How To Make A Sensory Board For Toddlers
This is a really easy, cheap and fun artsy DIY activity! I scoured the local thrift stores and dollar stores to pick up little nick knacks and bits and bobs that you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to find in Art stores. I used a Hungry Little Caterpillar theme at the bottom of my board with a garden and flower theme. Mostly my idea was simply to create a highly visual and vibrant sensory board that would captivate Little Viv, 9 months, and make for vibrant play. This board took an afternoon’s work. However I was free from the pitter patter of little feet.
What You Will Need:
- a large workspace
- acrylic paints & mixing palate
- paintbrushes
- a glue gun & lots of refills
- PVA glue
- scissors
- stencils or computer generated images (optional)
- tinfoil
- oil pastels
- a large board e.g. white canvas, cardboard poster etc.
I used an up cycled IKEA frame because I knew when finished, it would be light enough to hang on the wall - sensory materials e.g. popsicle sticks, felt, textured card, coloured paper, straws, pipe cleaners, beads & jewellery, stickers, raised foam letters, buttons, pom-poms, dried flowers, goggly eyes, glitter and sequins etc.
> Now create a design or theme and go crazy with the squiggly scissors! I turned to pinterest for inspiration.
How To:
- Assemble all utensils, clear a large workspace and lay out your designs
- Paint and redecorate your chosen frame/board (if up-cycling) and allow to dry
- Turn on your glue gun and allow to heat, resting on tin foil so as not to stick
- Glue down your materials onto the board.
I used PVA glue to stick the paper and also for the glitter!
Note: be careful not to use too much hot glue on the smaller objects (i.e. buttons) as it will run up the sides when pressing down and likely burn your fingers. And that hurts. - Allow the board to dry completely, testing each item to make sure they’re glued down properly
Note: As many of the sensory items used are small, they present a chocking hazard to small infants if not glued down correctly - Give the board to your little ones and watch them explore a whole new world of touch, sounds and colour!
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>>> What kind of crafts have you been creating recently?
What a great idea! My Miss Celeste would love one of these!
Thanks! Mums Take Five liked it too, (and wanted one), maybe I should start a little shop on Etsy.. only half joking 🙂 Btw, love your photos of Celeste on Instagram, such a cutie.
Naw, I bet she absolutely loves it. I love projects like this that are great developmentally but also so pretty to look at.
Forgot to mention, I found this post from Sunday Brunch at Mums Take Five! 🙂
Thanks for popping over again! She absolutely loves it. Babbles away to herself whilst pulling on everything. And you’re right, i’m a bit of a sucker for something that can be repurposed into an art display.
Lovely activity for a little one – and fun in the making for the not-so-little one!
You’re spot on, I think I almost had more fun putting it together than Viv does tugging on everything. Then again, shiny things – Bub has got to have been a magpie in a previous life!