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Best Interactive Books for Kids of 2025

Updated
These books will help you form a bond with your child while educating them.
Interactive books are the secret weapon of the parenting world. Whether you need to calm a toddler before bed or keep a preschooler busy in a waiting room, these books work like magic. But with so many options out there, it’s hard to know which ones will survive the grabby hands of an excited toddler.

As parents of bookworms, we have done the heavy lifting for you. We tested piles of books with our own kids to find the titles that actually hold their attention. From classic lift-the-flaps to unique tactile finds, this list has something for every little reader.

Ready to make storytime the best part of the day? Let’s dive into the books that will have your kids begging for “just one more read.”

Our Top Picks

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Best for Pure Imagination : Press Here
  • Encourages imagination
  • Creative & hands-on play
  • Suitable for preschoolers
Best for Higher Education: Look Inside Our World
  • Lift-the-flap book
  • Teaches geology & geography
  • Simple descriptions
Best for Language Education: Alphabet
  • Demonstrate action words
  • Twenty-three textures
  • Full-color alphabet poster
Best for Animal Lovers: The Big Sticker Book of Birds
  • Sticker activity book
  • Teaches ornithology
  • Includes games & puzzles
Best for Little Artists: Narnia Coloring Book
  • Includes story books
  • Filled with detailed maps
  • Suitable for older kids
Helps Kids Express Feelings: How Are You Feeling Today?
  • Fun coloring book
  • Teaches about emotions
  • Healthy coping strategies
Best for Reading Skills: The Book With No Pictures
  • Funny read-aloud book
  • Inspires laughs & conversations
  • Kid-friendly comedy
Best for Parents: Open Very Carefully
  • Playful illustrations
  • Exciting & engaging story
  • Promotes thinking skills
Best of (Non-Computer) Tech: Gallop!
  • Fascinating animation
  • Promotes mental stimulation
  • Rhythmic text
Best for Babies: VTech Baby Musical Rhymes Book
  • Fun sound effects
  • Light up buttons
  • Promotes early reading skills

Why Interactive Books Are Best for Children

Children spend countless hours on technology and watching TV. Research indicates that excessive screen time may be damaging to a young child’s development (1). If you are anything like us, you probably worry about this and wonder how to decrease the digital noise in your home.

Technology often becomes a default device for parents to occupy children’s attention, acting as a sort of one-eyed babysitter. However, many of us have fond memories of our parents reading to us as kids. Reading together creates a strong bond between parent and child (2), and interactive books elevate that experience.

What Is Interactive Book Reading?

Interactive books involve touching, lifting flaps, listening to sounds, or actively searching for hidden items. This style of reading helps teach critical pre-reading skills. Instead of passively listening to a parent speak, kids get to experience the material using a variety of senses.

Benefits of Interactive Reading Books

These books develop a child’s imagination, improve critical thinking, and hold a child’s attention better than traditional flat text. This engagement is vital for growing a lifelong love for reading.

Here are a few reasons we keep our shelves stocked with them:

  • Sensory Engagement: They encourage kids to touch, shake, and look closely, which builds fine motor skills.
  • Cause and Effect: Books that require a “press” or a “tilt” teach children that their actions have results.
  • Focus: An interactive element gives a fidgety child something to do with their hands, helping them sit still longer.

Reading transports us to other worlds, helps us relax, and shuts out the noise around us. Building a positive association with books early on ensures your children will experience that same joy. If you want your child to learn critical reading skills while boosting their overall brain power, interactive books are the way to go.


Product Reviews

We’ve curated a list of 15 entertaining and educational books that go beyond simple storytelling.

Press Here

Best for Pure Imagination

“Press Here” by Herve Tullet proves that you don’t need batteries or touchscreens to be captivated. It invites kids to press the yellow blob on the cover, turn the page, and see what happens next.

Children touch, blow, or shake the blobs within, then flip the page to see how their actions changed the illustrations. It is an incredibly simple idea developed into something brilliant.

This book is great for groups and teaches children about cause and effect without any bells and whistles. Even adults will find themselves immersed in the magic of simple dots.


Look Inside Our World

Best for Higher Education Made Simple

Our world is a beautiful, complex place. If your geography knowledge is a little rusty (we admit we’ve forgotten a few lessons from school), or you struggle to explain big concepts to small children, this book is a lifesaver.

