This Handmade “Busy Book” Is the Cutest Grad Gift to Give Your Friend (Yes, It’s for Adults!)

Honestly, sometimes I miss my childhood toys. I think about Baby, the stuffed bear I had, that was dressed in overalls and sneakers so I could practice zipping up and tying shoe laces. And it seems that other adults are feeling the same, because lately I’ve been seeing an influx of a specific kind of nostalgic toy on TikTok: busy books. 

A busy book is an interactive book full of activities for young children to practice fine motor skills like feeling different textures or using buttons. They’re usually soft and made of fabric. 

Recently I’ve been seeing people make intricate homemade busy books on social media, to give as baby shower gifts or birthday presents. For example, user Alivia Blank (@aliviablank) made a TikTok video showing the busy book she made for her 1-year-old niece’s birthday, featuring one page designed to look like a golf course (complete with a felt gopher popping out of the grass) and another made to look like a jar of giant felt jelly beans (with Velcro backings, so you can move them around). 

Although she crafted it for a toddler, one of the top comments says, “Can I get one even if I’m 26 years old.” And actually, yes, you can. 

While I don’t have any young children in my college life, that doesn’t mean I can’t partake in the DIY busy book trend. I have seen people start to create grown-up versions of the toy, like this amazing version from creator Pia Shah (@itspiashah). In her TikTok video, she explains how she made a busy book for her sister’s 24th birthday. The pages include things like a felt envelope full of pictures of them together, activity ideas to redeem (like a matcha date), and a gift card to a favorite coffee shop.

If you’re thinking of making a busy book as a gift for your roommate, your best friend, or someone else you really care about — if you’re a college senior, this would make the sweetest sentimental grad gift! — be sure to give yourself plenty of time. “Honestly, this gift took me more time and effort than any gift I’ve ever given to anyone before,” Shah says in her video. Before you get started, here are the craft supplies you’ll need.

• Felt and/or fabric scraps in various colors 
• Hot glue
• Needle and thread (if you want to get fancy)
• Scissors
• Sequins or beads
• Ribbons
• Photos 
• Anything else you want to include

The most fun part of this craft is that you can customize it to your or the recipient’s personality, getting as intricate as you’d like. No matter how it turns out, it’ll be an incredibly thoughtful gift that’s sure to turn into a treasured keepsake for years to come.