DIY Busy Board

Okay, so crazy life update: my baby girl is no longer a baby! She’s a toddler! And she does more than just toddle – she walks, runs, climbs – the whole kit and caboodle. AND she loves getting into everything, and I mean EV-ERY-THING. So when I saw a picture on Facebook of a busy board a super creative dad made for his son, I knew I had to make a busy board for my daughter!

I’m super proud of this DIY busy board, because it really was DIY all the way! I literally went to Home Depot, bought the supplies, bought a drill, and made the whole darn thing all. by. myself. And I’m not going to lie, I may have Googled how to put a drill bit in a drill, but still, I DIY’d the heck out of that busy board. (And by the way, there was a video on how to put a drill bit in a drill, so obviously the need was out there.)

I got most of the supplies (including the actual board) from Home Depot, but I did find a few things at a thrift store, the dollar store, and also just lying around my house. My daughter absolutely loves the busy board, and I love it too because it keeps her from pulling every book/DVD/video/Blu-Ray I’ve ever bought off of the shelves (and bringing them to me, which is super cute, but also I can only put away “Mean Girls” so many times).

Tips for making your own DIY Busy Board:

• If you need to buy a drill, make sure it is a drill/screwdriver and not just a screwdriver (seems like common sense, but you never know).
• I used MDF board (medium density fiberboard) for the busy board, which was kind of a happy medium between really expensive, sturdy wood and cheap, flimsy plywood.
• The more “stuff” you can put on the board, the better – especially if you can cater it to your child’s personal preferences. For instance, my daughter always goes straight for my laptop, so I knew putting a computer keyboard on the busy board was a MUST.
• For items that couldn’t be screwed on, I used E6000 glue. I think I’ve said it before, but this is my absolute favorite glue – it glues anything to anything, and it keeps it on for good.
• Choose items for the busy board that will grow with your child. My daughter’s not really old enough to figure out the door bolts yet, but she will be – and that means the busy board will keep her busy even longer!
• See all the items I used below:

Questions? Let me know how I can help!