Ready to turn off the television, put away the iPhone and iPad, and get back to basics with activity books?
Activity books are my go-to resource to minimize my kids’ screen time and to feel confident that they are learning new skills. There is something wonderful about relieving stress, re-charging the brain and sparking inspiration. All you need is an inviting activity book and the benefits are countless!
Here are my five reasons why you should break out summer activity books:
- Boredom buster (without technology)
Simple markers, pencils and pens along with activity pages offer hours of entertainment. As a busy parent, there’s something refreshing and guilt-free about bringing out tried-and-true workbooks.
- Travel friendly
These books can be thrown in the backseat, in a pool or beach bag, in a suitcase, etc. There is no need for WIFI or charged batteries in order for them to work!
- Lessons to be learned
Benjamin Franklin said it best: “Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I learn.” Activity books are interactive and get kids to draw, think, feel and express themselves on paper.
- Quality time with the kids
In this fast-paced digital world, we sometimes get so caught up that we forget to sit down and just have a conversation with our kids. Activity books are a great time to become engaged with your child – maybe it’s coloring, a refresher in basic subjects and/or learning a new skill.
- Something for everyone
You can find almost any subject in any activity book format, from simple art, math, reading, and writing to manners and social skills, foreign languages and more. They come ready-made or you can create your own with free downloadable worksheets.
My kids (known as my mini-testers) have helped me both create activity books and find some of the best books for dot-to-dot, coloring, reading, writing and everything in between. A few of our favorites include:
Mindware Extreme Dot-to-Dot collection of books for ages 8 and up. Puzzles range from 500 – 1400 dots and are sure to challenge any young child!
Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book for ages 8 and up. A wonderfully creative way to color!
Ultimate Sticker Book: Frozen for ages 5-9. Every Frozen fan’s dream! This book provides access to any sticker you could ever imagine.
Brain Quest Workbooks for all ages. An engaging book available by grade to keep your kids’ core skills develop over summer break.
Kumon Workbooks to teach cutting and tracing for preschoolers. A great step-by step approach to help children gain confidence.
The SMART Playbook for ages 6-12 to playfully teach social skills and manners. Here’s where I shamelessly plug my own activity book I developed with my kids. Simple games and challenges to motivate your kids to learn essential life skills.
Mad Libs mostly for ages 8 -12. Be creative and come up with fun, wacky stories. Mad Libs come in all sorts of themes.
The Everything Kids Puzzle Book for ages 7-12. Screen-free time to solve lots of games and puzzles.
You can also create your own custom activity books with free downloadable worksheets available on the internet.
Ready to keep your kids screen-free and happy for hours? Do you have a favorite activity book?
About Suzanne Wind
What do you think?