Here’s a list of kids’ activities and books that will help keep “at home” boredom at bay! These products promote “creativity and learning” while being budget-friendly and TWEEN APPROVED!

Books & Activities: Make the best gifts for kids!
Here’s a list of books or activity kits geared for ages 6 up that provide creative, adventurous learning! As of Mom of 5 and the former owner of a children’s second-hand shop for 17 years, I can tell you that BOOKS & activity sets make perfect gifts! Today, I will show you a few of our best sellers & some of the favorites that I recommend.
These “kid approved” gift ideas have been updated on November 27, 2021. My tweens and I added a couple of new books that they have enjoyed recently.
You can shop from the comfort of home and have them delivered right to you! For your convenience, I’ve added the product links (highlighted items) that you may view or SHOP directly from.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my disclosure policy here.
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Learn a New Skill Books – GIFTS FOR KIDS
- The COMPLETE DIY COOKBOOK for Young Chefs – 100+ SIMPLE RECIPES for making ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING from scratch! – Kindle or Hardcover

This one is one of my kid’s favorite new books this fall. Perfect for Home Ec and I love that most of the recipes call for things that I usually have on hand. Plus it teaches kids how to make things they see in the grocery store from scratch! Teaching them lifelong skills while having fun!
- NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY: Tips & Tricks on How to Be a Great Photographer From the Pros & Your Pals at My Shot (ages 8 & up)

Here’s a fun, fact-filled, kid-friendly guide that is jam-packed with all the essentials for budding photographers. From how to set up a shot and stage the lighting and from the best software to short assignments, you’ll learn all the important photographic concepts and basics of equipment, lighting aperture, lenses, depth of field, and more.
- LEARN & WRITE CODE YOUR OWN GAME (ages 6-11) – 80 pages

Become a super-coder and create your very own computer games using Scratch—a free software developed by MIT. With its easy-to-follow, illustrated step-by-step instructions, this book will teach you key concepts—like drawing shapes—so you can code your own games.
- Get CODING! Learn HTML, CSS, and Javascript – Build a Website, App & Game (grade level 4-7 & up)

We really like this book & have learned quite a bit and still have a lot more to read of it!
Crack open this book and set off on several fun missions — while simultaneously learning the basics of writing code. Want to make a website from scratch? Create an app? Build a game? All the tools are here, laid out in a user-friendly format that leads kids on an imaginary quest to keep a valuable diamond safe from dangerous jewel thieves.
Presented by Young Rewired State — an international collective of tech-savvy kids — in easy-to-follow, bite-size chunks, the real-life coding skills taught in this engaging, comprehensive guide may just set young readers on the path to becoming technology stars of the future.
- KIDS WOODWORKING BOOK (ages 8-12)

This kid-friendly guide covers the essentials of carpentry, including the proper way to drive a nail, the safe way to drill a hole, and the importance of measuring. You’ll be amazed at how fast your miniature carpenter acquires the skills to complete 15 projects that include game boards, playsets, lemonade stands, birdhouses, equine sawhorses, and more.
Creative Books – GIFTS FOR KIDS
- WRITE YOUR OWN COMIC BOOK – (ages kids & up) 150 pages
Blank Comic Book: Draw Your Own Comics – 150 Pages of Fun and Unique Templates
Kids love making their own cartoons and comics and, this Blank Comic Book for Kids is the book you need. Filled with comic book templates of various styles, with 150 pages, this book will keep budding artists busy for hours.

A few more ideas to promote Creative Activities!
- MY 1st SEWING MACHINE BOOK (ages 7 to adult) 35 project ideas!
- HOW TO CROCHET BOOK 68 pages (ages 9 to 14) 124 pages
- ORIGAMI FUN KIT FOR BEGINNERS (all ages) comes with paper & book
- BEGINNERS SEWING KIT – 176 pieces (great stocking stuffer!)

THE COMPLETE KIT FOR ALL YOUR SEWING NEEDS: Always be prepared for anything with this mini sewing kit from Sew Craft Cook! We’ve designed our exclusive, DIY sewing kits with all the essential sewing accessories, including 18 thread spools, iron-on hem tape, denim patches, sharp scissors, sewing pins, and much more!
Art & Crafts for Kids
- FUN & EASY CRAFTING with RECYCLED MATERIALS (ages 6-11) on Kindle & paperback

Transform paper rolls, egg cartons, newspaper, and cardboard into colorful decorations, amazing wearable masks, hats, and jewelry, or even sturdy desk organizers, puzzles, and paint palettes. Get ready to unleash your imagination with 60 unique crafts! 160 pages—INCLUDES 12 CUT-OUT TEMPLATES!
I LOVE that this book teaches kids to look around them & reuse items they already have on hand! And the fact that these crafts are budget-friendly is an added bonus!
- MOSAIC STICKER BOOKS (3 Pack) by Melissa & Doug (ages 7 & up)

Safari, Ocean, and Nature theme. Match number-coded stickers to numbered spaces on 12 lushly drawn full-color scenes per pad and see the animals and nature scenes come to life.
- Create beautiful mosaic art with this set of 3 mosaic sticker pads (safari, ocean, nature) with 12 scenes to complete and a total of more than 2, 500 stickers
- Sticker sheets correspond with scenes and are removable for easy matching
- Help encourage focus and concentration, all s well as fine motor and problem-solving skills
- Makes a perfect gift for kids to adults, ages 7 and older, For hands-on, screen-free creativity
- CHILD’S INTRODUCTION TO FAMOUS ART(ages 9 & adults)