“Look Inside Our World” breaks down what our planet is and how it is formed. It uses beautiful illustrations and layered flaps to explain the layers of the earth in a way that is digestible for young minds.

The publisher, Usborne, is famous for these flap books. They also cover topics such as space, the human body, and oceans, so you can pick and choose the subjects you want your child to explore.


Alphabet

Best for Early Language Education

This multi-concept book by Matthew Van Fleet uses an astounding range of interactive experiences to teach language skills. We are talking flaps, pull-tabs, and scratch-and-sniff elements that keep little hands busy.

“Alphabet” is excellent for preschoolers because it helps them learn about opposites, synonyms, and action words alongside their ABCs. The illustrations are vivid and funny, so children won’t even realize they are in the middle of a lesson.


The Big Sticker Book of Birds

Best for Animal Lovers

Our kids are all huge sticker fans, and we love anything that keeps them quiet and focused. This book takes the sticker obsession and turns it into a lesson on ornithology.

Showcasing many beautiful and unusual feathered friends, “The Big Sticker Book of Birds” is an activity book that feels like a field guide. It doesn’t end with stickers, either; the book also has games and puzzles for you and your child to enjoy together.

The author, Yuval Zommer, has created sticker books for other groups including insects and ocean creatures. If birds aren’t your child’s favorite, you have plenty of other options.


The Chronicles of Narnia Coloring Book

Best for Little Artists

Have you read “The Chronicles of Narnia” and want to share that magic with your child? Whether you want them to step into the world of fantasy or simply improve their appreciation for classic stories, this is a great entry point.

“The Chronicles of Narnia” Coloring Book uses classic illustrations from the seven Narnia stories to draw your child into a stunning realm.

While they color, an activity most children love, you can read the story aloud to them. It is a perfect way to help your child develop a passion for art and literature simultaneously.


How Are You Feeling Today?

Best for Helping Kids Express Feelings

This book is an invaluable resource in our homes. There are times when you might not understand your child’s outbursts, or they might not have the words to express what is wrong. This book bridges that gap.

“How Are You Feeling Today?” by Molly Potter helps children cope with emotions, but it is disguised as a fun and colorful picture book.

The book helps your child identify the specific emotion they are feeling and offers practical ways to deal with it. It serves as a great conversation starter for emotional regulation.


The Book With No Pictures

Best for Reading Skills

It sounds bizarre for a children’s book, but “The Book With No Pictures” lives up to its title. There isn’t a single illustration inside.

So, how does it hold a child’s attention? The rule is simple: the person reading the book must say every word on the page out loud. This forces parents to say silly things like “BLORK” and “BLuuRF” with serious inflection.

Children will beg you to read it just to hear you say funny words. It is also a fantastic prank for kids to play on unsuspecting grandparents who volunteer for storytime.


Open Very Carefully

Best for Parents Who Need a Little Guidance

Nick Bromley and Nicola O’Byrne delivered a book with serious bite. If you are unsure how to make storytime exciting, “Open Very Carefully” guides you the whole way.

This starts as a regular storybook until a crocodile invades the pages and starts wreaking havoc. Children love the unexpected twists as the crocodile chomps down on letters and sentences, trying to make his escape.

This interactive meta-story was the winner of the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize 2014 for good reason, it turns reading into an active event.


Gallop!

Best of (Non-Computer) Technology

Have you heard of scanimation? It is a form of optical illusion used to trick the eye into seeing movement, and it is mesmerizing.

“Gallop!” by Rufus Seder uses this technique to create a book of motion that feels like magic. You get the remarkable effect of seeing animals appear to run, jump, and fly as you turn the page.

Children often jump up to mimic the animals, making this a great physical activity. Even babies who are too small to jump will be fascinated by the high-contrast, moving images.


VTech Baby Musical Rhymes Book

Best for Babies

We are going a bit younger here. This pick is for the littlest of little ones who aren’t quite ready for paper pages yet.

The “Vtech Musical Rhymes Book” is a classic hybrid toy. It is enhanced with lights, sounds, and chunky plastic tabs that are easy for baby hands to manipulate.

