Best Kids’ Activity Books for Summer
These books will keep kids smiling, exploring and having fun all summer long.
“101 Life Hacks: Genius Ways to Simplify Your World”
by Aubre Andrus (National Geographic Children’s Books, $9.99, ages 8-12)
Learn about sustainability by upcycling, recycling and repurposing items you already have, and gain insight from life hackers who put their problem-solving skills to use.
“Puzzle Fun 4-Book Set”
(Highlights, $24.98, ages 6-12)
This book set comes with four different themed puzzle books: Picture Puzzles, Brain Teasers, Amazing Mazes and Word Puzzles.
“Scholastic Early Learners: All About Me Workbook”
(Scholastic, $5.99, ages 3-5)
Encourage children to learn about themselves and the world around them by exploring family, friends, birthdays, feelings and more.
“Mud Kitchen Crafts: 60 Awesome Ideas for Epic Outdoor Play”
by Sophie Pickles (Page Street Publishing, $21.99, ages 2-7)
Transform your back yard with these sensory experiments that help kids explore environmentalism, culinary science, creativity and math. May 25 release.
“The Easiest Kids’ Crafts Ever: Cute & Colorful Quick-Prep Projects for Busy Families”
by Jacinta Sagona (Page Street Publishing, $14.99, ages 6-12)
Use materials you already have at home to capture your child’s creativity with these 60 easy projects. May 25 release.
“The Big Book of Kids Activities: 500 Projects That Are the Bestest, Funnest Ever”
by Holly Homer, Jamie Harrington, Brittanie Pyper, Rachel Miller, Colleen Kessler, Emma Vanstone, Amanda Boyarshinov, Kim Vij and Tonya Staab (Page Street Publishing, $25, ages 3-12)
This book contains 500 outdoor and indoor activities, including science experiments, learning games and crafts. June 1 release.
“Rachel Carson and Ecology for Kids: Her Life and Ideas, with 21 Activities and Experiments”
by Rowena Rae (Chicago Review Press, $13.19, ages 9-12)
Explore the life and work of Rachel Carson and learn various ecological concepts through experiments and activities.
“Yummy Yoga: Playful Poses and Tasty Treats”
by Joy Bauer (Abrams Books for Young Readers, $6.84, ages 3-5)
Introduce yoga and nutrition to kids with eight yoga poses and recipes.
“Adventure Girls!: Crafts and Activities for Curious, Creative, Courageous Girls”
by Nicole Duggan (Rockridge Press, $11.09, ages 6-12)
Explore creative activities and crafts from stargazing and animal tracking to making a pinhole camera and building a shadow theater.
“Bake It: More Than 150 Recipes for Kids from Simple Cookies to Creative Cakes!”
by DK (DK Children, $23.49)
Learn the basics of baking, as well as the challenges of bread-kneading, meringue-whipping and more technical aspects with delicious recipes.
“Bees, Bugs and Butterflies: A Family Guide to Our Garden Heroes and Helpers”
by Ben Raskin (Roost Books, $9, ages 4-8)
Families can use this Discover Together Guide to learn all about garden pollinators through games, quizzes and outdoor exploration.
“Curious Jane: Science+Design+Engineering for Inquisitive Girls”
by Samantha Razook Murphy (Sterling Children’s Books, $13.53, ages 6-11)
Open this book to any page and find a fun project, from making mini-catapults to fizzy bath bombs to screen printing.
“Maker Lab Outdoors: 25 Super Cool Projects”
by Jack Challoner (DK Books, $15.63, ages 8-12)
Create a homemade compass or a thermometer, grow a plant without soil, make enormous bubbles and more – you’ll find out how with easy-to-follow illustrated instructions and learn the science behind the project.
“Summer Brain Quest”
by Workman Publishing; $12.95, separated by grade groups from Pre-K to fifth grade
Avoid the summer slide with these activity books to improve on math, reading and other skills. Each book is made for specific grades, and helps work on core concepts for those grades.
“Everything You Need to Ace In One Big Fat Notebook”
by Workman Publishing; $14.95, grades 6-8
Geared towards middle school students, this book series helps look towards topics they will learn in the coming year. This includes science, history, math and English. The books include colorful sketches and graphics to keep attention.
“Summer Fit Activities”
by Summer Fit Learning; $14.95 separated by grade groups from preschool to eighth grade
These books combine learning with play and fitness for a fun-filled summer. On one page, a child may learn about healthy eating and on another, learn about colors, letters or sounds. Each book also includes a value lesson such as compassion or honesty.
