In 2012, I was introduced to the idea of making DIY sensory boards and in the past several years I have learned so much about the sensory systems and how important they are for our children.
A local mom was moving across the country and put out a freebie if anyone was interested in her homemade board.
I snatched it up so fast that I drove to her house that day and was adding to it within an hour.
At the time I had a 7 month old and she was literally starting to take things apart around our home.
Little did I know that she thrives with tactile learning and even her younger sister is now taking apart and re-assembling our radiator and other parts of our home at under 18 months old! Â
This awesomely crazy photo is from our first child all those years ago with the original sensory board. It’s been our longest lasting toy. However, we gave it away when we moved as well to pay it forward and have started making more.
But now for all sensory systems.
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What tools and supplies you need to make a DIY Sensory board for kids
Regardless of if you’re making one all-in-one sensory board or if you’re trying to make one for each of the senses, you have to have a board. You can get a pre-cut piece of wood at your local hardware store. In fact, many have scrap wood that was cut incorrectly (cull lumber) for even about $0.50.
The MUST HAVEÂ items to complete any sort of sensory board include:
- A basic wooden board
- Cable clips for harder to attach items like chains.
- Self-drilling screws to cut down on your workload
- Approximately 20 minutes of your time.
The original busy board had the following:
- three different chains made out of heavy metal, plastic, and lighter metal
- a slide lock
- a chain lock
- a push light
- a mirror
- something reflective
- carpet sample scraps
- carabiners
- a door stop (this is a favorite since it “boings”)
We are currently in the process of making multiple types of boards. Our latest is a Homemade Latch Board for tactile input and working on fine motor skills. Soon we will have more for sight, sound, and more.
We also made the latch board in order to fulfill a need of being a great play toy for our 2 year old, but a mechanism for learning and critical thinking for our now school-aged child.
What Should you Consider Adding to a basic DIY Busy Board?
-
Another old picture from 2013! a plastic buckle from something like an old sleeping-bag that was ruined.
- I used a silky ribbon from a destroyed gift bag to fasten it to the board stapled with an upholstery staple gun
- To do this staple one side, make sure the buckle is fastened, pull taut but not too tight, and staple the other side.
- A battery operated Doorbell
or even a light switch with a real light if you were to make the board into a table.
- Some sliding tighteners from old backpacks and bags (that have seen better days)
- Again, I stapled it down using a piece of cloth ribbon from some packaging I did not throw away
- I had a carabiner of my own that I decided not to use anymore
- A simple Sliding Door Latch
- A travel lock. I used gift bag rope to staple the keys on the board too.
- A silky gift bag rope  with a clothes pin (clothes pins are a big hit for us)
- old binder rings (Like the ones used for holding note cards together)
- A travel velcro wallet (it will be stapled to the board as well.)
- A Crescent Lock
 to flip and spin
- A piece of furry cloth (think of troll hair for those 80s and 90s kids out there or the fur on a santa hat)
- An old belt can be cut so that they can learn to thread and latch it cut the buckle off and the very end with holes and staple both sides to the board
- A Surface Mount Draw Latch
 like what you would find on a chest.
- Shoe laces
- Yarn scraps
- A crank handle
- A pully with a small rope.
- Twist and lever door knobs! (that is, if you want them getting into rooms at an early age 😉 )
How to mount an activity board for your children
The sky is the limit in terms of options and only you know what is best for your family. Just choose something that is safe and age appropriate.
We have found that it can function well laying down or standing up. In fact, flat on the floor seems best for the littlest of kids or when it’s first introduced/something is added.
You can also mount it to the wall, put it up on an easel, use it to block a floor lamp or electric outlet, or even add a frame to it on the wall to help it match decor.
Modifying your sensory board or latch board
Our board is in a constant state of evolution. While many items stay, more and more get added or changed as the months and years go by. This not only helps it stay interesting,but it tends to grow with the kids.
Some of the most important and drastic changes have been made with our oldest growing in understanding.
Ideas for making or modifying a sensory board for older kids
Carefully plan out a latch board that only certain clips and latches stretch or fit certain rings. I did this and even labeled with thin electrical tape where each one could go (Example below). It started out unlabeled, but the labeling helps facilitate conversation as well.
“Well, why doesn’t it fit there?”
“WOW, can you believe that it stretches that far?!”
“That’s not a traditional clip point, but does is it ok that it can function as one?”
Use the board to open up discussions about “simple tools” like the wheel and axel, pulley, screw, etc..
Add a string that spans the board and use metal key tags to work on adding letters and/or numbers in alphabetical and numerical order. As they get even older, you can do this is more complex math equations.
More resources you’ll love
  
  
Kara is an author and advocate for positive, grace-filled parenting. She is homeschooler to her 5 children living on a farm in New England. She believes in creative educational approaches to help kids dive deeper into a rich learning experience and has her degree in Secondary Education & Adolescent Childhood Development. She is passionate about connecting with and helping other parents on their journey to raise awesome kids!
