Creative Mum Makes Amazing £20 Play Board to Keep Son Occupied

It goes without saying that coronavirus self-isolation with your kids in toe isn't going to be a walk in the park.

Across the country, schools are closed for all children except those whose parents are key workers, and households are certainly going to be a lot busier than normal.

But if you need some inspiration for how to entertain your kids on a budget, then look no further than super-mum Taylor Cowin.

Taylor, from Edinburgh, Scotland, decided to create a play board on the wall for her 19-month-old son, Josh - and it features everything you'd need to keep a little'n occupied.

The 23-year-old actually dreamed up the concept before coronavirus hit the UK, back in December.

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However, the genius idea is sure to be a help to mums across the country looking for similar ways to keep their children busy.

Taylor told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: "I first came up with the idea a few weeks before Christmas when I was trying to think of what I could get my little boy for Christmas.

"He had so many toys and I really wanted him to have something a bit more special and unique so I started to look at busy boards online. They were all great but prices started at around £60 and even went into the hundreds, and they were all quite small compared to what I was looking for!"

Determined to make something better than what was on offer, Taylor started to gather little things she thought would work well on the board, like switches, door stops and handles, and her little boy's beloved xylophone.

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Taylor's son loves buses, so she decided to fashion the board into a bus shape.

"I decided on the bus shape and drew it onto wood. My dad then cut the shape because I really don't trust myself with power tools!" she explained.

"Then I painted it red and I did two or three coats of paint. It took quite a while to dry as it was in my mum and dad's shed and the weather was cold but once it was dry we took it into the house and started to attach the lights and everything else onto it.

"I used cable ties to attach everything onto it so that there wouldn't be the possibility of any nails falling off. I felt that this would be a safer option for my little boy.

"It took about a week or so to be completely finished and we then attached it to my little boy's bedroom wall. It's not perfect but he loves it!"

The best part is that Taylor didn't have to break the bank to make the impressive board for Josh.

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"I used spare wood that my mum and dad already had in their garden. I only really had to buy the paint, lights and the tie, zip and button boards. It cost me about £20 for those things," she said.

Now it's complete, Taylor is over the moon with how the board turned out, and says it's a lot less complicated to make than it looks.

"I am very pleased with how it turned out because I really wasn't expecting it to actually be any good!" she went on.

"I think it is the perfect thing to have at home because it really does keep my little boy occupied which is especially important for times like this when you do need to spend more time at home.

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"Not only that but it's also a brilliant time for people to take on these project and try to make things themselves because it really does help with boredom!

"The tip I would give to anybody who would like to do something similar is that even if you don't think you're that good at art or making things you should still give it a try!"

Parents, take note. This is one for you.

Topics: Children, Home Decor, DIY, Parents, Motherhood

Joanna Freedman

Joanna is a journalist at Tyla with a particular interest in highlighting women's issues and telling inspiring first person stories. She's also their resident foodie, and loves covering exciting new beauty launches, too. Contact her at [email protected].

@joannafreedman