What Is a Busy Board?
Busy boards, often called sensory or activity boards, are multi-functional objects created for cognitive and motor development of children of the age of up to three years. Such boards are usually constructed with minor real life items among them being lockers, zippers, switches, buttons and the likes mounted on either a wooden or plastic background. They help build up the child’s fine motor skills, his problem solving abilities as well as his sensory skills; therefore, they are loved by parents and teachers.
Benefits of Busy Boards for Child Development
What makes busy boards advantageous is its capacity to deliver lots of developmental advantages. They also help develop fine motor skills when a child twists, turns and presses some of the components. Social/emotional development and perceptual/motor development are also being developed as children learn cause and effect during their plays. In addition, busy boards create an opportunity for sensory experience and thus is appropriate for use with toddlers and preschoolers.
Key Features of a Busy Board
A good busy board is made up of items of kindness that may capture a child’s curiosity. Some of the commonly shared ones are light switches, latches, keys, and Shoelaces. These are imitations of actual items so that the children can learn safely with them. Most boards are flexible so the parent can change them to suit the child’s preference and age.
DIY Busy Boards: A Personalized Touch
An ideal idea of making a busy board itself is another measure that can be economical yet exciting to develop on your own. It is also easy for parents to build a custom board from object found in every household, which may include remotes, door handles among others together with discarded fabric materials. Online tutorials are available in this regard where people are displayed each step from how to do it for the newbies. This also can be a wise decision as you save money and also make your child include his/her favorite colors and themes.
Where to Buy Busy Boards
Pre-made busy boards are available online and offline for individuals out there who do not have time to make one on their own. Amazon and Etsy are a couple sites that have a variety of designs, from basic boards and to the more complex boards with lights, and sounds. Some brands focus solely on Montessori-style busy boards, products that are popular for good reason because they are educational in nature.
Age Recommendations for Busy Boards
Busy boards are mainly for children of between 6 months and 3 years of age. In smaller babies, it is a good idea to use fewer boards with less complications and directions. Children who are two years of age and older are able to manipulate more components and therefore can deal with complex boards. It’s always important to check that all part of the board are well fixed and that there are no small parts that may be swallowed by young children.
Safety Considerations for Busy Boards
The type of busy board to select or design needs to provide maximum safety for children. All products and food articles must also be firmly attached and without pointed ends. Small unconnected parts that may easily be ingested should be shunned. Non toxicity is important and more so when the children are involved seeing that they like to put things in their mouths. In order to ensure the board is safe it should be checked sometimes in order to detect any signs of wear that it might be having.
Conclusion
Such boards are an adaptable and interactive device that can contribute to the development of the early years. Entertainment borne out of education makes these cartoons popular with children and parents alike. No matter whether you have to purchase one or design it yourself, a busy board is a perfect tool for your child’s development and education.
FAQs
Is it possible to embed a busy board at home?
Indeed, they are almost too easy and relatively cheap to construct compared to purchasing commercial ones. There are so many of those found in the household or you can visit online tutorials to make one for your child.
Is it safe to have babies on busy boards?
These busy boards are safe to use especially when made with non-toxic materials and respectively fixed parts. Play should always be closely monitored and cot pieces should be inspected for loose parts.
For which category of users are busy boards appropriate for?
Boards on wheels are best suitable for children aged between six months and three years. You can also change the level of difficulty according to the level of development of your child.
Where can I buy a busy board?
Busy boards can be bought from stores such as Amazon, Etsy and other toy /\You can buy busy boards easily from online stores like Amazon or Etsy or even local toy stores.
Which sort of materials is applicable on a hectic board?
Wood and high quality of plastic material are suggested because the product will not harm the health of the user or the environment and they will not easily break. To achieve safety, it is advisable to avoid sharp edges or even small parts.
