5 Summer Activity Books to Keep Kids Busy During the Holidays

Summer holidays are brilliant. No school run, no packed lunches and no 8.15 in the morning, I-might-actually-lose-it search for a missing PE kit when we were supposed to have left at 8. But by the third “Can I play Roblox?” before breakfast, even the most relaxed parent or carer may be looking for a few fresh ideas.

That is where these wonderful activity books come in. We’ve chosen five, one for each week of the holidays, packed with colouring, puzzles, crafts, Bible stories and search-and-find fun. Perfect for rainy afternoons, long car journeys or those moments when everyone has run out of ideas and you simply cannot face another snack request.

Below you'll also find seven FREE activity packs to download, for those moments when you need one more screen-free idea up your sleeve.

And if you're looking for more activity books, check out our full collection here.

Wow! Jesus

This one is for families who do not mind a little cutting, sticking, acting and talking around the kitchen table.

Wow! Jesus explores six Bible stories from the life of Jesus through prayer, crafts, drama, reflection, discussion and creative praise.

Children can act out a scene, make something inspired by the story or pause to think about what Jesus said and did. It is a good way to explore faith together without it feeling like another lesson—and grown-ups are encouraged to join in too.

Best for: Families enjoying activities together

Ideal for: Crafts, conversation and creative prayer

The Cheeky Pandas Activity Book for Kids!

CJ, Lulu, Benji, Rory and Milo are ready to welcome children back to their treehouse music studio.

Based on the popular Cheeky Pandas books and free online animations, this activity book is packed with puzzles, colouring pages, jokes and plenty of panda mischief.

It gives children a playful way to explore faith while spending time with characters they already know—or meeting the Cheeky Pandas for the first time.

Best for: Cheeky Pandas fans

Ideal for: Puzzles, colouring and silly jokes

Colouring Jesus

For children who like comics, colouring or both, Colouring Jesus lets them bring stories from the New Testament to life in their own way.

Created for children aged seven to nine, it uses comic-book illustrations to tell stories from the life of Jesus in an accessible and engaging format.

It is calm enough for a quiet afternoon, but interesting enough to keep children absorbed, which can be a rare and beautiful combination during the school holidays.

Best for: Children aged 7–9

Ideal for: Young artists and Bible comic fans

Bible Stories Search and Find

End the holidays with a challenge: find more than 500 hidden objects across 20 beautifully illustrated Bible scenes.

Children can search for people, animals and objects while exploring familiar stories. A cheeky sparrow, mouse and dove are also hiding on every page, just in case 500 things were not enough.

Created for children aged six to nine, this is the sort of book they can return to again and again—especially when they are certain they spotted something everyone else missed.

Best for: Children aged 6–9

Ideal for: Quiet time, concentration and family challenges

We have seven free activity packs below inspired by some of our favourite children’s books.

They are handy for days at home, church children’s groups or those afternoons when the weather changes its mind for the fifth time.

Print a few now and keep them nearby. Your future self will be very grateful. 

SIMPLY CLICK ON THE BUTTONS AND DOWNLOAD THE FREE ACTIVITY PACKS BELOW.

You do not need to fill every minute of the holidays. Honestly, no one has the energy for that.

Sometimes a good book, a handful of colouring pencils and something to find, make or solve is more than enough.

Pick one for each week, throw a favourite in the bag for your next trip or keep a few within reach for the inevitable moment when someone flops onto the sofa and announces, as if the world is ending, “I'm bored. There’s nothing to do…”