This Dad Made an Incredible Homemade Busy Board for His Toddler

Let this dad's ingenious homemade toy serve as an inspiration for your own wallet-friendly kid creation.

homemade toddler busy board
Photo: teachezofpeachez/Imgur

Over the years, I've literally spent untold hundreds of dollars on toys to keep my kids busy. But one inventive dad found a way to entertain his toddler without a trip to the toy store: he made his own busy-board.

Reddit user teachezofpeachez posted a photo of his ingenious creation and it has since been viewed nearly 2 million times. The board features magnetic letters, a wall phone, a calculator, and a series of locks and carabiners for his little one to tinker with. There's even an empty toilet paper-roll holder!

Of course, this DIY toy isn't exactly the safest thing for a kiddo to play with. There are definitely a few strangulation hazards, among other safety concerns like sharp edges and potential choking hazards. But let this dad's money-saving busy board serve as an inspiration. You too can repurpose items in your home for your child to play with, and avoid the money-suck of the toy store aisles.

Recently, when my little ones were home sick and bored, we made a clubhouse out of a big cardboard box. They spent hours coloring the inside and outside, then adding stickers, and holding secret meetings inside. I was warned there were no parents allowed, but there wasn't much of a chance I'd fit inside anyway! Now I'll remember how much fun my kids had with a box the next time they beg me for an expensive new toy.

Have you ever created a DIY busy board or other toy for your child? If so, please share your best tips!

Melissa Willets is a writer/blogger and a mom. Follow her on Twitter (@Spitupnsuburbs), where she chronicles her love of exercising and drinking coffee, but never simultaneously.

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