Toddler independence comes in “Baby Steps”. You train for laced shoes with velcro shoes. You train for velcro shoes with a velcro board.
Velcro is a material they’ll use for all kinds of big boy/girl utilities — like storage, sports, pets, and more.
But you’ll need the fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills first.
A velcro board is the screen-free plaything — to get hands-on experience with hooks and loops.
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Need a velcro toy in no time?
- (01) Esjay Sensory Briefcase with Velcro Alphabet Letters – It’s true, the best velcro board is a velcro-ready toddler briefcase.
- (02) Democa Busy Board with Velcro Strap – Solid wood construction with velcro and essential toddler fine motor boosters.
- (03) All Hands On Language Velcro Activity Mats – Like a velcro matching activity for a homeschooler’s lesson plan.
- (04) Laxdacee Vehicle-Shaped Velcro Travel Board — Cool shapes and themes imaginative velcro play.
(01) Esjay Sensory Briefcase with Velcro Alphabet Letters
You wouldn’t have thought the best velcro busy board was actually a briefcase!
In terms of velcro — Esjay’s toddler busy briefcase comes with just one velcro strip, but the main attraction is the complete set of velcro-stick ABC letters.
For toddlers learning the alphabet — you can stick the hook and loop letter pieces on the outside of the briefcase.
Equipped with over 14 busy fidgets — all types of buckles and buttons, zippers and snaps to suit — it’s one more highly engaging way to learn the ABCs.
Easily folding up — it’s an on-the-go travel accessory that works well for a long car ride.
(02) Democa Busy Board with Velcro Strip
Made from natural pine wood — with all the busy play gizmos a curious toddler could ask for!
Velcro play may be your primary interest — in the interest of your child — but you’ve got to see a wooden busy board with your own two eyes before you buy!
Democa’s most popular Montessori busy board includes just one velcro play strip — but makes up for it with an essential selection of skill-building doodads.
A zig-zagged labyrinth and knobby twist gears, shoelaces for the tying, metal locks for toddlers who got that on lock down. Motor skills are just the beginning!
Why limit yourself to velcro? When there’s a world of busy play things to boost a toddler’s independence! Take a peek at our top picks for toddler-friendly wooden busy boards.
(03) All Hands On Language Velcro Activity Mats
Part of a young learner’s lesson plan with a velcro cards matching activity.
All Hands On Language is an mommy maker specializing in laminated activity sheets for early learners — both classroom-friendly and homeschool-helpful.
Ready-to-ship laminates are available — with a wide range of cut-and-laminated velcro matching cards ready-for-play.
But the more economical option is to buy one of their digital velcro activity sheets and start a make a super-fun DIY velcro board on a super-low budget.
(04) Laxdacee Vehicle-Shaped Velcro Travel Board
Toddler velcro boards shaped like animals, vehicles, and more.
Maybe brand affinity isn’t your thing — and you’re OK with buying from a Factory Brand (basically, an overseas factory that sells on Amazon).
If that’s the case , here’s a few tips for finding a velcro board in a special shape for little ones with particular interests.
Laxdacee brand leads the pack with a School Bus, Police Wagon, and Recycling Truck — a complete line of velcro board vehicle toys for the little logistics professional in your family.
Other brands follow suit, with thematic velcro play sets like a Stegosaurus or Dress-Up board.
Kids’ Velcro Board Alternatives
Velcro boards aren’t the only early years learning toy that leverage the toy-tastic power of “velcro play” and “busy activity boards”.
Take a sneak peak at these velcro board alternatives to see what else might tickle your child’s fancy.
[A] Busy Board
A velcro board is technically a type of busy board that focuses on velcro learning activities.
Busy boards (like Democa brand’s) help little ones develop fine motor skills by using their fingers to manipulate all kinds of different objects simulating practical life — so with “just a beginner board” you usually only get one or two velcro play strips, and you miss out on themed velcro activities — like matching, counting, and other learning objectives.
Check out our best busy boards roundup — where we fidget and tinker our way to busy board buyer’s success!
[B] Felt Board Story Sets
Felt board story sets (like Watink brand’s) are large lightweight felt banners that hang on the wall.
Available in themes like outer space, wild animals, and fruits and veggies — also available for school subjects like reading, math, and telling the time and date.
The felt material lets toddlers and preschoolers easily stick velcro figurines to the backboard. Yes, with most toddler felt story boards, the velcro pieces are included in the set.
[C] Sensory Pillow
Here’s a sensory toy that’ll make adults scratch their heads at first look.
A velcro octopus toy? (Like Sensory4U brand’s)
The goal is to get young learners greater agency and control over their zone of proximal development (ZPD). Let your kid start easy, then level up to more advances buckles, closes, and snaps.
[D] Soft Books
For the fussy reader who just won’t take to paper books — maybe a soft and cuddly pillow will do the trick (like Melissa & Doug brand’s).
Look for warm and nuzzly fidgets like velcro matching games, carry-along handles, buttoning, buckling and more. It’s like a cloth busy board with pages and pages of exploratory learning.
[E] Busy Backback
Double-serving as a backpack and busy play activity — with velcro strips incorporated onto a real-working toddler book bag.
Check out a busy backpack (like White Dolphin Toys brand’s) for your toddler’s first day to daycare — with practical life skill levels built right in.