While it is definitely a toy, it introduces the concept of turning pages and associating pictures with sounds. This book helps your baby develop language and dexterity skills, plus it’s durable enough to survive being thrown from a high chair.


Unicorn Handwriting Practice

Best for Pink and Pretty Lovers

Unicorns are a massive hit with kids right now. If you have a child who loves sparkles and fantasy creatures, this book engages them right from the cover.

“Unicorn Handwriting Practice” by Little Learner Workbooks teaches your child how to write their ABCs, including uppercase and lowercase letters. It makes the repetitive task of letter formation feel like a game.

Writing encourages hand-eye coordination and builds the pen control skills your child needs for school. This workbook is pretty, pink, and educational, a win for everyone.


The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Best of Basics

This classic by Eric Carle is based on a simple idea, but it has delighted generations. It tracks the story of a little caterpillar who eats until he simply cannot eat anymore.

Published back in 1969, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” was one of the first picture books to use die-cut pages. Children love sticking their little fingers through the holes in the strawberries and pickles.

It might seem basic compared to modern tech, but there is a reason this book has sold over 50 million copies (3). It is durable, colorful, and teaches days of the week alongside healthy eating habits.


The Dragon Keeper’s Handbook

Best for Fantasy-Loving Kids

Imagine your child has just been selected to become a Dragon Keeper. They have an egg and an official invitation. Who wouldn’t want a dragon?

But now they have to learn how to take care of their new baby dragon. “The Dragon Keeper’s Handbook” by Kate Haworth and Monica Armino is the ultimate guide.

This book combines various interactive components like envelopes and flaps to create an immersive experience. If you are a fantasy geek yourself, you will appreciate that the author packed in plenty of references to real-life dragon mythology.


Can You Make a Scary Face?

Best for Silly Fun

If you want your kids to get wiggly and show off their acting chops, “Can You Make a Scary Face?” is a perfect choice.

Jan Thomas’s picture book features a bossy ladybug who instructs your child to do things like make scary faces, dance, laugh, or jump.

This is an entertaining book for classrooms or playdates because it burns off extra energy. It is simple yet super exciting for kids. Grab this one when you want to have some silly fun and encourage physical activity indoors.


The Yellow Balloon Picture Book

Best Just for the Pictures

We are going light on the reading again with this pick. “The Yellow Balloon” by Charlotte Dematons has no words. Instead, it features intricate watercolor images depicting different eras and landscapes.

You and your child follow a tiny yellow balloon through the book as it navigates through different countries. The pictures are incredibly detailed, and you can spot a million little stories within them.

This is superb for stimulating your child’s imagination. Since there is no text, you can invent your own stories together based on what you see in the pictures.


FAQs

At What Age Can I Introduce Interactive Books?

You can start as early as infancy. High-contrast cloth books or board books with textures are perfect for babies 6 months and up. As they approach the toddler years (18 months+), you can introduce lift-the-flap books and simple sound books to help refine their fine motor skills.

Are Flap Books Durable Enough for Toddlers?

It depends on the child and the book. Board books with reinforced flaps are generally sturdy, but enthusiastic toddlers can still rip them. We recommend supervising reading time with delicate pop-up books until your child learns to be gentle, usually around age 3 or 4.

Do Interactive Books Count as “Real” Reading?

Absolutely. They teach the same fundamental skills as standard books: turning pages, following a narrative, and understanding that text/images carry meaning. The added engagement actually helps reluctant readers stick with the book longer than they might with a text-only story.


In Conclusion

Interactive books are more than just paper and ink; they are tools that build bridges between you and your child. Whether you are pressing dots, lifting flaps to find a hidden puppy, or roaring like a dinosaur, you are building memories that last a lifetime.

Don’t be afraid to get silly with the sound effects or dramatic with the page turns. The more fun you have, the more your child will love reading. So grab a few of these favorites, cuddle up, and enjoy the adventure together.

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Headshot of Shannon Serpette

Edited by

Shannon Serpette

Shannon Serpette is an award-winning writer and editor, who regularly contributes to various newspapers, magazines, and websites. Shannon has been featured on Insider, Fatherly, SheKnows, and other high profile publications. As a mother of two, she loves to write about parenting issues and is dedicated to educating other parents at every stage of their child's development.