The newest volume in Black Dog’s best-selling, award-winning Child’s Introduction series explores the fascinating world of art and artists and includes do-it-yourself art projects throughout.
- ART SET (for older kids) – 102 pieces
- DRAWING SET – 17 pieces (older kids & adults) Basic sketch & draw
- ARTEZA WOODLESS WATERCOLOR PENCIL SET – 24 piece set
Activity Books for School Aged Kids
These are 3 of our FAVORITE activity books and one of my GO-TO ideas for great GIFTS for school-aged KIDS! I don’t think that a week goes by without my two tweens creating in one of these books! There are “boredom busters” and spark creativity and imagination. (Perfect for an art class for homeschooling;)
- WRECK THIS JOURNAL – 224 pages (school age to adult)
A spectacular coloring and painting edition of the incredible journal that started it all, in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the 10-million-copy international bestseller!
- CREATE THIS BOOK #2– 200 pages (school age to adult)
With all the same fun and inspiration power as the original, Create This Book 2 includes a fresh set of 100 unique prompts designed to get your creativity flowing. Each prompt will get you thinking outside the box and making something amazing! Check out Author, Moriah Elizabeth, on Youtube for ideas, tips, and inspiration.
CLICK HERE to see CREATE THIS BOOK 2 YOUTUBE TUTORIAL from the author Moriah Elizabeth!
- CREATE THIS BOOK #1 (school age to adult)

This is the ultimate outlet for creativity. Includes 235 pages of unique and inspiring prompts to get you in the creative zone! Whether you are trying to get past an artist’s block, wanting to become more creative, or just looking to have some fun, you will love this interactive journal! Want to learn more?
CLICK HERE to see CREATE THIS BOOK 1 YOUTUBE TUTORIAL from the author Moriah Elizabeth!
KIDS Music Books
- READING MUSIC 101 BOOK – 384 pages (Kindle or Spiral-bound Book)

KIDS Science Books
- AWESOME ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS! (ages 5-10) – 198 pages

Build Excitement for Engineering! 50+ Exciting STEAM Projects to Design and Build! Make engineering for kids fun and inspiring. From toothpick towers and marble runs to egg drops and water rockets. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THEIR ENTIRE SERIES OF STEM ACTIVITY BOOKS!
- OUTDOOR SCIENCE LAB FOR KIDS (ages 8-12) – pages 144

Learn physics, chemistry, and biology in your own backyard! In Outdoor Science Lab for Kids, scientist and mom Liz Heinecke has created 52 family-friendly labs designed to get you and yours outside every season.
Outdoor Activity Kids Books
- GARDENING SET (ages 4-12) Paint & plant set
- WINDCHIME PAINT & MAKE – STEM Arts & Craft Project (ages 4-10)
- OUTDOOR ULTIMATE FISHING GUIDE FOR KIDS! – 84 pages
- FISHING LURES SET – 77 pcs & Tackle box
More GIFTS FOR KIDS Ideas!
The topics of FUN, EDUCATIONAL, and CREATIVE possibilities are ENDLESS!
- Baking, Cooking, or Barbecuing
- Cake and Cookie Decorating
- Bug and Insect Discovery
- Butterfly Gardens
- Indoor Gardens (Herbs, Air Plants or Succulents)
- Outdoor Gardening (Fruits, Flowers or Veggies)
- Rock Painting or Collecting
- Bird Watching
- How to Build Books
- Camping
- Entrepreneur 101 for Kids!
- Silly Riddle, Tongue Twister, or Joke Books
- Travel
- Pottery
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Action Bible & Devotion Books for Tweens!
Bible Games Activity Pages for Kids!
DIY Suncatchers Craft for KIDS!
Rainbow Bubbles aka Bubble Snakes for KIDS!
Summer Activities for KIDS – Tweens at Home!
Shop Our Favorite CRAFT & DIY Supplies for KIDS!
Here are our FAVORITE art & craft supplies for KIDS! They have been KID tested & Mom approved! These items will be used in countless craft and DIY projects that we will be sharing with you! I have added the shopping links to the products below so you can have these items on hand as well!
Paint
- Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paint (extra bottles of white for the look of icing)
- Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint by Plaid (even though it’s very inexpensive we have never had a problem with coverage or paint drying out.
- Kassa Watercolor Set – Painting Kit for Kids & Adults – Bundle Includes Water Brush Pen (3 Assorted Sizes), Water Color Paper (30 Sheets) & Watercolor Paint Set (21 Colors) – I can not say enough about the quality of this set – and it is mess-free!
Clay
4. Sculpey Polymer Clay – I could do an entire post just on the different things my kids create each week with this amazing clay!
5. Air Dry Clay by DAS– This is the easiest to work with brand that we have found. Both the kids & I use this brand in a variety of projects.
Markers & Pens
6. Permanent Sharpie Markers – Of course, for younger kids, these need supervision or you may find permanent artwork on places you’d prefer not to. There are some art projects that welcome a non-smearing or fading marker & these fit the bill! 30 colors of Sharpies
7. Chalk Markers by Kassa – The colors are vibrant & go on smooth! We love using these vs regular chalk, less dust & sticks to surfaces better.
8. Arteza Gel Pens (metallic) – Love this brand for all kinds of gel pens! They seem to not “smudge” like other brands. You can buy replacement cartridges so it is less waste & saves money!
Glue & Sealer
9. Mod Podge Water-based Sealer, Glue & Decoupage Finis (gloss version) & (matte version). They have a variety of different kinds of sealers depending on your project needs.
10. Gorilla Dual Temp Glue Gun – Parent supervision for younger kids. We like this brand for a smaller glue gun – this set even comes with the sticks!
Thank you for stopping by! We hope you enjoyed this post on Creative Learning Books & Activities for kids ages 6 and up!
Please share with us by commenting below what books you think your kid(s) will love?
Blessings,
Kim & the tween team
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