Why Every Toddler Needs a Busy Board

Are you wondering what to buy your toddler for Christmas? Or are grandparents asking for gift ideas for their grandbaby? As a pediatric physical therapist and early intervention specialist, I suggest you get your child a busy board instead of whatever the toy industry pushes this year. Here’s why.

Toddlers Need Toys That Spark Curiosity

Everyone knows youngsters love handheld screens, such as smartphones and tablets. What’s not to love? The fast-moving, brightly colored images suck all of us into the virtual world. But when babies and toddlers “go down the rabbit hole,” they are not using their minds and bodies to learn how the physical world works.

Young bodies and brains should spend most of their time interacting with the physical world—not the virtual one. A busy board filled with fine motor activities, such as switches, locks, rotary dials, and so on, will pique their curiosity. Each item on the board offers your toddler a real-world challenge to master. Screen-based activities, even educational ones, are always physically passive. Your child sits and watches. Toddlers should be moving and exploring. While both videos and busy boards spark curiosity, the latter utilizes more brain power.

Toddlers Need Toys That Keep Their Bodies Active

Babies and toddlers love to move and explore. From learning to hold up their heads to jumping off the sofa, they must master controlling their bodies to care for themselves and others.

Yes, all of this activity is exhausting for adults. But youngsters need it, and parents should provide a regular level of off-screen time that offers healthy choices, like turning a key or building forts.

Busy boards are a great indoor activity that keeps children’s minds and bodies active. The height of the board can be adjusted so your child must stand to play. Standing for extended periods while exploring different switches, textures, or other fine motor activities qualifies as active. Children engaged in physical play during the day often eat and sleep better.

Toddlers Need to Learn Real-World Skills

Early educators report that today’s children arrive at school with poorer fine motor abilities than previous generations. Many cannot hold a pencil or crayon or trace on paper. They can’t open their food containers, fasten their shoes or clothes, or sustain focus for tabletop activities. Most become easily bored because they have grown accustomed to being entertained by screen-based activities that do not require as much mental or physical energy. All those problems can be minimized if your toddler spends more time playing on a busy board than watching videos.

The toddler phase is magical. When your child learns to turn on the light switch, open the door, or zip a zipper, their confidence level rises. Meaningful brain connections have been made that will set them up for success as the years go by. Your child’s early learning play should build brain and body interconnectivity and coordination. So, set your toddler up for future success by getting your toddler a busy board for Christmas. Share on XAnd here’s a little secret: some of the best ones I’ve seen were made by dads!

What is on your toddler’s Christmas list?

To save your sanity, I’ve created a Pinterest board filled with busy board ideas to jumpstart your success.

(Photo: Canva)