The 6 Best Busy Boards for Toddlers and Babies

With so many busy boards on the market, it can be challenging to decide which one to choose. Here are my top 6 best busy boards for babies and toddlers. As a Montessori-trained teacher, I will also share my perspective on the nature of busy boards and whether or not they are over-stimulating or aligned with Montessori principles, the answer may surprise you! I hope this helps you narrow down the options and consider various aspects of different busy boards.

What is a Busy Board?

A sensory busy board is a board, cube, book, or even a larger activity wall board with different activities. Busy boards typically include a variety of activities that offer a sensory experience to a child. The number of activities will vary from the different busy board options, but here are some common activities you will see on a toddler activity board. 

• Zipper 
• Buckle 
• Shoelace
• Door latch
• Light switches 
• Zipper snaps 
• Snap pocket
• Gear wheels
• Velcro pulls

Are busy boards good for toddlers? 

Yes and no. I think that in certain settings a busy board is a great way to keep your toddler engaged and doing purposeful activities. We have found this to be true in the car or waiting in a restaurant. Busy boards offer many opportunities for the development of fine motor skills which could aid in independent play. On the flip side, busy boards are, well, busy! Yes, we want our children to be “busy” with activities, yet we need to be aware of how we are going about that. Some busy boards may have so much available that it makes it harder for a child to focus on an activity. A simple activity board may be a better option. 

Are busy boards over-stimulating?

It will depend on the specific board you get. Some wooden boards are less busy, but it depends on the specific one you choose. For a child who has not yet learned all of the different latches and fasteners on a busy board, it would be overwhelming to see 10 new things on one wooden board that you don’t know how to use. Busy boards or activity cubes may be less over-stimulating if the child has already been introduced to some of these activities in an isolated fashion. However, the nature of busy boards does promote hand-eye coordination. 

Is a busy board Montessori-aligned? 

The short answer is no; busy boards are not Montessori toys. This can be surprising because it is so often marketed as a Montessori board. Yet, true Montessori-aligned toys and materials will isolate skills and concepts for the child. Busy boards do the exact opposite. A busy board can aid a child in learning practical life skills like buttons, snaps, and buckles, but one could argue that it is not being done in a Montessori way. That isn’t to say there aren’t some great options that are more Montessori-aligned. I’ll talk about the most Montessori-aligned busy board in another section.

What age is a busy board good for?

We started using our busy board around 1 year old. I wouldn’t say that is the ideal age, as most of the activities on the board were too advanced for my twins at that age. However, there were many different textures for them to explore which was good at that age. A busy board would be best used with toddlers and young preschool children. Depending on the busy board you get will determine what set of skills are needed to utilize the board to its fullest potential. One of the benefits of busy boards is the activities seem to span over a large amount of time. So as a child grows and gains more skills there will still be engaging work to do with their board.

Montessori Busy Board for Toddlers (TOP PICK)

My top Montessori-aligned busy board pick is this 3 door latch board shape sorter for toddlers. This focuses on only two concepts, shape correspondence and latches. It is simple, beautiful, and not overstimulating. This is a perfect busy board to start with as it is simple and supports child development. The shape-sorting aspect of this board supports problem-solving skills. Overall, I think this is a great item for a young toddler to have in their environment or on the go!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Travel Toddler Busy Board

This is the busy board we have, which was gifted to us. It is perfect for long journeys in a car seat. Additionally, I like that the inner page of this busy board is removable, allowing me to split the book up between my twins. This busy board is made of soft material, which makes it a great quiet activity for church or larger indoor events. Overall, I think this is a good option for traveling or being out and about. We keep it in our diaper bag and bring it on long car rides and airplane rides. It is made of bright colors and it does have a velcro section with loose pieces, which is something to be aware of.

DIY Picture Flip Door Busy Board

This is a simple and cheap DIY busy board. All you need is some recycled diaper wipe lids and a few pictures. Firstly, I laminated a piece of decorative paper that I had glued to a piece of cardboard for some extra reinforcement. Then, under each lid is a picture of a family member. This makes a great and engaging busy board for older babies and young toddlers! It also focuses on isolating the skill of opening a latch, which is very enjoyable for toddlers. This Montessori-aligned busy board option fits perfectly into any budget.

Wooden Sensory Board for Toddlers (Neutral) 

This specific sensory toy stood out to me becuase it offered different activities I hadn’t seen on other busy boards. It has a music box and a latch with a place to put a picture of a family member which I love. Additionally, it has a lock and key section, which is unique. It features a shoelace activitiy and a switch button. Some of these parts may interest a young toddler, but overall, it seems to appeal more to an older toddler or preschool child. Especially the presence of a clock. Telling time is typically not understood until at least 4 years old, but often later than that. Aesthetically I like the color scheme of this busy board. Depending on your child’s age, this could be a huge hit and a great gift for them.

Simple Wooden Busy and Latch Board (Colorful)

This busy board features 11 ways for young toddlers to develop fine motor skills. Additionally, it uses different colors and has colorful wooden pieces. I like how the board has space between the activities. Visual space helps separate things from each other and can help a child choose what part of the board they want to focus on. Another aspect of this board I like is that it has no loose pieces. Everything is attached to the board, so there is nothing to lose. It has a variety of activities that would appeal to a mixed age of toddlers. The zipper, gears, switch and latches would appeal to a younger toddler while the buckle and shoelace activity would require a higher skill level. 

Customizable Busy Board

This customizable busy board stood out to me becasue you can make it a variety of sizes with different types of boards. Depending on your goals, this may be a great value. If you are looking for a more permanent busy board to install on the wall somewhere in your house, this would be just the thing. You can even customize it with your child’s name!