With a new Grandbaby in our family, my creative juices and hands have been busy! I recently created a "busy book" for her. In all my research, I decided I liked the concept of a "binder" type book which allowed pages to be added and removed.
I used metal binder rings which make it super easy to remove and replace pages with age appropriate activities that will entertain and challenge her as she grows.
When I first gifted the book to her, it began with a total of six pages (or three since I sewed them back to back). They were mostly sensory type pages. Since then, I've made more pages which match her dexterity level. For the other seamstresses that may be reading this, the button page was from that mason jar of "spare" buttons we've collected, or maybe in my case....the jar I inherited and added my own to over the years. I also had the rik rak, trim, fluffy flowers, zippers, shoelaces. It's amazing what you can find in those craft bins!
I have several more pages that I've started which she should be ready for in the next several months. I found the felt on Amazon, using a standard weight for the pages themselves and a heavier one for the "binding" that holds the eyelets. I'll also use the heavier version on the pages I'm working on which are a bit more intricate and I'll be using my Silhouette Cameo machine to help with the cutting. A good example is the "clock" page.....the numbers for the clock face are just too intricate to cut by hand. And so far, my practice run went well with my machine.
I'm pleased to report that she has definitely spent time with the book...it's a great option when she still wants to explore/play, but you need to manage the amount of activity. For instance, before nap time. It certainly can travel well. Making it a good option for a long car ride as she gets older, or even a plane ride (I'll plan to add some new pages just for the trip!)
You can find lots of ready made "busy book" options out there, but I liked the idea of building it by hand for her. Yes, it has a homemade quality to it....but it also has a lot of love from Grandma built in and I know she'll learn to appreciate the value in that someday.
