Mom Saves $100s By Creating A DIY Sensory Board For Her Daughter

The wonderful thing about play is that it allows children to simultaneously exercise their imaginations and explore the world, which is still relatively new to them. That's why technology has come under so much criticism in recent years. Sure, it can entertain kids, but it lacks the real world touchy-feely-ness of old fashioned play.

This is perhaps best epitomized by sensory boards, which, as the name suggests, exist to encourage kids to use their senses while having fun at the same time. However, they often come with hefty price tags.

The board pictured here comes in at a whopping $165 on Amazon - and many are even more expensive.

Credit: Amazon

However, if these are completely out of your price range, or if you're simply wanting your kid to have a sensory board that's tailored to their unique needs, you have got options. Namely, making your own, as mom Ellie did for her little girl with additional support needs.

This isn't just any sensory board either - oh no. The one Ellie made is totally customizable so that it can be easily altered to suit her daughter's needs as she grows.

To discover 10 simple sensory activities for babies, check out the video below: 

"My daughter is profoundly deaf but has recently been fitted with bilateral cochlear implants. So basically for the first time, she's learning to listen," Ellie wrote on parenting website Learning and Exploring Through Play.

"I wanted to make a sensory panel which had lots of listening opportunities, as well as covering her need for visual and tactile stimulus."

Credit: Pexels

Ellie explained that the first thing she did when she went about making the sensory board was getting a recycled table top. She suggests asking local schools or offices if they have any lying around instead of buying one.

"Next, I hunted our house, the charity shops and finally good old Amazon and IKEA. I try and think of other uses an object may have," she wrote.

"One of my favorite pieces on this panel is a bowl I found in a charity shop. It has little dents in it. I think it may be a jelly mold?! Anyway... It sounds amazing with a drumstick rolling around it!

"Pipes and tubing make fabulous ball drops and I used an IKEA wall storage box to keep the balls in one place.

"Everything was very easily fixed to the wood, using either no more nails glue or by drilling holes and using cable ties.

"I wanted to add some different textures on the panel as my daughter loves to explore. I did this simply by painting some sandpaper, and adding felt and shiny card."

Credit: Learning and Exploring Through Play

Understandably, Ellie's board garnered a significant amount of attention online, with many parents agreeing that it was a great idea - regardless of whether your child has specific additional needs or not.

"This is a fantastic idea!" wrote one parent.

Another, after tagging a friend, remarked: "Ben would absolutely love this!"

Credit: Facebook / Amy Krause

In response to the post, one parent even shared a picture of their own DIY sensory board, pictured above.

"This was my sons [sic] birthday present," they wrote.

So what are you waiting for? If you think a sensory board is something your little one would enjoy, it's the perfect opportunity to get creative. We think it could even be made with entirely recycled materials!