Let’s begin with the experimenting books. Kids Cook 1-2-3, by Rozanne Gold, and nicely illustrated by Sara Pinto, is the quintessential cook book for kids that like to experiment in the kitchen. The recipes are simple, but yummy, and the author made it an easy experience because there are only 3 ingredients for every recipe. Even if you don’t like to cook, you just may find yourself in the kitchen baking up a storm!

Summers and kids go hand in hand. They have the time to explore and see all kinds of possibilities. Exploratopia: More Than 400 Kid-Friendly Experiments and Explorations for Curious Minds, published by Little, Brown, is filled with more interesting activities that will fill the summer and beyond. Some of the activities include making your own fingerprints, building bubbles to discover shapes and making your own secret code. This book is overlarge and over the top interesting and exciting!

Crazy Cars for Crazy Kids, by Mark David, may just motivate the inventor in your family. Each page is filled with the most extraordinary contraptions called “cars” and the devices the author has come up with to while away your time in the car will more than likely impel your youngster to invent some of his own cars. The author has developed some interesting activities to take part in while stuck in traffic, like the Roller Roadster that allows you to move forward while on a rollercoaster. Or how about the Luxury Resortster that allows you to go whitewater rafting without ever leaving the road. This is the perfect book to take along in the car and is perfect for all ages!

And while we’re talking about books to take in the car, how about some board game books? Travel Games: Fun and Games on the Go!, published by Scholastic, is full of fun activities to help make the long rides seem shorter. This compact and magnetic book has a playing board, play pieces and directions all packed together making it an easy take-along wherever you’re going. Here’s another game book that’s also published by Scholastic and also great to take on trips. Ultimate Chess: Play to Win Every Game!. This book will teach you, with very simple instructions, how to play chess. It’s also packaged with the instruction book and game board all placed in a magnetic book.

Things To Do Book, by Jennie Maizels, is full of ideas and activities to get your child’s imagination going strong. There are 8 sections that include car, beach, rainy day and in the backyard activities. The book is made as a large board book, making the pictures full of activities and pull back flaps. For instance, in the grocery store section, there are the “Supermarket Safari” game where you look for wild animals and the “We’re playing ‘when I went shopping …” where you begin with the first letter in the alphabet and end with z. This is great for all ages.

Now for an extra boost for getting ready for next year. Kingfisher publishers has a new series called Summer Smarts, by Jeanne Crane Castafero and Janet Van Roden. There are books full of activities in math, science, language arts and social studies for grades 1 through 6. The workbooks have a fun layout making the learning motivational. Another learning series that has a colorful and fun layout is The Clear and Simple Workbook, by Nancy Jolsom Leber, and published by Grosset & Dunlap. These workbooks are geared for pre-kindergarten through second grade with bright flashcards located at the back of the books.