20 Best Sensory Boards for Toddlers (Ultimate Buyer’s Guide)
Sensory boards for toddlers encourage stimulation of their main senses like touch, sound, and sight.
Plus, it is an entertaining activity to do!
As an adult, we know that finding a toy our precious enjoys while learning is the ultimate slam dunk, right?
With that said, let’s explore…
- What are the best sensory boards to get?
- Why use a sensory board?
- What should be on a toddler’s busy board?
- Can you DIY (do it yourself)?
- And MORE…
If any of these questions ring true, let’s dive into 20 of our favorite super fun and adorable sensory boards for toddlers.
If you can, be sure to stick around from start to finish to get inspiring ideas or to narrow down your options and needs. :-)
Active Monkey Sensory Balance Board
This sensory balance board keeps your child active while developing their balance and coordination.
It’s a great bonding activity to do together as the board holds up to 200 pounds.
Try out these fun and challenging game to play:
- Balance on one foot
- Squat to pick up toys off the floor
- Toss a ball back and forth to focus on upper body strength
- Play Simon Says (say things like slant to the right, tilt to the left, move side to side)
Final Verdict: An entertaining therapy tool to improve a child’s balance and coordination. It also is wonderful for active kids who need to burn some energy.
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Airplane Activity Wall Panels
If your child is into airplanes, this sensory board may be right up their ally.
Enjoy six wall-mounted activities:
- Beads on a wire
- A rolling disc that makes sound
- A clock with a moving hand
- Gears to twirl and rotate
- A trace and track maze
- A magnetic block and slider
The colors and engaging tools charm you into wanting to play and engage!
Final Verdict: Build upon different skill sets like fine motor development, shape recognition, spatial reasoning, and hand-eye coordination.
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Building Block Wall
Lego building is a staple in the kid’s community as one of the top parent-approved toys.
This sensory toy is a fast and easy DIY tool to put up on the wall, furniture, or desk.
Just stick the “large green baseplate” onto smooth surfaces like wood, glass, metal, paint furniture, or stucco walls.
“Building Blocks” compliments all major brands so your child can easily mix their building bricks to construct unlimited possibilities.
Final Verdict: An activity to inspire creative thinking while encouraging fine motor development. Use it at home, education centers, clinics, or pediatrician offices.
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Cat Activity Wall Panel
This sensory play board fosters early math skills.
Use the interactive maze to move the wooden numbers to match the respective number of fish images.
For easy installation, it includes fixing holes and attachment screws to mount on the wall kid-level.
Final Verdict: A terrific starter tool for toddlers to learn their numbers 1 through 9.
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Caterpillar Activity Wall Panels
Turn your wall into the ultimate educational playground with this super cute caterpillar wallboard.
Explore numerous stimulating activities:
- Bead maze and wheel
- Various textures
- Interlocking gears
- Spinning patterns
- Rotational pieces
Final Verdict: A sensory board to focus on self-discovery concepts, problem-solving skills, and hand-eye coordination.
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Crocodile Activity Wall Panels
Engage in sensory playtime on the wall.
Does your child experience lower or upper extremity weakness?
Based on your child’s needs, choose to install the wallboard at kid-level or lower for your child to play with while sitting on the ground.
- At eye length, the bright colors captivate you to interact with the pieces using your fingers.
- Sitting down, use your legs to move the knob through the winding maze to strengthen the lower body muscles.
Final Verdict: A fun sensory activity to strengthen the upper or lower body muscles while developing problem-solving skills, gross motor functions, and sensory integration.
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Fidget Sensory Board Game
Learning how to count just became FUN.
This sensory toy can grow with your child over time.
For beginners, roll the dice and then press the silicone bubbles to match the number on the dice.
Pressing in the rainbow bubbles creates a satisfying sound and soothing experience.
Final Verdict: An effective stress relief toy to relax the mind and body while learning. In addition to helping kids with autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, or sensory challenges.
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Frog Activity Wall Panel
Two words to describe this sensory activity, classic fun.
Moving the smooth wooden beads along the panel wires relaxes the mind.
The benefits to playing with the beads help you:
- Strengthen the finger muscles
- Learn the primary colors (red, yellow, blue) in addition to two other hues (orange and light blue)
Final Verdict: A thrilling sensory activity to soothe and enhance concentration.
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Giraffe Activity Wall Panel
This sensory activity introduces youngsters to nutritious fruits (apple, bananas, strawberries, grapes).
The colorful display of food artwork is visually stimulating to inspire conversation surrounding healthy foods!
Move the puzzle blocks to mix and match the four fruits.
Final Verdict: An excellent sensory tool to expose you to nutritious foods.
This Giraffe hands-on activity is part of the “wild” play collection set including the wall panels we mention throughout this post; Cat, Frog, Horse, and Zebra. These sets are designed to be mixed n’ matched next to one another. Use it in a playroom, classroom, or pediatrician’s waiting room.
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Horse Activity Wall Panel
Could a sensory board get any cuter than this?
This activity is very simple in nature to do.
With the use of a launcher lever, easily move the beads along the wire maze or spin the four-cog system.
While playing, your child enhances their fine motor skills while learning colors and shapes.
It also makes for a fun counting game too…
Can you count the number of beads or wheels?
Final Verdict: Not only does this make an adorable decor piece in a playroom, bedroom, school, or clinic, but the toy inspires a child to use their fingers to explore.
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LED Message Writing Board
LED lighting helps calm the mind.
Your child gets the opportunity to creatively write while being soothed by the brilliant LED colors.
