Screen-free art and craft activities for creative kids

A good activity book gives kids a place to start creating, experimenting, and exploring their own ideas. Whether they want to decorate a cozy café, paint underwater scenes, dress fairies for a magical ball, or make friendship bracelets, Usborne’s art and craft books offer plenty of screen-free ways to make, decorate, and play.

This collection includes sticker books, magic painting activities, drawing books, scratch art, and creative projects that help kids build confidence while having fun.

Start with stickers and creative scene-building

Sticker books are a wonderful way for kids to create their own worlds, add details, and tell stories through pictures. The Cozy Cafe Sticker Book invites kids into a busy café setting, where they can help unload deliveries, join Molly Eclair in the kitchen, and prepare treats for different occasions. With stickers for different parts of the day, from lunchtime rushes to a first-birthday party, kids can build their own café scenes again and again.

For kids who love fashion, fantasy, and imaginative details, Sticker Dolly Dressing Spectacular Activity Book brings the fairies together for a grand ball at the Fairy Queen’s palace. Children can use stickers to dress the characters, decorate magical scenes, and enjoy coloring and press-out fairy accessories.

Discover magic painting and scratch art

For kids who love seeing something appear before their eyes, Under the Sea Magic Painting offers a creative surprise. By brushing water over black-and-white illustrations, children can reveal colorful underwater scenes filled with sharks, sea turtles, jellyfish, tropical fish, and more.

Usborne Scratch Activities Mermaids offers another hands-on art experience, with a magical mermaid theme and hidden pictures waiting to be revealed. It is a great choice for kids who enjoy creative activities with an element of discovery.

Build drawing skills step by step

For kids who want to learn how to draw, More Step-by-Step Drawing Book is part of Usborne’s Step-by-Step Drawing series and is listed for ages 5+. It uses clear, easy-to-follow instructions to help kids create satisfying drawings one stage at a time.

This is a lovely choice for children who enjoy drawing but are unsure where to begin. Breaking pictures down into smaller steps can help make a blank page feel more approachable and encourage kids to keep experimenting.

Create something to wear or share

Crafts become even more special when kids can use, wear, or share what they make. Friendship Bracelets is an illustrated beginner’s guide to making colorful bracelets using yarn, string, thread, and beads.

It introduces a variety of simple techniques, including creating patterns, using cardboard weaving wheels, adding beads, and finishing bracelet ends. It is a great craft choice for kids who enjoy making something personal for themselves or someone they care about.

Which book should you choose first?

If your child loves stickers and creating busy scenes, start with The Cozy Cafe Sticker Book. For kids who enjoy fantasy, outfits, and fairy details, Sticker Dolly Dressing Spectacular Activity Book is a magical choice.

For children who enjoy painting surprises, try Under the Sea Magic Painting. If they like revealing hidden pictures, Usborne Scratch Activities Mermaids offers a fun scratch-art experience.

If your child wants to improve their drawing skills, choose More Step-by-Step Drawing Book. For kids who enjoy making wearable crafts or gifts, Friendship Bracelets is a wonderful place to begin.

Screen-free creativity does not need to be complicated. Sometimes all kids need is a page, a sticker sheet, a paintbrush, a pencil, a scratch tool, or some thread — followed by the lovely question: “What shall I make next?”