DIY Sensory Board for Baby

Now that Miko is getting older he seems to be craving new stimulation.  He has an insatiable curiosity but is also much more mobile. There are so many things he can do now that wouldn't have been possible even just a month ago. I took it upon myself to find some inspiration and ideas, I needed help coming up with new ways to play with and engage my little one. I searched though Pinterest and various blogs and found so many awesome ideas. One of my favourites is the homemade sensory board.

 Here is what you will need:

- some sturdy cardboard

- a collection of stimulating and suitable objects to touch, feel (and pull if you are so inclined)

- some scrapbook or craft paper to add colour and variation

-strong tape, hot glue/super glue, and possibly zap-straps to affix all of your treasures

 

*You must always supervise while baby is playing with the sensory board as objects can eventually get loose and break off.* A couple of things did not work with my surprisingly strong little guy which I will discuss below.

 Here is my finished background

 Then I laid out all of the objects until I was satisfied with their placement

 The last step is to securely fasten everything to the board, keeping safety in mind of course.  The washi tape is obviously not strong enough to last with a baby tugging at everything. I covered the washi tape sections (which were added because they make me happy) with strong clear tape so that the pieces wouldn't be torn off eventually.

 Here are a few 'action' shots of Miko enjoying his new board. I was so glad that he showed great interest in it right away!

 You'll notice the toilet paper roll is missing already... Miko is still in the stage where he mouths everything and that roll was his instant favourite.  Needless to say it didn't take long before it got wet and was then ripped off the board. I don't suggest using a toilet paper roll until your child is well past the mouthing stage. He really did like it though so I'm trying to find something similar that could work in it's place....

 The sock was ripped off quite easily as well, so I discovered a much better way of attaching it.  I poked two holes through the sock and two holes through the cardboard.  Then I looped a zap-strap around and attached it at the back of the board.

 The flat pieces of fabric and paper have stayed attached because he really can't pull on them, he can only touch them.  Anything that sticks out and can be grabbed must be fastened very well.

 After a couple of days he even managed to peel off some bubble wrap - again illustrating the importance of constant supervision at this age. I am going to replace the bubble wrap with some nice soft felt that I found at the dollar store instead.

 This project really jump-started my creativity and I'm sure Miko is very appreciative.  We have been engaging in new activities everyday - which I will continue to post about.  I also have a few other sensory projects in the works that I can't wait to share with Miko (and with you)