Keep Kids Busy with These Awesome Activity Books

I love activity books! There’s no better way to keep kids busy than by handing them a screen-free activity to occupy their minds and hands. Whether we’re looking for an activity to do together or in need of something fun on a rainy day, I turn to activity books to keep my kids entertained. If you’re a teacher looking for lesson help and ideas or a parent desperate for a few minutes of peace, you’re in the right place.

In this list of activity books for kids, you’ll find books to inspire young artists, writers, scientists, gardeners, crafters, and more! The books on this list are so much fun. From science experiments to story starters, you’ll find a bunch of ways to keep bored kids busy during the summer months, on the weekend, and during holidays and snow days.

These books are great supplements for homeschooling too! If you’re looking for screen-free activities for tweens (kids ages 9-12), you’ll find lots of ideas in this list of books. Most of these books are great for independent work, but some require adult supervision and/or help from time to time.

Keep reading to discover some fantastic activity books! They’re full of things for kids to do at home or in the classroom.

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Keep Kids Busy with These Awesome Activity Books

101 Story Starters for Kids by Dena McMurdie

Do you know a kid that loves to write? This book of story starters gives kids a creative boost by providing tons of story ideas that they can use in their own stories. With just a few sentences in each starter, budding authors have plenty of room to develop the story and make it their own. With everything from humor and horror to fantasy and historical, you’ll find story starters for every type of writer!

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The Highlights Book of Things to Do by Highlights

This book has been a lifesaver for my kids! They’ve been stuck at home with virtual school and virtual playdates and virtual everything. I’ve been increasingly worried about the amount of time they spend on screens. This book arrived at the perfect time. I gave it to my kids and they’ve spent hours pouring over the pages, doing the activities, and creating some amazing things. They’ve played games, baked brownies, made crafts, learned card tricks, and folded napkins and origami. This book is jam-packed with awesome ideas of fun things that kids can do all on their own. The directions are easy to follow, so it’s perfect for kids in this age group (7-12). I highly recommend it!

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Draw Your Own Comics by Batch of Books

If your child loves reading comic books and graphic novels, chances are they’ll love creating them as well. This blank comic book features dozens of blank comic book layouts along with a few helpful tips on the last pages. Kids can fill the blank comic panels with their stories and artwork of their own creation. Goodbye boredom, hello creativity!

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Mightier Than the Sword! by Drew Callander, Alana Harrison, illustrated by Ryan Andrews

This funny and imaginative book makes you the hero of the story. Now out in paperback, kids can puzzle, write, and draw their way through the book. For reluctant readers and kids that love to doodle and draw, this is perfect. They’ll have so much fun working their way through the book that they won’t notice how long they’ve spent with a physical book in their hands.

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Story Pirates Presents: Digging Up Danger by Story Pirates and Jacqueline West, illustrated by Hatem Aly

If your kid loves reading and writing mysteries, you’ll want to snag a copy of this book for summer. It’s a mystery novel and a how-to-write guide all rolled into one. Kids read the mystery in the first half of the book and then use the writing guide in the second half to develop and write their own mystery novel. Pair it with 101 Story Starters for Kids (above) to kick-start your child’s writing!

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Can You Crack the Code? A Fascinating History of Ciphers and Cryptography by Ella Schwartz, illustrated by Lily Williams

My oldest daughter loves codes and ciphers. She spent hours with this book, reading about the history behind secret codes, and learning how to crack them. Kids will also learn how to create their own coded messages to share with their friends and family. Just think of the possibilities!

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Odd One Out by Lauren Farnsworth

Kids that like picture puzzles will adore this super cute book. Filled with adorable emojis and various puzzles to solve, this book puts a big-kid spin on the traditional “odd one out” picture game. It’s tougher than you’d think, so it will keep kids occupied for a long time.

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Crazy for Science with Carmelo the Science Fellow by Carmelo Piazza and James Buckley Jr., illustrated by Chad Geran

Kids that love science or experiments (or both) will be overjoyed to get their hands on this book. Filled with easy-to-make science experiments, this book is a wealth of information and entertainment for the summer break. Give this book and some supplies to your kids and get ready for some scientific fun!

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Watch This Book!: Inside the World of YouTube Stars Ryan ToysReview, HobbyKidsTV, JillianTubeHD, and EvanTubeHD by pocket.watch

I don’t know a single kid that doesn’t love YouTube. This book explores the world of child YouTube stars and what their lives are like both on and off the screen. Your kids will be inspired to try new things and explore new possibilities. Fair warning—odds are high that your child will want to start their own YouTube channel!

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The Ultimate Guide to Gardening: Grow Your Own Indoor, Vegetable, Fairy, and Other Great Gardens by Lisa J. Amstutz

The ultimate summer activity is simplified in this gardening book for kids. Young readers will learn how to grow everything from vegetables to fairy gardens. I never knew how many fun garden possibilities there were until my kids and I dove into this book. It’s filled with tips, tricks, and creative ideas.

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Sew in Style: Make Your Own Doll Clothes by Erin Hentzel

Girls (and boys) in the 9-12 age range will LOVE making their own doll clothes. I gave my 9-year-old daughter this book and she spends hours cutting, pinning, sewing, and dressing her American Girl Doll. The clothes in this book will fit any 18-inch doll, so grab this book and some fabric and let your kid go crazy for clothes!

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Here are some things for kids to do at home, rainy day activities, and screen-free activities for tweens. Got bored kids? Keep a 10-year-old busy during the summer with these nonfiction and activity books for kids ages 8-12.

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