Busy boards are an excellent way to engage and entertain babies and toddlers while developing problem-solving skills, such as opening latches or turning knobs.
These toys can either be purchased or created at home. When crafting your own, select items that won’t pose any choking hazards for your toddler.
They aid in your child’s development.
A busy board is an engaging and educational way to engage your toddler while aiding in his/her cognitive, sensory, and motor skill development. They can learn to open/close latches/doorknobs/zip zippers/lace shoes etc., as well as plugging/switching on appliances; plus, it promotes fine motor skills and develops their ability to recognize colors/shapes/letters/numbers, etc.
Babies and toddlers learn through touch, so busy boards allow them to explore different textures, shapes, colors, and motor skills development. Active panels also help children improve their focus and concentration, which enables them to memorize things faster while solving problems more rapidly while at the same time nurturing imagination and problem-solving capabilities.
Busy boards can either be bought ready-made or created at home. Their designs can include cars, medieval castles, and flowers; some come shaped like cubes for easy portability, while others feature creative shapes like kittens or bikes – these toys are great toys for both boys and girls. However, those shaped like cars or spaceships tend to draw more male interest than female attention.
If unsure, select a busy board suitable to your child’s age and developmental stage. To gain some insight, watch them while they play with other toys to see their interactions – if they reach for everything and touch everything frequently, they may be ready for a busy board!
Busy boards promote fine and gross motor skills and can assist children in developing concentration, memory, logical thinking, problem-solving skills, and imaginative play. Active boards enable children to understand cause-and-effect relationships while encouraging creative play and engaging them in imaginative play – plus encourage children to make decisions independently!
Busy boards can be easily mounted to walls or tables and folded for portability and transportability. Ideal for homes, schools, and childcare centers alike!
They’re easy to make
A busy board is a DIY project that can provide hours of educational fun for children. An active board’s components are simple: it needs a base, some busy items, and a way to attach them. Your activity board could be made from wood, fabric, or paper – customize it to meet your toddler’s interests! A wooden board makes an excellent base – especially if you already have scraps of medium-density fiberboard lying around! When selecting your board, it should have smooth and splinter-free edges that can hold all your busy items safely while being painted bright colors – make sure it’s lead-free!
Busy boards can serve both educational and calming functions for young children. Instead of turning on the TV or other loud toys, children can spend hours focused on an activity on a busy board – helping develop cognitive skills while providing parents and caregivers with much-needed relief from having to entertain them all the time.
Busy boards also aid children’s fine motor skills by encouraging them to manipulate buttons, switches, and zippers on an active board. This requires them to use controls, switches, and zippers, requiring precision for writing or other tasks while improving spatial awareness by moving objects around and exploring various parts of the board. Furthermore, children can practice problem-solving skills by finding ways to open or close latches on the busy panel.
Although parents may worry that too much stimulation will lead to overstimulation for their baby, selecting appropriate activities should always be prioritized for infant and toddler stimulation. A 6-month-old may find small zippers too challenging; however, four-year-old toddlers could find door knobs too complex.
Busy boards provide a fun activity for kids while being economical and practical additions to any home or classroom environment. Placed on tables, desks, or even play areas to foster independent learning and promote creative exploration.
They’re affordable
Buying a busy board may be an inexpensive and entertaining way to occupy your toddler or child, helping promote early learning through play while developing fine motor skills, finger dexterity, and cognitive abilities. Plus, busy boards help prevent overstimulation and frustration!
DIY busy boards are an economical and unique option you can create for less. Gather different items around the house, such as buttons, zippers, keys, and calculators, before attaching them all onto a corkboard to form an activity board suitable for toddlers that will keep them entertained for hours!
These boards can help teach young children essential dressing, color, letter/number recognition skills, problem-solving, and fine motor abilities. Furthermore, this busy board doesn’t need batteries or any accessories to operate and is securely attached to reduce any risk of choking or injuries.
A busy board is another effective alternative to screen time for toddlers, as it allows them to explore their environment through touch and sight while at the same time building nerve connections in their brains and helping soothe them if they become frustrated or stressed.
Busy boards provide another benefit to babies: they allow them to explore activities that would otherwise be out of bounds at home, such as fiddling with buttons and zippers on clothing. Giving your baby one of these boards allows them to explore each item at their own pace while learning to use it effectively in various ways.
TikTok recently featured a video showing an imaginative dad creating an easy DIY busy board for his fidgety toddler. By using items safe and inexpensive enough to glue onto a corkboard, this simple hack saves both time and money while alleviating headaches associated with dealing with fussy babies. Plus, it keeps little ones busy while you complete tasks or household chores!
They’re safe
Busy boards are safe for your children as they’re comprised of non-toy items around the house, allowing babies and toddlers to explore their curiosity while safely building sensory recognition. Furthermore, busy boards foster independence, creativity, and problem-solving skills and help your child relax while improving focus and attention spans.
Adult supervision should always be ensured whether you purchase or make your busy boards. Many items detach from the board and could present a choking hazard if left alone for too long, but most busy boards are only intended for children three years and up.
If you want to create your busy board, gather all the items that pique your child’s interest and glue them onto wood or plastic. When complete, decorate it using stickers or markers; for added fun, add extras like buttons, zippers, and switches for an engaging play experience that keeps kids engaged for hours!
Busy boards are much safer than toys with small parts like puzzles and activity cubes, with increased durability and less risk of tipping over and not creating as much mess during messy play sessions.
Busy boards provide an ideal distraction during long car and plane journeys and are an invaluable way to teach children while having fun while traveling. To protect the toys on your trip from getting lost or destroyed, bring a bag or pouch to store the toys when not being played with. This will prevent their being misplaced or broken during your adventure!