10+ Best Activity Books for 4-Year-Olds w/ Exercises (2024)

Looking for the perfect way to keep your little one engaged and learning? You've hit the jackpot with our roundup of the best activity books for 4-year-olds! These books are packed with fun and educational activities that are just right for their age. Whether you're on the hunt for puzzles, coloring pages, or skill-building exercises, we've got something that will capture your child's imagination and curiosity. Keep reading to discover our favorite picks in activity books for 4-year-olds!

Fun Activity Books for 4-Year-Olds

• My First Big Book of Coloring by Little Bee Books
  • Genre(s): Activity Book, Coloring Book
  • Synopsis: This book is filled with large, simple illustrations perfect for young children to color. It includes a variety of themes like animals, vehicles, and foods.
  • Why we recommend this book: It's great for developing fine motor skills and color recognition. The large images are easy for little hands to color within the lines.
  • Perfect for: Young artists who enjoy coloring and parents looking for a mess-free artistic activity for their children.

• Preschool Activity Book for Kids by Busy Kid Press
  • Genre(s): Educational, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: This activity book offers a range of puzzles, mazes, and games designed to support early learning in areas such as math, reading, and problem-solving.
  • Why we recommend this book: It helps prepare children for school with fun and engaging activities that stimulate their minds.
  • Perfect for: Preschoolers who need a playful way to learn basic academic skills.

• My First Book of Cutting by Kumon Publishing
  • Genre(s): Educational, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: Geared towards enhancing fine motor skills, this book provides exercises that guide children through the steps of cutting along lines and patterns.
  • Why we recommend this book: It's excellent for hand-eye coordination and prepares children for tasks that require precision with scissors.
  • Perfect for: Kids who need to develop their cutting skills and parents who want to engage their children in educational activities.

• Wipe Clean: Early Learning Activity Book by Roger Priddy
  • Genre(s): Educational, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: This reusable activity book allows children to practice writing letters, numbers, and shapes with a dry-erase marker, wiping the pages clean to try again.
  • Why we recommend this book: It offers endless hours of learning through repetition, which is crucial for mastery at a young age.
  • Perfect for: Children who are starting to learn the basics of writing and arithmetic and enjoy interactive activities.

• The Everything Kids' Puzzle Book by Jennifer A. Ericsson and Beth L. Blair
  • Genre(s): Puzzles, Games
  • Synopsis: Packed with brain teasers, word games, and puzzles, this book challenges children to think critically and solve problems while having fun.
  • Why we recommend this book: It stimulates critical thinking and provides a variety of puzzles that can keep children engaged for hours.
  • Perfect for: Young puzzle lovers and children who enjoy challenges that test their thinking skills.

Educational Activity Books for 4-Year-Olds

• Let's Sticker & Paste! by Kumon Publishing, illustrated by Eno Sarris
  • Genre(s): Educational, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: This interactive book encourages young children to develop their fine motor skills through sticker and paste activities that range from simple to more complex tasks.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, creativity
  • Why we recommend this book: It gradually builds children's abilities while keeping them engaged through colorful and fun activities.
  • Perfect for: Preschoolers who enjoy hands-on activities and parents looking for creative ways to enhance motor skills.

• My First Book of Tracing by Kumon Publishing
  • Genre(s): Educational, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: Specifically designed for young learners, this book provides numerous tracing activities that help improve hand control and encourage the development of writing skills.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Fine motor skills, writing readiness
  • Why we recommend this book: It uses simple, fun activities that build confidence in young writers.
  • Perfect for: Young children who are just beginning to learn how to write.

• School Zone - Big Preschool Workbook by School Zone Publishing
  • Genre(s): Educational, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: Covering a broad range of foundational skills, this workbook includes activities on ABCs, numbers, shapes, colors, and early math, all designed to prepare children for kindergarten.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Alphabet recognition, counting, shapes, early math skills, problem-solving
  • Why we recommend this book: It's comprehensive and provides a solid foundation for academic success in a fun and engaging way.
  • Perfect for: Preschoolers ready for a head start on a variety of educational topics.

• Toddler Coloring Book: 100 Pages of Things That Go by Tanya Emelyanova
  • Genre(s): Coloring Book, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: Filled with 100 pages of cars, trucks, planes, and more, this coloring book captivates young minds with attractive illustrations.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Fine motor skills, color recognition, attention to detail
  • Why we recommend this book: It provides a large number of scenes that spark creativity and can keep a child engaged for hours.
  • Perfect for: Young children fascinated by vehicles and parents seeking a fun way to develop their child's artistic skills.

• My First Hidden Pictures Learning Fun Workbook by Highlights Learning
  • Genre(s): Puzzle Book, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: This workbook combines the fun of hidden pictures puzzles with educational content that covers the alphabet, early math, and problem-solving.
  • Skills and subjects this book improves: Observation skills, concentration, alphabet and number recognition
  • Why we recommend this book: It keeps learning fun and interactive, making it easier for children to absorb and retain new information.
  • Perfect for: Kids who love games and puzzles and parents who value educational activities that entertain and teach simultaneously.

