I love gifts that get my kids busy thinking, creating, and inventing!  And we all love a good DIY gift, right?  So I thought I'd assemble this list of awesome activity kits for kids.  Not only do they get a great book filled with wonderful engaging activities (any of which would honestly be a great gift by themselves), but they also get supplies so they get to to work straightaway!  For each kit, you'll get a short description of who I think the gift would be great for (ages included) and I'll provide a link to the book that inspired the kit.  If you'd like to take a closer look at any of the books, the Amazon listing I link to has a "Look Inside" feature for each of them and you can flip through several pages to get an idea for the layout and type of activities.  There's also a link to the site that created the kit - click that to see a full list of kit supply ideas.

Ideal ages:  Preschool, Kindergarten, Early Elementary

The book, The Curious Kid's Science Book, has over 100 activities that will teach children how to ask their own scientific questions, discover value in failed experiments, and -- most importantly -- have a blast with science. The 100+ hands-on activities in the book use household items to playfully teach important science, technology, engineering, and math skills.  You can take a sneak peek at the inside of the book here.  

The Science Kit from Mama Papa Bubba includes the most commonly used supplies in the book (nearly all of which can be found at a Dollar Store!) for kids use in their experiments.  You can find a full list of the recommended supplies here.  

For the little INVENTOR in your life...

Ideal ages:  Preschool, Kindergarten, Early Elementary

The book, Tinkerlab: a hands-on guide for little inventors, has over 55 activities that prompt kids to design, build, concoct, and discover.  You can take a sneak peek at the inside of the book here.

The Invention Box Kit from Tinkerlab includes her favorite supplies to inspire kids to explore and create.  You can find a full list of the recommended supplies here.

For the little one in your life who loves SENSORY and IMAGINATIVE play...

Ideal ages:  Baby, Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Early Elementary

The book, 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids, contains tons of recipes for doughs, slimes, paints, and a multitude of simple sensory experiences.  Many are taste-safe and allergen-free.  You can also find set ups for small worlds to inspire hours of imaginative play and lots of ideas for DIY Toys to further inspire creative play.  You can take a sneak peek inside the book here.

The Sensory Kit from Fun at Home with Kids includes the most commonly used supplies (most of which can be found at the Dollar Tree!) to create the play recipes mentioned in the book.  You can find a full list of the recommended supplies here.

For the little CRAFTER in your life...

Ideal ages:  Preschool (with some help), Kindergarten, and Elementary

The book, Red Ted Art: cute and easy crafts for kids, uses inexpensive and/or recycled materials to teach kids the steps to creating adorable little crafts that can in turn be used in imaginative play (or given as gifts!).  You can take a sneak peek at the inside of the book here.

The Crafting Kit from Red Ted Art includes her favorite craft supplies which can be used to invent new crafts or used to create many of the crafts in the book.  You can find a full list of the recommended supplies here.

For the little one in your life who is perfecting their FINE MOTOR SKILLS...

Ideal ages:  Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten

The book, 99 Fine Motor Activities for Ages 1 to 5, contains 99 ideas for playfully strengthening the fine motor skills little ones will need for success in school.  The activities focus on developing coordination and strength in the fingers, wrists, and hands.  You can take a sneak peek inside the book here.

This Fine Motor Kit from Stir the Wonder compiles a bunch of wonderful materials for strengthening fine motor skills.  You can use these materials by themselves or to complete many of the activities in the book.  You can find a full list of recommended supplies here.

For the little ARTIST in your life...

Ideal ages:  Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Early Elementary

The book, The Artful Parent, has over 60 project ideas to inspire kids to explore and create through art.  The book also includes tips for setting up an art space in your home, talking to kids about art, and more.  You can take a sneak peek inside the book here.

Create your own Art Kit using some of the materials listed in The Artful Parent's favorite art supplies list.  You can use these supplies to create your own art or to complete many of the activities listed in the book.  You can find a full list of recommended supplies here.

For the child who loves the HOLIDAYS and BAKING and CRAFTS...


Ideal ages:  Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary

The book, The Artful Year, has over 175 activities that celebrate each season and the holidays year round.  It's full of craft and art projects as well as delicious recipes that highlight foods specific to that season.  It also contains ideas for decorations and suggested reading lists of children's books that celebrate the holidays/seasons.  You can take a peek inside the book here.

This Art Kit from Toddler Approved contains materials needed to make their favorite Valentine's Day crafts from the book.  These materials can also be used to complete some of the other activities from other seasons in the book. You can find a full list of recommended supplies here.