Make a harmonica out of popsicle sticks and rubber bands, build a birch bark house, transform an old record into a nifty bowl. In addition to providing directions for a wide variety of activities, “Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun” (Bloomsbury) offers scads of lists (from best car games to best animal movies) and useful advice, such as how to evaluate online research results.

Coauthors Joshua Glenn and Elizabeth Foy Larsen have called on a merry band of contributors, including Glenn’s two sons, in putting together a kids’ activities book packed with easy-to-follow instructions, whimsical illustrations, and interviews with leading thinkers on subjects such as feminism and bullying. The aim is to empower kids to be kind to the earth and each other and to understand that you don’t need to spend money to have fun.