If you have children, you know how a good activity or novelty book can keep small hands and growing minds fully occupied and entertained. Here are some of our best suggestions for keeping the kids busy during the winter holidays.
Parents and children are invited to join one of the world's great modern-day adventurers as he explores Africa by bicycle. In My First African Adventure, Riaan Manser relives all the excitement of his African journey - including negotiating the Sahara and Libyan deserts, learning French, Portuguese and Arabic, eating exotic animals, visiting the pyramids and the Red Sea in Egypt, feeding hyenas mouth to mouth, and standing on the highest and the lowest, places in Africa.
Younger children will love playing with the soft, cuddly Gruffalo hand puppet as they read The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, while meeting the Gruffalo, Mouse and other animals in the deep dark woods. This simple pre-school story is based on the original picture book, and comes with a fantastically detailed Gruffalo hand puppet.
Most children are fascinated by wild animals. With the National Geographic Kids On Safari Sticker Activity Book they can discover 1,000 cool stickers featuring awesome safari animals, including lions, elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, and others. You'll also find skill-building puzzles, mazes, spelling and pattern games, drawing activities, photos, facts, and other activities that will keep your children entertained for hours.
Planning a roadtrip for the school holidays and know that your kids are going to be bored in the back-seat? The Usborne Travel Activity Pack is packed with over 200 stickers, 4 mini books, games and colouring-in packs to keep them entertained on the journey. Suitable for ages 6 and up.
Winter is perfect for spending time with family and friends puzzling. The 200 piece Usborne Jigsaw Space Maze and Jigsaw Under the Sea Maze pack contains beautifully illustrated jigsaws of vibrant space and under water scenes plus a maze to solve once it's assembled. It also includes a 32-page book with a selection of more themed mazes to enjoy finding your way through.
If your children are aspiring little architects then Dig and Discover Dinosaurs Excavate 2 Fossils Kit is perfect for them to enjoy the thrill of embarking on their own dinosaur discoveries and palaeontology dig, as they dig for dinosaur fossils and discover the hidden secrets of the world of Jurassic Park.
Little Egyptologists can learn about the intriguing history of Ancient Egypt in this 48-page book, Dig and Discover Ancient Egypt Excavate 2 Treasures. It includes fossils, archaeological pyramids, a chisel, dusting brush, plus two hidden Egyptian artefacts.
Choose gratitude and say yay to a good day with the Mindful Me 100 Ways to Colour Gratitude Colouring Book. The 64-page colouring book is filled with beautiful illustrations, inspirational quotes and spaces to practise gratitude.
Perfect for inquiring young minds, the Curious Universe Kids Incredible Earth Kit activities kit are fun and educational, providing a strong introduction to the wonders of science. By combining the items in this kit with common household objects, the Incredible World book shows young science enthusiasts how to do super-exciting experiments - simply and safely at home, including materials to create your own earthquake table!
Find even more ideas for keeping your kids busy and getting a little peace and quiet over the holidays with Loot’s great selection of children’s educational books.