10+ Best Activity Books for 5-6-Year-Olds w/ Exercises (2024)

Are you on the hunt for the perfect way to keep your little one engaged and learning? Look no further! Our roundup of activity books for 5-6-year-olds is packed with fun and educational options that are sure to capture their imagination and curiosity. Whether you're looking for creative puzzles, exciting challenges, or interactive games, we've got you covered. Keep reading to discover our favorite picks that promise to make learning a blast for your child!

Fun Activity Books for 5-6-Year-Olds

• My First Big Book of Coloring by Little Bee Books
  • Genre(s): Activity Book, Coloring Book
  • Synopsis: This coloring book is packed with a variety of fun scenes and characters to keep young children engaged.
  • Why we recommend this book: It helps develop fine motor skills and stimulates creativity through coloring.
  • Perfect for: Young artists who love to play with colors and explore their artistic side.

• Wipe Clean: Early Learning Activity Book by Roger Priddy
  • Genre(s): Activity Book, Educational
  • Synopsis: This book includes activities that cover letters, numbers, and basic shapes, designed to be used repeatedly with a wipe-clean pen.
  • Why we recommend this book: It reinforces learning of essential school skills in a fun, interactive way that can be practiced over and over.
  • Perfect for: Preschoolers who are getting ready for school and love interactive learning.

• The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book by Tom Robinson
  • Genre(s): Science, Educational, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: Provides easy and exciting science experiments that can be done with everyday household items.
  • Why we recommend this book: It makes science fun and accessible, sparking curiosity about how the world works.
  • Perfect for: Curious young minds who have an interest in science and experiments.

• School Zone - Big Preschool Workbook by School Zone, Joan Hoffman, and Ph.D. Shannon M. Mullally
  • Genre(s): Educational, Workbook
  • Synopsis: This workbook covers a range of subjects from reading and writing basics to math and science.
  • Why we recommend this book: It offers a comprehensive learning tool that prepares children for school success with a variety of lessons and activities.
  • Perfect for: Preschoolers who are eager to learn and parents who want to help their children get a head start on educational success.

• The Ultimate Book of Planet Earth by Anne-Sophie Baumann and Didier Balicevic (illustrator)
  • Genre(s): Science, Educational, Interactive
  • Synopsis: This interactive book features flaps, pop-ups, pull-tabs, and rotating wheels to help children learn about the Earth’s structure, ecosystems, and weather.
  • Why we recommend this book: It offers an engaging, hands-on approach to learning about our planet.
  • Perfect for: Young explorers who are fascinated by nature and the mechanics of the Earth.

Educational Activity Books for 5-6-Year-Olds

• Brain Games for Clever Kids by Gareth Moore
  • Genre(s): Puzzle, Educational
  • Synopsis: This book contains a variety of brain-teasing games, including puzzles, quizzes, and logic tests for young minds.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Problem-solving, memory, and cognitive skills
  • Why we recommend this book: It challenges children to think critically and creatively while having fun.
  • Perfect for: Kids who enjoy challenges and games that make them think.

• My Book of Easy Telling Time: Learning about Hours and Half-Hours by Kumon Publishing
  • Genre(s): Educational, Math
  • Synopsis: This workbook helps children learn to tell time using hours and half-hours using simple, step-by-step instructions.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Time-telling skills, understanding of early math concepts
  • Why we recommend this book: It uses a gradual approach that builds confidence in young learners as they master telling time.
  • Perfect for: Young students who are beginning to learn about clocks and time.

• The Big Fun Kindergarten Workbook by Highlights Learning
  • Genre(s): Educational, Workbook
  • Synopsis: A collection of activities and puzzles designed to prepare kindergarteners for school success.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Alphabet, basic math, science, puzzle-solving, and motor skills
  • Why we recommend this book: It blends learning and fun with activities crafted by education experts.
  • Perfect for: Kindergarteners and preschoolers preparing for the next step in their educational journey.

• Let's Cut Paper! by Kumon Publishing
  • Genre(s): Art, Educational
  • Synopsis: This book is designed to help kids improve their scissor skills, featuring fun and engaging paper cutting activities.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination
  • Why we recommend this book: It makes learning to use scissors safe and enjoyable.
  • Perfect for: Young children who are developing their cutting skills and coordination.

• Kindergarten Logic by Kumon Publishing
  • Genre(s): Logic, Educational
  • Synopsis: Offers puzzles and logic games that enhance critical thinking and reasoning skills in young children.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Logical thinking, problem-solving, and cognitive development
  • Why we recommend this book: It introduces basic logic in an accessible and engaging way for young learners.
  • Perfect for: Preschoolers and kindergarteners ready to develop critical thinking skills.