The board is lightweight to use, weighing 3.72 pounds.
You also have the option to adjust the brightness.
The following items are included:
- 8 chalk markers
- Cleaning cloth
- Remote
- Hanging chain
- Power cable
- Instructions
Final Verdict: A soothing tool for sensory-seeking kids or for the aspiring artist who likes to write, draw, or paint. Adult supervision is recommended due to the power cable.
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Magnetic Sensory Drawing Board
This ultimate hands-on activity brings out your creative side.
Doodle away in four fun colors (red, yellow, blue, and purple) and erase to start all over again.
Your sketch is your oyster.
Learn how to write, draw, hold a pencil, count, and spell.
Final Verdict: A fantastic educational tool to boost a child’s writing development.
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Melissa & Doug Wooden Latches Board
Does your child like to play peek-a-boo?
If you answered yes, this board emulates the thrilling game of peek-a-boo with cute doors and windows that you open to see what’s behind it!
You are exposed to vibrant pictures like animals, numbers, and colors.
Each latch is different too to challenge your little one’s fingers.
Final Verdict: An engaging sensory toy to keep kids busy while encouraging fine motor skills and imaginary play.
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Montessori Busy Board
This wooden sensory board helps a child learn daily activities like how to tie a shoe or use a zipper.
At first sight, the bright wooden pieces are visually appealing.
The board inspires imaginary play like how to solve a labyrinth, close and open locks, and latches, spin gear wheels, or click a switch.
Final Verdict: Learn early dressing skills and the colors of the rainbow. It’s a helpful therapy tool for occupational therapists.
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Montessori Sensory Board
This Montessori board has been kicked up a notch.
Explore numerous features for tactile stimulation:
- Latches
- Gear wheels
- Clock
- Switch
- Beads
- Laces
- And MORE…
With safety in mind, it is made from high-quality natural wood and non-toxic water-based paint.
Final Verdict: An interactive development toy that promotes play and learning.
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Owl Sensory Activity Busy Board
Besides the adorable owl design, there are a variety of engaging activities to promote hand dexterity.
- Locks and latch
- Threading
- Bead sorting
- Metal gears
- Clock
- Spinning wheels
Final Verdict: An interactive fine motor tool to use at home or during therapy sessions such as PT (physical therapy) or OT (occupational therapy).
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Sensory Busy Board
This super-soft sensory board makes a GREAT hands-on activity.
Interact with everyday tasks like buttoning a shirt or zipping up a coat.
These are common everyday things we teach our kids early on.
To practice, play with rainbow shoelaces, zippers, velcro, large pockets, buckles, buttons, and snaps.
To take it on the go, simply zip it up to turn it into a bag with shoulder straps to wear.
Final Verdict: If you need a fun sensory board to teach essential dressing skills that are easy to travel with, this may be the one for you. It also makes a great occupational therapy tool.
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Toddler Busy Board with ABC
This 2 in 1 sensory board helps you learn how to dress as well as your ABCs.
One side teaches you how to dress and undress with a buckle, zipper, buttons, lace, velcro, and a snap.
The other side shows you the letters of the alphabet A through Z.
The soft felted wool material creates a soothing experience.
Final Verdict: A portable sensory board that’s entertaining and educational.
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Touch and Match Board
This set has ALL the tactile stimulation your child craves.
It comes with 10 different textured cylinders to create a fun sensory game of touch and match.
Have your child match the right texture piece on the wooden board.
This discovery toy challenges the “senses”.
Final Verdict: This is the perfect set for young learners to develop their problem-solving skills and sensory perception.
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Zebra Activity Wall Panel
This panel goes hand in hand with the Horse Activity Wall Panel mentioned above.
The only difference is the shapes.
Basically, the educational piece has been kicked up a notch because you learn eight geometric shapes!
Final Verdict: A wonderful starter tool for toddlers to learn basic shapes.
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Common Questions and Answers…
Why Use A Sensory Board?
The purpose of a sensory board is to expose kids to various tactile and visual objects that are attached to an actual board.
This allows you to explore through sensory play.
Sensory play is a crucial stage of a child’s growth and development.
But you may be thinking, can’t I just make one myself?
Absolutely.
How Do You Make A Toddler Sensory Board?
There are many DIY articles out there to help you make your own sensory board.
Keep in mind that it can get costly, and time-consuming, and the objects on your board will need to be safe for your child to play with.
If you are the DIY type, this short clip shows you an easy and cheap way to make a sensory board.
YouTube Channel: Little Learners
What Items Should Be On A Busy Board?
You should see common things like zippers, laces, knobs, switches, latches, locks, and beads.
What Age Is A Sensory Board For?
Normally around 6 months and up, can start exploring a sensory board.
Thank You!
I want to wrap up by extending my gratitude to thank you for stopping by today!
What other sensory boards for toddlers do you recommend?
Let us know in the comments below. ♥
Was this information helpful to you? If so, you’d make our day by sharing it! 🙂
About the Author
Lindsey is the co-founder of The LENN Foundation and content creator of the Intensive Therapy for Kids blog.
When she isn’t busy playing Godzilla with her son or chasing around her mischievous Rottweiler pup, she loves creating experiences and memories with her loved ones (traveling, watching a good flick, trying new n’ yummy restaurants). Speaking of restaurants, one of her favs is Taco Bell!
Most of all, she is grateful for her supportive circle of family, friends, and to live out her passion for helping kids with Cerebral Palsy (like her sweet nephew Lenny).
If you’re curious about The LENN Foundation, you may see the kids’ helped and feel-good content here. ♥
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