29 May 20251 MIN READ
Whether you’re heading off on a half-term road trip or jetting away for the summer holidays, travelling with kids often calls for a bit of… creative distraction. Enter the mighty activity book – a trusty travel companion that fits neatly into a backpack and brings hours of screen-free entertainment.
We’ve rounded up nine of the best activity books to keep little ones busy while you’re on the go. Packed with puzzles, games, and fun facts, these brilliant boredom-busters are perfect for planes, trains, and those ‘are we nearly there yet?’ car journeys.
This sunshine-soaked activity book is bursting with things to do once that final bell rings! From summer-themed colouring and spot-the-difference pages to silly jokes and brain-teasing puzzles, it’s tailor-made for holiday adventures.
Compact and colourful, it’s ideal for chucking in a carry-on, plus it features a mix of quiet activities and more collaborative games, so siblings can share without squabbling. Complete with adorable illustrations by Kathryn Selbert, this is a brilliant boredom-buster for long journeys or rainy summer days.
For mini globetrotters with curious minds, this beautifully illustrated book is a passport to the world. The book features a detailed introduction, so readers can learn how maps are created, how countries are defined and some useful background information about flags before they get stuck in.
Kids can learn about countries and cultures, all while colouring in and solving puzzles. It’s a fantastic way to turn travel into a learning adventure, especially if you’re ticking off new destinations. Lightweight and packed full of colour and fun, it’s a geography lesson in disguise.
A fantastic follow-up to Brain Games for Clever Kids®, this book is brimming with travel-themed logic puzzles guaranteed to keep kids entertained on even the longest of journeys!
Expect mazes, code breakers, word searches and logic puzzles galore. It’s a must-have for keeping sharp minds ticking over during holidays, and because it’s all pencil-and-paper fun, it’s screen-free entertainment created by bestselling puzzle book author Gareth Moore.
This handy backpack book is full of games to play and puzzles to complete while on the move with kids! Get on board and fill your journey with this treasure-trove of travel activities, brimming with quirky doodles, jokes, puzzles and games.
It’s especially great for younger kids who love a mix of drawing, colouring, and little challenges. Take this book and some pens wherever you’re travelling with kids, it’s guaranteed to make the hours fly by.
Suitable for holidays and rainy days, the Holiday Boredom Buster will fill your days with endless fun. It’s engaging without needing screens or batteries, and its compact size makes it a savvy suitcase addition for children aged 6 and up.
Jam-packed with puzzles, dot-to-dots, spot-the-differences and doodle pages, this book is your ultimate plan B for when the ‘I’m bored’ chorus starts. So, pop your pens and this book in your backpack wherever you go to fill your holiday with fun!
A travel classic for a reason, this cheeky title knows exactly how it feels to be stuck in traffic with restless passengers. Packed with cool puzzles and games to play on the way, this is a wonderful way to help kids hang on to their holiday memories!
With space to stick in memorabilia and photos, boxes to tick and fill in, and loads of fun things to colour – this doodle scrapbook will make any journey fly by. Ideal for kids aged 6+, but fun for the whole family to join in.
Search the planet from top to bottom in this giant search challenge! Starting with space, moving down to the mountains and to cities before finally ending up under the sea, this educational search and find book is packed with things to spot and fun facts to discover.
For the budding explorer, Where in the World? is an absolute treat. Filled with vibrant maps, hidden-object hunts, and fascinating facts from every corner of the globe, children will love finding things and learning as they go! Inspire wanderlust and wonder with this enchantingly illustrated children’s book.
Packed full of colourful travel-themed puzzles and games, this activity book is guaranteed to keep kids entertained on even the longest of journeys. Perfect for puzzlers on the move!
With over 80 puzzles to complete, readers can spot the differences between two island scenes, match up pairs of surfboards in the sand and fill in a seashell sudoku. Kids can also put their brainpower to the test with mind-bending mazes, dot-to-dots, travel-themed quizzes and much more.
If you’re planning a city break in the capital, this one’s a winner. Bursting with fun facts, colouring pages and city-themed games, The London Activity Book helps kids connect with what they’re seeing – from Big Ben to the Natural History Museum.
With fun, bite-sized facts dotted throughout, this book is sure to keep young explorers engaged as it introduces them to London’s fascinating history. Whether you’re exploring the sights or relaxing in a café, it brings the city to life in a way little ones will love.
So, there you have it! Nine fun-filled, travel-friendly books that’ll keep the kids entertained without Wi-Fi or screens. Now all that’s left to do is pack the snacks.
If you’re looking for more recommendations for books to make travelling with kids fly by, check out the Michael O’Mara blog.
