Whether you have a busy 10-month-old who’s on the move, a 1-year-old who’s just started walking or a 2-year-old fully exploring every crevice of your house, toddler busy boards are a great way to help your child learn through play.
The philosophy behind toys like the Montessori Busy Boards is quite simple: Real toys. Mostly wood. Not too many. This is based on the belief that children need to be encouraged to explore the world around them. Play is a huge part of a child’s development.
Children learn quickly through play by touching and exploring various objects. A busy board is a Montessori toy that stimulates learning through experiments. It is a toy that a child can touch and hold. Learning to manipulate everyday objects help children develop their fine motor skills. It will also help him figure out and work things out on their own and at their own pace.
You don’t need a lot of toys for your toddler. Less can be more with a curious toddler who loves to tinker. What they love are playing with wooden blocks, jumping on a mini couch, tinkering with a box of plastic kitchen tools, strewing paper across the living room floors, and enjoying an open-ended play.
These are all design to develop their gross motor skills and provide an opportunity for toddlers to explore their surroundings. The best way to provide your child with the full sensory experience is to give him a Montessori busy board.
How to build a busy board for your toddler
As you’ve probably already figured, there are endless possibilities regarding what you should put on a busy board. However, here are some ideas:
- Door latches
- Doorknobs
- Zippers
- Shoelace
- Wheel from an old desk chair or desk
- Customized name tag
- Fake or old switches
- To add that custom look and feel, we recommend adding a customized name tag to the board or unify the colors you use.
This can be created to match the color scheme, or you can go rogue and let your child join in on the fun – just be wary you may not be able to read the name… You can either create your own busy board using a piece of wood (e.g., plywood) and household objects or purchase one from our website.
