Engaging Puzzle and Activity Books for Kids

Are you keeping up with summer learning so your kids don’t experience the dreaded “summer slide”?

Me, too.

But, that’s where puzzle and activity books come in. They’ll keep your kids and mine learning and thinking this summer. (‘Cause I need to get my act together! You?)

Activity Books for Kids

Ages 2 – 5

eyePad ABC/abc and eyePad 123

Ages 6 – 12

eyePad Amazing Games & Puzzles

EyePad Games offers a variety of activities like the one above, dot to dot, mazes, and more. It’s a great activity book for the car or restaurants.

My Beastly Book of Twisted Tales
illustrated by Berengere Delaporte (Owl Kids)

JJ’s (seven-years old) been loving this silly doodle and imagine activity book – and it’s HUGE so it is lasting her a long time. Download this sample page, “There’s a Hair in My Soup,” and try a page for yourself.

Ken Ken Mania by Tetsuya Miyamoto
150 math puzzles from easy to hard that, to quote my ten-year old, are “fun.”

Complete Idiot’s Guide to Picture Puzzles (Alpha Books)

        
Mega Mash-Up Series (Noisy Crow)

Aliens vs. Mad Scientists Under the Ocean (above)
by Nikalas Catlow, Tim Wesson, and YOU
These activity books are part novel, part activity book. You read along with the story and participate in the illustrations or dialogue. I love that the books start with the supplies you’ll need and directions for how to make textures like crayon rubbings on the floor or pencil rubbings on a wooden door. (Don’t miss the cool Mega Mash-up website!)

Dude Write! Draw! Destroy! The Book of Crazy, Immature Stuff! (Coke or Pepsi Universe)
by Mickey and Cheryl Gill
This is exactly the kind of crazy, random activity book a boy will love. What’s not to love when you have a 2 page “Spitaball Target Practice” or “Build a barf inducing burger” where you list the ingredients or pages of “Would you rather?” questions? (Would you rather honk every time you laugh or sing like a female opera singer every time you scream?”)
I haven’t seen the girl’s version of this book but I imagine it’s just as cool– Girl! Diary, Pages & Pages of Me.

Please Pass the Doodles Activities Puzzles Cartooning Fun Facts
36 Tear-Off Placemats
by Deborah Zemke

Children 13+

Puzzle Baron’s Sudoku, Hours of brain-challenging fun! (Puzzle Baron)

More Puzzle and Activity Books for Kids

My First Book of Cutting (Kumon)
My First Book of Mazes (Kumon)
1 to 25 Dot-to-Dot (A Get Ready Book)
Brain Quest workbooks
These are well-developed, colorful, easy to read, and my kids’ favorite.
Drawing A Book by Melissa Sweet (eBoo)
The Usborne Art Coloring Book in association with The National Gallery
Mad Libs:  Star Wars Mad Libs , Summer Fun Mad Libs Junior

*some links are affiliate links.

What Other Activity Books Do Your Kids Enjoy?

You Might Also Like . . .

Do It Yourself Summer Camp Ideas

10 Cool Ways to Halt the Summer Math Slide