Challenging Activity Books for 4-Year-Olds

• Brain Games for Clever Kids by Gareth Moore
  • Genre(s): Puzzle, Educational
  • Synopsis: This book is packed with a variety of challenging activities including puzzles, games, and brain teasers designed to stimulate the mental development of children.
  • Why this book is challenging: It includes complex puzzles that go beyond simple recognition or matching, encouraging logical thinking and problem-solving.
  • Why we recommend this book: It helps develop critical thinking skills and provides a fun challenge to keep young minds engaged.
  • Perfect for: Kids who enjoy mental challenges and parents looking to boost their child's cognitive skills.

• The Critical Thinking Toddler's Activity Book by Becky Daniel
  • Genre(s): Educational, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: This book offers a series of activities that promote critical thinking and problem-solving among toddlers through fun and engaging exercises.
  • Why this book is challenging: It introduces basic logic puzzles and problem-solving scenarios that require more than just simple choices, fostering early critical thinking.
  • Why we recommend this book: It nurtures critical thinking skills from a young age, setting a strong foundation for future learning.
  • Perfect for: Young thinkers and parents who prioritize cognitive development alongside physical and emotional growth.

• Mighty Toddler's More Challenging Maze Adventures by Liz Ball
  • Genre(s): Activity Book, Puzzle
  • Synopsis: This maze book takes young children through more intricate and detailed mazes than typical toddler books, designed to improve problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
  • Why this book is challenging: The mazes are more complex and require careful planning and strategy to solve.
  • Why we recommend this book: It's great for enhancing spatial awareness and problem-solving skills in a playful and engaging way.
  • Perfect for: Kids who love puzzles and parents looking for activities that challenge their child's thinking and concentration.

• Smart Kids' Brain-Boosting Activity Book by Chris Dickason
  • Genre(s): Educational, Activity Book
  • Synopsis: This activity book is filled with exercises that challenge children's thinking, ranging from math puzzles to word games and logic tests.
  • Why this book is challenging: It offers a broad range of intellectually stimulating activities that require more advanced cognitive skills.
  • Why we recommend this book: It provides diverse mental exercises that can help sharpen a child’s intellect and enhance their problem-solving abilities.
  • Perfect for: Children who are fast learners and those who thrive on mental challenges.

• Genius Kids' Whiz Book of Puzzles by Martha Cheney
  • Genre(s): Puzzle, Educational
  • Synopsis: This puzzle book contains a collection of brain teasers, logic puzzles, and riddles designed to challenge and entertain young minds.
  • Why this book is challenging: The puzzles require abstract thinking and the application of various problem-solving techniques that are typically not introduced at such an early age.
  • Why we recommend this book: It encourages children to think outside the box and apply their knowledge in new and unique ways.
  • Perfect for: Young geniuses and any child with a keen interest in solving complex puzzles.

Exercises to Develop a Good Reading Habit

Hey there! If you're looking to foster a love of reading in your 4-year-old, activity books can be a fantastic tool. Here are some engaging exercises that not only make reading fun but also help develop good reading habits at an early age. Let's dive in!

• Picture Story Creation
  • What it is: Use a picture from an activity book and ask your child to create a story around it.
  • How it helps: Encourages imagination and helps in understanding narrative structure.
  • Tips: Keep the storytelling sessions short and fun; encourage any story, no matter how fantastical.

• Match the Words
  • What it is: This exercise involves matching words to corresponding pictures in the activity book.
  • How it helps: Enhances word recognition and vocabulary.
  • Tips: Praise your child for correct matches to boost their confidence.

• Read and Color
  • What it is: Children read instructions on what colors to use in a coloring activity.
  • How it helps: Integrates reading comprehension with a fun activity.
  • Tips: Discuss the colors and the parts of the picture as your child colors to reinforce understanding.

• Alphabet Hunt
  • What it is: Find and circle all instances of a particular letter in a page of text.
  • How it helps: Helps with letter recognition and familiarity.
  • Tips: Start with letters in your child’s name to make it more personal and engaging.

• Story Sequencing
  • What it is: Rearrange panels or pages of a story into the correct sequence.
  • How it helps: Develops logical thinking and understanding of story flow.
  • Tips: After sequencing, ask your child to tell the story back to you in their own words.

• Rhyme Time
  • What it is: Identify words that rhyme within a poem or a rhyming story in the activity book.
  • How it helps: Enhances phonemic awareness and auditory discrimination.
  • Tips: Make up silly rhymes together using the rhyming words as a fun extension of the exercise.

These exercises are not only educational but are also a great way to spend quality time with your child, guiding them through the wonderful world of words. Remember, the key is to keep it light and enjoyable, so your little one always looks forward to reading time! Happy reading!