Challenging Activity Books for 5-6-Year-Olds

• Math Riddles for Smart Kids by M. Prefontaine
  • Genre(s): Math, Puzzle
  • Synopsis: A collection of challenging math riddles designed to sharpen the arithmetic and critical thinking skills of young children.
  • Why this book is challenging: The riddles are crafted to push the boundaries of typical math problems encountered by 5-6-year-olds, encouraging deeper thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Why we recommend this book: It turns math into a fun puzzle-solving activity, which can help alleviate the anxiety sometimes associated with math while fostering a love for the subject.
  • Perfect for: Young mathematicians who love challenges and puzzles.

• The Critical Thinking Mind Benders Book by Anita Harnadek
  • Genre(s): Logic, Educational
  • Synopsis: This book contains a series of logic puzzles that require children to analyze and deduce the correct answers using a set of clues.
  • Why this book is challenging: The puzzles are designed to develop critical thinking skills, requiring more than just simple deduction and involving multiple steps of reasoning.
  • Why we recommend this book: It helps develop important analytical skills and teaches children how to think logically and systematically.
  • Perfect for: Kids who enjoy solving puzzles and developing their reasoning abilities.

• Explorations of Geometry and Measurement by Kumon Publishing
  • Genre(s): Math, Educational
  • Synopsis: This workbook introduces advanced concepts of geometry and measurement through engaging activities and exercises.
  • Why this book is challenging: It covers topics not typically taught at the kindergarten level, such as complex shapes and measuring angles, providing a deeper understanding of math.
  • Why we recommend this book: It provides a solid foundation in geometric concepts and measurement techniques, which are crucial for higher-level math.
  • Perfect for: Young learners who show an early interest in shapes, patterns, and measurements.

• Amazing Visual Math by DK
  • Genre(s): Math, Interactive, Educational
  • Synopsis: An interactive book filled with flaps, pop-ups, and pull-tabs that teach fundamental math concepts through visual learning.
  • Why this book is challenging: It introduces abstract math concepts visually and interactively, requiring children to engage with mathematical ideas in a hands-on manner.
  • Why we recommend this book: It caters to visual learners and makes learning math concepts like fractions and geometry fun and engaging.
  • Perfect for: Visual learners and any child interested in a more interactive approach to learning math.

• The Everything Kids' Puzzle Book by Jennifer A. Ericsson and Beth L. Blair
  • Genre(s): Puzzles, Games, Educational
  • Synopsis: A compendium of various puzzles including crosswords, word searches, and brain teasers designed to entertain and educate simultaneously.
  • Why this book is challenging: The puzzles vary in difficulty and require different types of cognitive skills, from vocabulary knowledge to spatial reasoning.
  • Why we recommend this book: It offers a broad range of puzzles that can help improve a child's problem-solving and critical thinking skills while keeping them engaged.
  • Perfect for: Puzzle lovers and children who enjoy a variety of challenging games and activities.

Exercises to Develop a Good Reading Habit

Hey there! If you're looking to help your 5-6-year-old develop good reading habits, incorporating fun and engaging exercises into their routine can be a game changer. Here are some tailored activities designed specifically for young readers. These exercises are not only enjoyable but also instrumental in fostering a love for reading.

• Picture Story Analysis
  • What it is: Look at a picture book together and discuss the story depicted in the images.
  • How it helps: Enhances imagination and encourages children to infer stories from visuals, building pre-reading skills.
  • Tips: Ask open-ended questions about the pictures to encourage deeper thinking and engagement.

• Match the Sentence
  • What it is: Create cards with simple sentences and corresponding pictures, and have your child match them.
  • How it helps: Reinforces word recognition and comprehension, crucial for early reading development.
  • Tips: Start with short sentences that describe the picture clearly to make the connections obvious.

• Alphabet Treasure Hunt
  • What it is: Hide objects around the house that start with different letters of the alphabet and have your child find them.
  • How it helps: Encourages the recognition of letters and sounds, a fundamental skill in reading.
  • Tips: Cheer and celebrate when they find items, making the learning process exciting and rewarding.

• Story Sequencing Cards
  • What it is: Use cards with different parts of a story for your child to arrange in the correct sequence.
  • How it helps: Helps with understanding the structure of stories and enhances logical thinking.
  • Tips: Initially, use simple three-step stories to build confidence before moving to more complex sequences.

• Read and Draw
  • What it is: Read a short story to your child and then have them draw scenes based on what they heard.
  • How it helps: Improves listening skills and comprehension while allowing creativity to flourish.
  • Tips: Discuss the drawings afterward to encourage verbal articulation of thoughts and ensure understanding.

Incorporating these fun exercises into your young one's daily routine can make a significant difference in their reading journey. They're designed to be both educational and enjoyable, ensuring that your child associates reading with pleasure and curiosity. Keep the sessions light and fun, and watch as your child's reading skills blossom!