Growing Reader
Tween
10 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.
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Jumbo Pad of Picture Puzzles
Also 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.
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Odd One Out
Also 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.
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Escape This Book! Titanic
Also 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.
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Destroy This Book! In the Name of Science! Brainiac Edition
Also 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.
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Knights Club: The Alliance of Dragons
Also 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.
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Star Wars Mad Libs
Also 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.
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Story Pirates Series
Also 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!
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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.
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Origami and Poetry: Inspired by Nature
Also 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.
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Picasso: An Animated Coloring Adventure
Also 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.
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