10 of the best colouring books, posters and toys for toddlers and kids

Here's our pick of the best children's colouring books and activities

1. Personalised children’s colouring book adventure, £16.00

This children’s colouring book is a little different as you can personalise it to include your child’s name, which doesn’t just go on the cover, but also throughout the colouring pages.

One parent who bought the product said, “Excellent quality, love that on almost every page somewhere it has the child’s name. This was a birthday gift and it was liked very much.”

There are 28 pages in total and there's an option to add a personal message too, so it is definitely a gift option as well as a potential keep-sake.

Available from: Not on the High Street

2. Comic action kids colour in shoes, £33

Sizes: 8 JNR to 8

If you really want something to stand out from the crowd, these colour-in shoes are a unique colouring project. The shoes come with a 12 page colouring booklet so your child can test out their favourite colours and designs before committing them to the trainers.

There are also optional extras like neon pens and glittery laces and the shoes come in lots of designs. These are the “Comic Action” pattern, but you can also choose from “Adventure under the sea”, “Infinite Rainbows”, “Monster Meeting” and “Positive Vibes Hearts”.

Available from: Jex Shoes

3. CBeebies My First Colouring Book, £4.99

Age: 3+

For younger children who need slightly bigger shapes to help them stay within the lines, this official CBeebies colouring book could be a good choice as far as colouring books for toddlers go.

There are 50 pages of designs for children to try out, which have been designed for toddlers who are still testing their new-found drawing skills.

If they’re a fan of CBeebies, they’ll also recognise the smiling yellow face of the channel’s trademark character across the pages. This one is also available on Amazon Prime in case you need it quickly.

Available from: Amazon

4. OMY Giant Colouring Poster for Kids – Magic, £9.90

Age: 3+

There are lots of colouring posters available for kids which allow them to create something they can be proud to hang on their wall. French brand OMY does lots of designs, like this fairytale pattern (known as “Magic” on their site) which is 70cm x 100cm in size.

The posters are made from recycled paper and, when you hang them on the wall, will last longer than a normal colouring book. Just be aware of potential smudging when moving between sections of colouring in.

One buyer was pleased with their purchase and said, “My 7 year old loves this. Excellent quality paper, only downside is it has a slight sheen so ink doesn't absorb straight away and smudging can occur. Very good value though as will keep him amused for hours and we can all join in.”

Available from: Amazon, OMY

5. Peppa Pig carry along colouring set, £1

Age: 3+

This “Be silly and smile” colouring set is great if your little one is a big fan of Peppa Pig.

The useful handle means it’s a colouring book for toddlers which is suited to car travel and keeping your little ones entertained on long journeys.

There are more than 60 pages of designs to colour in and the set comes with 5 different crayons so you won’t need to bring anything else with you.

It’s also 18cm tall, so it should be small and light enough for your little one to carry on their own.

Available from: The Range, Amazon

6. Bear Grylls Colouring Books: In the Jungle, £3.99

Age: 4+

Great for kids who have started school, this Bear Grylls colouring book for children has lots of wildlife pictures to colour in as well as fun facts so they can learn more about what they’re drawing.

One parent said, “My 5-year-son bought this in the gift shop of a zoo we had just visited. He absolutely loves it, it just seems so much more interesting than other colouring books as it has pictures of the animals and bits of information.”

The drawings are accompanied by photographs of each animal, so your little adventurer can learn and attempt to match the colours of the real animals.

Available from: Amazon, Waterstones

7. My Alphabet Toddler Colouring Book, £4.95

Age: 2-4

For toddlers still getting to grips with the basics, an alphabet colouring book for kids like this one could be a good way to engage them in learning their letters.

This colouring book for toddlers seems like a popular buy, averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars from previous buyers. One parent said, “I bought this for my 2.5 year old little boy and he loves it. He has looked through it and read the alphabet 7 times! Would definitely recommend this.”

Guiding your little one through the pages are “The Learning Bugs”; Giggles the ladybird, Squiggles the caterpillar and Zapp the bee, who also offer questions and facts to help them along the way.

Available from: Amazon

8. OOLY, 3D Colorables Rockin' Guitar, £27.99

Age: 4+

This colour-in guitar should keep your child entertained for a while. Once they’ve finished making it their own with the felt-tips (it can be coloured with markers, pencils or crayons) it can be inflated and pretend-played almost like a real guitar.

There is an attached straw which allows it to be blown up and the guitar even comes with a strap, so kids can feel like a real rock star with the instrument they’ve coloured their own way.

Available from: Amazon

9. Pencil case – London Bus, £12.50

Another exciting 3D colouring project, this London bus shaped pencil case is covered in themed outlines for children to colour in themselves. You can also get one in the shape of a caravan.

It might be a handy back to school purchase to get your little one excited about the new term ahead and it comes with a set of special fabric pens, so you won’t need to buy anything extra for them to get started.

The case is made from canvas, so it should be easy enough to colour and gives them something to keep hold of and showcase their hard work.

Available from: Eggnog

10. Wildlife Children’s Colouring Book, £4.99

This particular colouring book is handmade and features wildlife animals which are found in the UK.

The large, simple pictures are more suited to little artists who just beginning to learn their squirrels from their toads.

One parent who bought this book commented, “My little girl was so excited to colour it in. The characters are adorable and fun. It’s nice to find a quality colouring book where the pens don’t run through to the other side.”

Available from: Etsy

Images: Getty.

Read more:

• 10 of the best puzzles for children
• 10 of the best art and craft toys and kits
• 26 indoor games to play with your pre-schooler