Gift Books for the Holidays: Puzzle and Activity Books
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Do your kids like puzzle and activity books? One of these new 2018 activity books would make a great gift for any upcoming travel plans that you have. You’ll appreciate how these activity books encourage playful thinking and learning, too.
Be sure you check out the sample pages so you can get a sense of the level of difficulty. Unfortunately, most of these books didn’t list a specific age range. I included my best guess…
Gift Books for the Holidays: Puzzle and Activity Books
45 Games While You Wait by Auzou ages 4 – 8
CUTE!! Use the provided dry erase marker to do these adorable puzzles for early learners. The book is organized into three sections: observation, puzzles, and mazes. In the observation section, you might find the difference in ogre shadows or find the differences between the two illustrations of Professor Neutron. In the puzzle section, you’ll find word searches, sudoku, and more. The mazes section is pretty self-explanatory but all with fun themes like Treasure Island or Sherlock Holmes. There isn’t a listed age for this book but I’d say preschool to second grade.
 
How to Draw a Unicorn and Other Cute Animals (With Simple Shapes in 5 Steps) by Lulu Mayo ages 6 – 16
My oldest daughter AJ really likes the step-by-step directions in this book. You’ll find directions for 30 animals including a llama, sloth, beaver, panda, tiger, and much more. AJ likes that she can easily draw these on her new iPad with the Pencil. (One of the best investments I’ve made last summer when JJ was so sick. If the kids are on screen time, I feel like drawing and being creative are good choices.)
Added to: Best Drawing Books for Kids
 
Around the World in 80 Puzzles by Aleksandra Artymowska ages 8 – 12
This is a GREAT gift book for the entire family to enjoy. Visual discrimination never looked so beautiful! My kids and husband were hooked on it as soon as this book arrived in the mail. So together or individually, you’ll have so much fun with this book that celebrates the world! I love how the puzzles give kids practice with visual discrimination skills and following directions. And in this unique book, there is a lot of white space while still requiring detail orientation. See the pieces of the Eiffel Tower and answer — “Which of these pieces isn’t part of the Eiffel Tower?” and “Can you arrange the other pieces in the correct order?”
Added to: Best Seek and Find Books for Kids
Elephants on Tour: A Search & Find Journey Around the World by Guillaume Cornet ages 8 – 12
I really like the integration of geography and world cultures in this fun search and find book! And maybe, it makes me a little nostalgic for Barbar. 🙂 Because elephants. Five elephants are traveling the world — find them on each page. The illustrations are minuscule and enchanting! Each location’s two-page spread shows where the elephants are visiting next from the Amazon to Madagascar and Amsterdam. You’ll also see a “Fact File” with the country, currency, language, and population. Another fact overlay shares how to say hello, places to visit, things to do, what to buy, and what to eat. Cool, right?!
 
Star Quest: Extreme Puzzle Challenges for Clever Kids by Michael O’Mara Books ages 10 – 16
What an inviting, challenging space-themed puzzle book! I really love that each two-page spread has facts about the topic like Suttle Launch Pad and the other page has the puzzle — a maze, dot-to-dot, or color by number puzzle. This book is not for young children — it’s hard! Like the dot-to-dot for Sputnik 1 goes to 538! Learn while playing for older kids — I like it!
Added to: Best Activity Books for Kids Ages 9 – 12
 
A-Maze-ing America by Joe Wos ages 6 – 10
My daughter thinks this maze book is a great road trip activity & time passer. Each state’s maze has different animals, plants, and things that represent that state. At first, I was confused about how it was organized because it’s not by region or alphabet but by difficulty.
Added to: Best Activity Books for Kids Ages 9 – 12
 
Extreme Engineering (STEM Adventures)Â by Paul Virr ages 9 – 12
All the mazes, puzzles, quizzes, and info are mostly engineering related in this STEM 2018 activity book. Read the information, then do the activities. For example, you’ll read about arches then do a drawing activity by completing the other half of two famous bridges. Other topics include levers, water power, and gears. You’ll find word searches, mazes, dot-to-dots, drawing, labeling, and more.
 
Terrific TEchnology (STEM Adventures) by Claire Sipi ages 9 – 12
The book begins with tools — saw, spear, axe, chisel — and continues to paper, printing, electricity, and computers. You’ll read some information then do an activity. For example, read about flexible textiles then do the quilt matching pattern activity. Over 40 activities inside. Also in the STEM Adventures series: Amazing Math and Sensational Science.
