle. That leaves a whole lot of hours in the day to fill. Come February, we can really use a little help in the indoor fun department.
These activity books for kids are a fun way to keep them busy and entertained in wintry weather.
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Ford: On the Road Sticker & Activity Book
Buy from:Make your own Ford truck, race to the finish line in a GT40, and more! This sticker and activity book includes two sticker sheets and is packed with activities that young readers will love.
(Ages 3 – 5)Buy from: -
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Coloring Placemats
Buy from:Keep your child occupied during mealtimes with these interactive placemats featuring your favorite caterpillar. This oversized book contains 40 placemats for little hands to color while waiting for and eating their food. The familiar characters make this a popular choice for tiny artists everywhere.
(Ages 3 – 5)Buy from: -
Time to Play!: A Sticker & Activity Book
Buy from:Fans of the Australian hit TV series Bluey will love joining Bluey and Bingo as they play their favorite games. With a wide variety of activities like coloring, mazes, and stickers, there's no shortage of fun to be had.
(Ages 3 – 5)Buy from:
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Paper Adventures
Buy from:Let’s go on a paper adventure! Follow along as two explorers meet a cast of friendly animals and even dive to the bottom of the sea. But in each spread, there is something missing and it is up to little ones to help make the sun brighter, add a trunk to the elephant, or give the crocodile more teeth. Luckily, with pages of colorful paper in the back of the book, small hands can rip and glue shapes to the spreads to complete each scene.
(Ages 4 – 8)Buy from: -
Wreck This Picture Book
Buy from:This book will blow kids’ minds. Unlike a typical book, readers are encouraged to explore this picture book through imaginative play. From bending pages to smelling them, the book encourages a reading experience that engages all five senses.
(Ages 5 – 8)Buy from: -
My Fancy Sticker Storybook: Fairies and Unicorns
Buy from:Perfect for little artists who love magical worlds, imaginative play, and creative storytelling, this enchanting sticker activity book includes 500+ vibrant, reusable dress-up stickers illustrated by bestselling artist Alli Koch. Kids can mix and match outfits, accessories, and characters across fairy-forest and unicorn-land scenes — offering endless opportunities for screen-free fun, storytelling, and imagination play.
(Ages 5 – 8)Buy from: -
Color with Stickers: Dinosaurs
Buy from:Creative kids will love coloring with stickers to complete these pictures of dinosaurs! Each picture is created by matching the numbered stickers in the back of the book to the numbers on each picture. Along the way, kids will also learn dozens of fun facts about each dinosaur. Each exciting scene can then be torn out along the perforated edges so kids can showcase their work in their room, on your fridge, or in a gallery!
(Ages 5 – 9)Buy from: -
On-the-Go Puzzles Big Fun Activity Pad
Buy from:Get ready for some major laughs with this Big Fun Activity Pad! Each laugh-out-loud puzzle and giggle-inducing activity ends in a punchline and will keep kids entertained all winter long.
(Ages 6 – 9)Buy from: -
How to Make a Picture Book
Buy from:Aspiring picture book authors will find everything they need to create their first book! With creative exercises, tips, and advice, children will learn how to write and illustrate a picture book in this step-by-step guide.
(Ages 6 – 9)Buy from: -
Rainbow Neon Hidden Pictures
Buy from:Use the included neon markers to color each magical sticker and scene in this hidden picture book! With silly illustrations and vibrant colors to use, this book is the perfect quiet-time activity for kids.
(Ages 6 – 9)Buy from: -
How to Be a Fashion Designer
Buy from:Little fashionistas will find plenty of inspiration and instruction in this updated how-to book. Kids will learn how to put together an outfit, accessorize, and embellish their wardrobe. With lots of hands-on activities and advice, this book is perfect for kids wanting to dive into the fashion world.
(Ages 7 – 9)Buy from:
RELATED: Unique Workbooks To Capture Every Kid’s Attention
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Learn to Letter with Luna the Llama
Buy from:In this creative book, Luna the Llama and friends teach kids the basics of lettering and calligraphy with traceable worksheets and fun projects. Eight- to 12-year-olds will improve their handwriting and learn a fun way to make homemade cards, signs, and school supplies a little bit fancier.
(Ages 8 – 12)Buy from: -
Brain Booster Stars and Planets
Buy from:The Brain Booster series is a fantastic way for kids to explore the world around them as they learn through doing. Each page of this book covers detailed information about our solar system and features a space activity, including puzzles, code-breakers, matching games, word searches, and more. Don’t miss the other books in this series that cover topics like dinosaurs, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the human body!
(Ages 8 – 12)Buy from:
You might also like:
- Boredom-Busting Activity Books for Kids
- STEM Activity Books for Your Middle Grade Brainiac
- 19 Chapter Books With Free Printable Activities
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2020 and updated in 2025.