Growing up in California, my parents would pack us in the car and set off to San Francisco every spring break. In those days there were no iPads, Nintendo Switches, or smartphones. The only things I had to entertain myself on that six-hour drive were a couple of Barbies, Beanie Babies, and you guessed it…books!
Roundtripping seemed so effortless in those days but perhaps my own motherhood has morphed that perception. Because, let’s be real, going on a long flight or car trip does not sound fun when you have multiple kids under eight – even if you do have an iPad! Many moms (myself included) have learned that too much screen time can be harmful. Don’t get me wrong, when we do long trips with our little ones we always bring the iPad, but I like to have it be the last resort.
There is something really special about my boys being eager to dive into new books in their travel backpacks. It totally brings me back to those days of driving to San Francisco with my parents when I was a little girl. There’s so much to learn and see on electronic devices but let your kids experience the wonder and magic of books on your next road trip!
So, you’d like to pack more interactive books that will keep your kids entertained? Whether you are going on a road trip or staying home this spring break, these books are sure to dazzle and entertain all while being educational. I’ve done the work for you and compiled a list of our tried-and-true engaging books for all ages!
- DON’T TICKLE THE BEAR // Don’t tickle the bear! You might make it growl… Little ones just won’t be able to resist tickling the touchy-feely patches to hear each animal make a sound in this hilarious novelty book. In the end, readers will find all the animals being noisy at once.
2. LIGHTS & SOUNDS UNICORNS // When little children press each button in this unique novelty book, the enchanting scenes are brought to life with twinkling lights and beautiful sounds. Join Rosie the little unicorn and her friends, the fairies, elves, and dragons, as she searches for lots of sparkling things in this magical story.
3. FINGERTRAIL PLAYBOOK GARDEN // A brightly colored, high-contrast, touchy-feely book for babies. Delightful to share, this book will engage even a tiny baby’s attention and as babies grow, they will love to trace their fingers around the tactile finger trails. Babies will be mesmerized by the bright pictures and tactile trails as in this vibrant board book.
4. CRINKLE PETS FABRIC BOOK // Illustrated with bold, black-and-white patterns with high contrast and featuring a crinkle effect on every page, these small-size cloth books support visual development and engage concentration.
5. BABY’S 1ST NOISY TRAINS BOOK // A brightly colored, touchy-feely book for babies. Press the buttons to hear the musical sound clips which have been specially composed to evoke the sounds of steam trains. Delightful to share, this book will engage even a tiny baby’s attention and as they grow babies will love to press the sound buttons themselves.
6. MIX AND MATCH EMERGENCY // Little children will love making funny animals in this entertaining board book. Each page is split into two parts—a head and a body—with animals dressed for different emergency jobs to mix and match.
7. THAT’S NOT MY MERMAID… // A sparkly special edition of the classic That’s Not My… book to celebrate 20 years of That’s Not My… books! Babies and toddlers will love touching the textured patches as they meet mermaids with scaly tails, shiny mirrors, and fluffy hair.
8. JUNGLE STROLLER BOOK // This little book is perfect to clip near the car seat for a long trip. The book attaches easily to a stroller or baby gym, meaning it is always on hand to entertain and amuse, and will never get lost.
- LITTLE CHILDREN’S ANIMAL COLORING BOOK // This coloring book is so unique because the backgrounds are already colored in, so little children can focus on the exciting parts. A bright and friendly first coloring book for little ones, with animals to color on every page.
2. WORD BOOK THINGS THAT GO // This fun wipe-clean book is a perfect way for young children to improve their language and writing skills by tracing over 180 words to do with transportation.
3. 1001 THINGS TO SPOT ON VACATION // This puzzle book is packed full of things to find and count. Spot sea stars on a coral reef, snowmen on a ski trip, and lion cubs on safari. From the plane trip to the gift shop, there’s lots of fun to be had.
4. FIRST STICKER BOOK ZOO // A fun and lively sticker book with busy zoo scenes to fill. Favorite zoo scenes include the lions and tigers, the aquarium, the elephants, and the reptile house. Contains over 100 colorful stickers!
5. LITTLE COLORING UNICORNS // Little children will love the magical illustrations in this early-years coloring book filled with unicorns, castles, and rainbows. Bold, simple outlines and large areas to color make this book ideal for developing pencil control skills.
6. FEED THE ANIMALS // This interactive book is sure to keep the boredom away on the car ride! Animal friends are hungry, and you can feed them! Choose from the five food pieces, drop them in the slot, and help fill their empty tummies. The food pieces stay put in a slot in the cover which makes it easy to transport.
7. LITTLE CHILDREN’S DRAWING BOOK // Introduce little ones to drawing and pen control with this charming activity book. Children can learn how to draw squiggles, wiggles, spots, stripes, curly lines, straight lines, and lots more with the help of the friendly animal characters throughout the book.
- NEVER BORED IN A CAR // In this activity book, big kids will find amazing mazes, things to spot, challenges of logic, engaging word puzzles, and inventive games for one or more players.
- BUILD YOUR OWN SEA CREATURES STICKER BOOK // From polar seas to tropical reefs, you’ll meet humpback whales, hammerhead sharks, lionfish, and many more sea creatures. Complete them using the stickers and read the descriptions to find out fascinating facts about each one.
- BIG DRAWING BOOK // By following the very simple step-by-steps in this fun drawing book, you can draw dolphins diving in the sea, knights guarding a castle, monster faces, buzzing bees, and lots, lots more.
- THE UNWORRY COLORING BOOK // This bright and inviting book contains all sorts of pictures and patterns to color and get lost in. Aimed primarily at children, it has a cheerful approach and reassuring messages that encourage mindfulness and calm.
- NEVER BORED ON THE GO PUZZLE CARDS // 50 cards of unique, mind-bending puzzles. With the wipe-clean pen, you can have as many goes as you like so each card has amazing replay ability. The pack includes travel adventures, dangerous mazes, cunning word games, and so much more.
- 100 THINGS TO DO ON A CAR TRIP // Packed full of games, puzzles, and more, this book turns any boring journey into a fun-packed ride!
- STICKER DOLLY DRESSING UNICORNS // Use the stickers to dress the dolls and decorate the unicorns in this magical book. The stickers are reusable so you can lift them up and reposition them, if you like.
- SPY MAZES // From spy school, secret bases, and submarines to drones, double agents, and decoding devices, delve into the world of espionage as you find your way through this super selection of spy mazes.
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