Activity books are a great way to entertain kids while on road trips, plane trips, or out and about. Get recommendations on the best activity books for kids and learn why you should carry some everywhere you go.
I always loved activity books as a kid. Granted, I was a bit of a nerd and totally loved school, but still..they’re fun! Even today I find myself loving a good activity book (crossword puzzles, sudoku, etc.).
I’m an even bigger fan of activity books for my kids! Activity books are fun for them, but still encourage creativity and learning, which I’m always looking for ways to do.
Plus, they’re easy to slip into a bag when you head to a doctor’s office, a restaurant, or go on a long errand. I also bring them along when one kid has a lesson that the other has to sit through or anytime I know I’ll be hearing “I’m bored” every 2.3 seconds.
I keep a zipper pencil pouch in my bag with some pencils, a manual pencil sharpener, and crayons/markers/colored pencils, along with a few activity books, so we’re always prepared. You could also keep them in a go-bag or store them in the car. Swap out the activity books every week or so to keep things fresh and exciting!
Activity books also make good travel activities for road trips and airplane rides. With summer around the corner, now is a great time to stock up on some new activity books for your kids!
Here are our top 8 favorite activity books:
1. Melissa and Doug Make-a-Face Sticker Pads.
My daughter has the princess one, but they also have an animal one and a crazy character one. I can’t wait to snag the other two! This sticker pad has kept her entertained way longer than I thought possible and lasts a really long time!
2. Highlights Hidden Picture books.
This is a good one, but they have a ton of options. We also love the unique takes they have on hidden pictures, like these Sticker Hidden Picture books and these Silly Fill-In Stories with Hidden Pictures. These are great for all ages and multiple people can do them at once, if you need.
3. Water Wow.
These are SO fun and SO easy to travel with. My kids can play with these for the longest time!! They’re easy to fill up anywhere and everywhere and make a great travel activity.
4. Blank comic books.
These are perfect for super imaginative kids! Let them draw and create their own comic book stories. This is SUCH a great activity for kids to participate in!
5. Paint by Sticker books.
They have lots of options: zoo animals, unicorns and magic, under the sea, beautiful bugs, and a random mixture. These take a lot of time, so it keeps kids occupied for a good amount of time. BONUS!
6. Would You Rather Questions.
This book is full of them and is sure to get everyone laughing and thinking and bonding. We LOVE this book!
7. The 1-Minute Artist drawing book.
This book teaches how to draw various cute items, animals, characters, etc. in a simple step-by-step manner. The whole family loves this book! Bring a blank notebook along with this book to do the sketches in and keep the book fresh and clean for years of future use!
8. Mad Libs.
These are so fun! We love to laugh in our house and these are bound to produce a laugh or two!
Activity Book Fun
Snag a couple books, make up a pencil pouch of supplies, and prep a go bag for all your summer and errand needs!
What’s your favorite activity book? I’d love to add some new ones to our arsenal!
If you’re looking for more road trip activities, check out these 7 Simple Road Trip Activities the Whole Family Will Love.
Britney is a wife and mom with a passion for helping other women see the good inside of them. She loves podcasts, polka dots, and dancing around the kitchen with her family.