18 Boredom-Busting Activity Books for Kids
by Dena McMurdie
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.
From picture puzzles to science experiments, these activity books will keep your kids busy for hours on end.
-
Escape This Book! Titanic
Available from: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.
Also available from: -
Scratch-Off Hidden Pictures Unicorn Puzzles
Available from: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.
Also available from: -
Color with Stickers: Jungle
Available from: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.
Also available from: -
Odd One Out
Available from:The ultimate puzzle book for big kids, Odd One Out will keep readers entertained for hours. Search through pages of brightly colored emojis for matching pairs, odd-ones-out, and other brain-tickling games.
Also available from: -
Fun with National Parks
Available from:Go on an adventure to our nation’s 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.
Also available from: -
Sticky Sticker Situation
Available from:This activity and sticker book is perfect for fans of the wildly popular YouTube series Pencilmation. Kids will love drawing Pencilmate into some seriously sticky situations — stranding him on a remote island, trapping him in an impossible maze, or doodling some friends to help him out.
Also available from: -
Destroy This Book! In the Name of Science! Brainiac Edition
Available from: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.
Also available from: -
Jumbo Pad of Picture Puzzles
Available from:Highlights is my go-to for fun activity books for kids. From hidden pictures to mazes and other fun challenges, this bulky book contains 125 brightly colored puzzles to keep your child busy.
Also available from: -
Knights Club: The Alliance of Dragons
Available from:Using a mix of graphic novel storytelling and choose-your-own-adventure gameplay, this interactive book invites middle grader readers on a quest to save a kidnapped princess. With new storylines to play through with every read, kids will love picking up this book again and again.
Also available from: -
Star Wars Mad Libs
Available from:Everyone's favorite word game is now available for Star Wars fans. Featuring favorite characters from the movies, these goofy fill-in-the-blank stories offer collaborative entertainment for groups, families, and friends.
Also available from: -
Mad Libs Super Summer Activity Book
Available from:More 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 spooky stories around the campfire, and so much more. Plus, this edition comes with over 100 stickers for even more fun!
Also available from: -
Cardboard Activity Lab
Available from:This activity book will have young creators thinking outside the box…literally! 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.
Also available from: -
Let’s Get Quizzical
Available from:No need to stress, you’re 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.
Also available from: -
Story Pirates Series
Available from:Part novel, part writing instruction, the Story Pirates books show kids how to create their own stories. After reading the novel in the first half of the book, they can use the step-by-step writing guide in the second half to make their own adventures!
Also available from: -
Mightier Than the Sword
Available from:All they need is a pencil to doodle, write, and chuckle their way through this interactive book. Kids can be the hero of the story as they solve puzzles, save the prince, and complete a quest filled with bizarre creatures and laugh-out-loud moments.
Also available from: -
The Ultimate At-Home Activity Guide
Available from:Have you ever had a day where you couldn’t think of anything to do? Luckily, illustrator Mike Lowery has created the perfect boredom-busting book with over 100 ideas for kids and their whole family. Whether you’re feeling creative, want to try out a new recipe, or just have some silly fun with bubble wrap, there is something for you in this fabulously fun collection!
Also available from: -
Origami and Poetry: Inspired by Nature
Available from:Kids love origami — let them explore the amazing world of paper folding with this colorful activity book. Each project includes a poem to read and an origami figure to create, along with links to easy-to-follow instructional videos.
Also available from: -
Picasso: An Animated Coloring Adventure
Available from:Young artists and movie makers will be enthralled with this activity book. After coloring each page, they can use a free app (with your help!) to animate the artwork on a smartphone or tablet. Kids will love seeing their art come to life.
Also available from:
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2023.