Zipper Busy Board Tutorial
Make a tactile busy board in 5 minutes or less!
Follow these super simple instructions to make a zipper busy board from three simple reuse materials: zippers, board or cloth, and hot glue. This craft was inspired by a recent donation we received of tens of thousands of zippers, so help us give them another life!
Supplies Needed:
10-20 zippers
Glue gun and refill sticks
Backing material (the cover of an old binder or an upholstery fabric sample work great!).
Steps:
Glue zippers to the backing at the top and bottom, starting at the edge of the board. You can optionally glue them the whole length of the zipper, but this takes more time and isn’t 100% necessary.
2. Fill the whole board from edge to edge.
3. Viola! You’ve got a sensory toy for kids 1-5 years old!
Consider these variations to make the board more engaging:
Add shoe laces to practice tying.
Add buckles and snaps to build finger strength.
Add textured fabrics and other materials to develop sensory skills.
Add a fuzzy felt section and shapes with the grabby side of velcro on the back for an interactive story board.
Best of all, you can source all of the materials above second hand from Austin Creative Reuse for less than 50￠ each! Don’t live near Austin? Check out our guide to creative reuse centers nationwide and find the one that’s closest to you!