5 Best Busy Boards for Toddlers [2023]

So, you want to occupy your cute toddler but at the same time you want it to be an educational activity… Then, busy boards might be the perfect solution!

Busy boards, also called activity boards, are tactile learning tools designed to help toddlers develop their fine motor skills. Not only are busy boards fun and interactive, but they can help to teach problem-solving, cause and effect, and other important skills.

Are busy boards Montessori educational toys?

Unfortunately, the word “Montessori” has become a marketing gimmick and not every product out there with Montessori in its name follows the original teaching method philosophy.

Dr. Maria Montessori original Montessori education method involves self-directed hands-on activities based on the children interests, a prepared environment, parents and “teachers” as guides, and mixed-age classrooms.

Therefore, when choosing a busy boards with Montessori learning in mind, they need to have

• hands-on activities that will develop their fine-motor and sensory skills
• activities that your toddler can perform independently
• few activities per board or leaf
• activities appropriate for your toddler’s age range, not exact age

Take these guidelines in mind when choosing a busy board or boards.

Recall that part of following the Montessori teaching method, you need to be your toddler’s guide instead of teacher. Hence, please don’t tell them what to do or take it from them to teach them how to do it. Just guide them step by step!

Best Busy Boards for Toddlers

Busy boards are ideal for kids from 1 to 4 years old. These boards help them learn focused work and practical life skills.

Busy boards can be a great stocking stuffer for a toddler. If you want more ideas, check the rest of my 25 Stocking Stuffer Ideas For Toddlers (and Babies) list.

For each busy board, I mention the range of age and pros & cons.

Guolely Busy Board

I like this type of boards because of its material, weight, and size. In addition, it has many skill activities for different ages. All in one board.

This Guolely busy board develops practical life skills with its shoelaces, buckles, shoelaces, zippers, days of the week, letters, and clock.

Its soft felted wool material makes it hard for your child to get hurt, so you don’t have to oversee him/her all the time. Nevertheless, it is very important to guide your toddler on how to use it at the beginning.

Sensory-wise it has a few other materials, which is great for your toddler because you don’t want to overstimulate him/her with many at the same time.

Melissa & Doug Latches Wooden Activity Board

Melissa & Doug busy board is a popular one that you must consider. It comes with 6 doors with different latches each.

Each lovely door teaches your toddler a color, a number, and an animal. It is simpler than the previous one and it is appropriate for toddlers 18 months to 4 years old.

Freebear Busy Board

This Freebear busy board is similar to the first one but with additional internal boards.

The additional internal boards are suited for older toddlers, from 3 to 4 years old. Numbers, colors, right and left, shapes and letters are among the additional activities.

Gojmzo Busy Board

The Gojmzo busy board is like the first one and third one but with activities for older toddlers such as a clock, Velcro hands for learning to count with hands, and a colorful counting frame.

The additional internal boards are suited for older toddlers, from 2.5 to 4 years old.

Bestbase Wooden Busy Board

The Bestbase wooden busy board is the only electrical one in this list. It is shaped as a bus, so it certainly something that toddlers will like!

To be honest, this busy board may be great for your toddler to keep them entertained, but I believe it doesn’t have that many practical things to learn from it. And, when electronic products break down, they are more difficult to repair so take that into consideration.

Suitable for ages 2 to 4.