I've had lots of questions over the last few months about sensory boards and how to make them at home. We made one for Joey's first birthday and he fell in love instantly. It's a great way to create something for your baby, and a brilliant way for them to explore new textures.
They're easy to make, and if you have older kids, get them involved to choose the textures/items to go inside too!
All you need is:
✅ a piece of wood
✅ some wet wipe lids (or similar)
✅ some super glue
✅ scissors
✅ and interesting textures to go inside!
To put the board together; I simply got the piece of wood (a freebie from our local IKEA store!), made sure it was clean and safe, and grabbed the bag of wet wipe lids that I'd been hoarding for months.
I then superglued the lids to the wood in a pattern I was happy with (4x2) and went hunting for things to go inside.
I included:
- foil
- sandpaper
- bubble wrap
- flannel
- rough sponge
- smooth sponge
- microfibre cloth
- a space for suggestions!
I had a spare lid, so I used that to stencil out the size and shape I needed on each material, and then proceeded to cut them out. To stick the items in, I checked different types of adhesives to make sure they would work with the materials, and nine times out of ten, superglue was the fix!
Why is a sensory board perfect for babies? Not only is it a great activity for babies who are just sitting up as it helps them strengthen their core when reaching for the textures, but it's also ideal for babies who are older.
Our little boy, Joey, is 15 months now and still loves his board. Hence it needed the repairs mentioned in my video tutorial! He’s really into his lift the flap books and looking inside boxes etc 😍
Be sure to always supervise baby when playing with toys and ensure that any adhesive used it completely dry and safe.
Want to watch the full video? Check it out on our Instagram!
It'd be great to see your creations, so tag us on Instagram (@sensoryboxco).
Lauren x