Lindi Gallegos
This is a very cool idea. I will be doing this very soon. My baby boy and I love learning, and love your blog!
ALLterNATIVEliving
Sorry for the late reply I guess I missed it somehow! Thank you so much! I hope that it worked out for you and that your little one has been enjoying it! 🙂
Whitney Edens
Did you (or the original creator) use the staple gun to attach everything or is some nailed to the board?
ALLterNATIVEliving
A few things are fastened with cable clips. There is the option of metal or plastic ones. They are hammered or screwed into the board and then a loop holds the chains for instance. Here are some options:(http://amzn.to/12zaV6o and here is the basic style that could be uded for any and all things on your board in case you don’t have a staple gun. (http://amzn.to/16CRO8Z)
Poppy
This is a good basic idea because I was stuck what to put on there.i am going to try making this for my sister with autism though me and my little sister are surely going to play with it to. Our aim is to make a big physical and visual sensory room. My sister has already got some bubble tubes and a glow tent and we have seen a indoor slide and swing at ikea.
Monica
My kids would love this! Pinned.
Blayne
Oh this is awesome!! I have been wanting to make a homemade latch board forever!! 🙂 Yours came out great, and I love the sensory additions!!
Tracy
You mentioned you propped this up? Wondering how you made it stable enough? Want to avoid having to screw this to the wall. Thanks! Great ideas!
Kara
Yes! I propped it up in a corner. I made sure that it was at a 30 degree angle so that my daughter could push on it and even pull a bit. I also never let her play with it unattended especially if leaning against a wall. As she has gotten older, she’s pulled it over a couple of times, but it started happening around the time she could also push it back up. I hope that helps!
Kelly
I noticed you have some things like buckles and slide locks. Would you consider that inappropriate for a 6 month old? I’m trying to put together a sensory board for my son and I want some brain building “tools” on there, but wasn’t sure if maybe his fingers would get caught in things like those. Did this happen with your little ones? Maybe it can be on a board in the future.
Kara Carrero
Great question! I did not find them to be inappropriate for my daughter, but every child is different. If you are not comfortable adding it right now, then it is just a great way to expand the usefulness of the board later on. I will say that if you want to make a cohesive board now, you could put them at the top (out of reach for now) and make the board vertical where it is affixed to a wall or some sort of surface.
Laura
Love this! thanks! my daughter is going to love the door-stop and light switch ideas.
Kara Carrero
No problem! Even now, I still hear the door stop “boing” from the next room just randomly 😉
Julia
This is a fantastic idea, thanks for sharing! I know what hubby will be making this weekend 😉 Now to find some cool bits and pieces to attach. Cheers, Julia 🙂
Kara Carrero
Ohhh, I would love to know how it turns out! We are still so enamored with our board over a year later. 🙂
Je n
Hello,
I love these boards and want to make one for me nephew. I just wanted to know what ages is this best for. He is current just about to turn 5 months. Is this good for a first birthday present or better for earlier than that?
Any advice would be great .
Jen
Kara Carrero
Depending on what you put on it, it can be used very early or when older. I think it would be an awesome first birthday present personally! That’s based on both my girls and all my nieces and nephews.
Anisah
Can you explain how you attached ribbons with the zip tie?
Kara Carrero
I am not quite sure what you’re talking about. I used an upholstery gun to attach a ribbon buckle and tied ribbon onto the cord clamps.
Mary Peyton
You have probably all ready answered this but can any of the items fall off? I work with both special needs and toddlers and want to make sure nothing can come off because some I have seen have items that fall off of can be taken off.
Tomi
I made one of these for my girls, and I used the triangles from a pool table as support for leaning against the wall. They’re about$8 each and I just screwed them to the back of the board.
steve frank
where can i find a small wooden door to mount on the sensory board?
Kara Carrero
I would look on etsy if you don’t want to work on making on yourself.
Graig Boarman
Hiya, iam just doing some research on making a sensory board for 2 yr olds.is there anyone that could give me some ideas wot i could use plz! Best fabrics, textures ect thank u
Kara Carrero
Everything in the post above would be great for a two year old. 🙂
Carmen Ahmad
Yes I’m looking for ideas on what to put on a board for a 3 1/2 yr old. He’s having some learning & behavioral problems at his play school & is being tested for Autism. He’s my 2nd cousin actually but more like my nephew. My daughter & I are wanting to make him one for Christmas.
Babyspun
Wow. That’s an amazing idea. I didn’t know that anything like this could ever be created. Sounds fun. I’ll definitely try it out.
Shelly Delich
I am in the starting stages of making one for our 14 month old very bright ,busy , foster baby ,I am painting it with chalk board paint so he can draw with big chalk ,attaching a flat small cookie sheet so magnets will stick ,and adding a small container for chalk and magnets etc. also large zipper from old thing.,and binder rings from old binder.i love this ide for busy inquisitive toddlers