Take These Books With You!
My family is always on-the-go, whether we’re heading out for an afternoon of activities, visiting family over a long weekend, or gearing up for a long drive, we’re constantly in the car. So what’s my secret for keeping the kids happy and busy? Books, of course!
I’m always looking for great books to pack in the car. From activity books, and journals with writing prompts, to guides and books with conversation starters, there are so many great books that have helped us stay calm and entertained when we’re away from home. I’m excited to share some of our favorites and will keep updating this post as we find new ones. I hope you enjoy these books as much as we do,
If you liked these books, or have some other favorites, please leave a comment below and share this page with a friend!
I hope you love the books I recommend! Please note that the links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Books & Activity Books for ages 2+
Mix It Up, Press Here, Say Zoop and Let’s Play by Hervé Tullet are fun, silly and interactive. Your child will delight in making all of the magic of these books happen by touching the pages, tapping dots, shaking the book, turning it upside down, and much more You can also find them in Spanish!
Be My Neighbor, Welcome to Preschool and My First Lift-the-Flap World Atlas are adorable and loaded with fun surprises underneath each flap.
The Button Book - Get your fingers ready to press all of the buttons in this book. The red button makes a “beep” sound and the blue button makes everyone clap, but what does the purple one do? This fun and interactive book is perfect for every classroom!
You Are Light & My Favorite Color - These gorgeous books are fun for kids of all ages. Hold each color up to the light and watch them transform everything! With simple text and an imaginative design, these are sure to be new favorites.
Miffy and the Artists - A perfect companion for a trip to the art museum, art class, or for anyone who loves Miffy. Introduce your little reader to some of the greatest artists of all time, including Frida Kahlo, Yayoi Kusama, Henri Matisse, Vincent van Gogh, and Andy Warhol, and more.
This Sheep Needs Your Help - Are you ready to rescue this woolly wanderer from a preposterous pack of predicaments? Grab the dry-erase marker that comes with this book and put your drawing skills to work. This sassy sheep will tell you everything she needs, including a skateboard, a wolf-proof disguise, and enough party hats for all the sheep in her flock.
Interactive & Activity Books for Ages 3-7:
Making Faces! Star in Your Own Works of Art - As soon as I saw this book I fell in love! Flip through the book and choose any page you like. Follow the short prompts to add your own ideas and details. Once it’s done pop your face in the middle and you’re the star of the show. A perfect go-to book for screen-free fun and creative play.
Draw Here: An Activity Book - kids who love Hervé Tullet’s interactive books will delight in following the prompts and creating their own stories.
Illustrate this Book: Unicorn Party, My Prehistoric Pet, One Brave Astronaut, and Monster Small, Monster Big! - what better way to kick the creativity up a notch than with a book your mini author writes herself! Each book includes warm-up activities, a book planner, stickers, and visual prompts from real-life illustrators.
Ages 5+
Search for a Giant Squid - a fantastic book with a world of possibilities! Choose your pilot, your submersible vehicle and your dive site. Then dive deep into the ocean and explore what lies below. Will you find the giant squid? This book is hands-down one of our all-time-favorite reads.
Endlessly Ever After: Pick YOUR Path to Countless Fairy Tale Endings! - Readers get to decide how each story ends by deciding which paths to follow. This is not your every day fairy tale!
Escape the Medieval Castle: Use the clues, solve the puzzles, and make your escape!
365 Words for Clever Kids - We got this book a few months ago at our local indie bookstore and have been loving it! My daughter is in 2nd grade and LOVES learning new words. She says it makes her feel “fancy.” I love this one because it’s a fun and silly way to expand her vocabulary, and the colorful illustrations with animals help make each word more memorable.
Give this Book a Title & Give This Book a Cover are two great activity books with over 100 activities in each book. Create your own story, with open-ended writing prompts, challenges and more!
LOL 101 - A fantastically funny guide to writing your own jokes.
All You Need is A Pencil: The Weird, Wacky & Unusual Activity Book
Ages 8+
Fairy House: How To Make Amazing Fairy Furniture, Miniatures, and More From Natural Materials - I am absolutely loving this book and am so excited to share it. Perfect for crafters, tinkerers, collectors, and kids who love to spend their days outdoors. This book is packed with all you need to get started with creating magical fairy houses, from guidance on finding the right tools and gathering the perfect natural materials to building every inch of your house. Step into the world of fairy house building, just add your imagination!
Cluedle - Can you figure out Cluedunnit? Grab a pencil and join P.I. Hartigan Browne to unravel riddles, crack codes, and catch the culprit in this fun, interactive puzzle adventure story.
Guides
Take Me To Museums: The Young Explorer’s Guide to Every Museum in the World - We absolutely love this book, and have enjoyed taking it with us on trips, now that my kids are a bit older. Turn every museum visit into an adventure, by observing and documenting the experience. Packed with facts about museum history, and prompts to create their own ideas, this book is perfect for trips!
Let’s Go To The Museum: A Modern Art Adventure Maze - Join this interactive visit to the art museum and get ready as the guided tour turns into an incredible maze adventure. In each room, you will find recognizable artists and art styles. From Monet to Hockney and Klee and Warhol, each lift of the flap explores a new movement. But be aware, the art might come alive to become your tour guides. If you should get lost in the galleries, follow the mazes in order to find your way to the next room.
Universal Guide to the Night Sky - If you’ve got a kid in your house that loves anything to do with space then this book is for you! Bring it with you on a camping trip, a visit to a planetarium, or just to your backyard to level up a night of stargazing.
Knot It!: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering 100 Essential Outdoor and Fishing Knots
