If you saw my vlog a couple of weeks ago you’ll know that I randomly picked up a bag of buttons, thinking I could use them with the kids for….something. Yes, you see whilst I could see that they could be fun, that’s about as far as my thoughts had got. I was determined to then find some button activities for kids.
The biggest thing I have learned since having kids and doing crafts and activities with them is that they rarely actually go the way that I plan them. Very rarely. I can spend ages scrolling through Pinterest for ideas or come up with, what I think, is a fabulously fun and original idea only for them to go off in a completely different direction. This being the case, whenever we try something new now I always let the first session be entirely up to the kids, with a few of my own ideas as back up. It’s easier that way!
So we got the buttons out, a colourful mound of them…
Alongside the buttons we had paper, glue, crayons and googly eyes – googly eyes are always a hit with any crafting!
Little Man decided to draw a man (more precisely, this is Marvel’s The Thing, he wants you to know) and then used the buttons to create his body. So this is my first suggestion, Button Drawings. So simple to do with little ones as they create their pictures and then add a little glue and select their buttons to brighten it up.
After this, we decided to play a few games with the buttons, so we played…
Button Piles
We worked together to make the highest piles that we could. This is fun to do as a team effort, and helps with fine motor skills as well as the mathematical learns in using bigger buttons at the base and moving up through the sizes.
Button Threading
We used a piece of string each to thread buttons on. This is brilliant for fine motor skills and we also added the extra element of choosing either button shapes or colours to make patterns and sequences.
Button Race for Colours
We took it in turns to name a colour and a number, and we’d each have to see who would be the first to find them. This is great for fine motor skills, colour recognition and counting. As it’s also a race, and I didn’t always let him win, it also serves to reinforce messages about learning to lose.
Cards with Buttons
I left the buttons out for my daughter to play with when she came home from school. I was interested to see what she’d choose to do with them. Without hesitation, she folded up some card and chose to make a Rudolph the Red-Button-Nosed Reindeer card, using a red button as the nose. I loved that this was the first thing that occurred to her to do and it does look so sweet…
It was a fun button-filled afternoon, so we’ll be getting them out again soon. Here are a few other great ideas that we’ll be trying:
Simple and Cute Button Bookmarks
All in all, I would definitely recommend getting in a Bumper Pack of Craft Buttons as they are so versatile and the kids have enjoyed playing with them.
What do you think? Have you got a favourite button activity?
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This is such a great idea. I think we’d have a tonne of fun with buttons and glue. I now need to buy a random bag too!
They are so versatile. Have fun!
Button are great , my grandchildren spend hours just count them. 1500! We made piles of 10 s and then into bags of 100. We all guessed how many . Buttons collected from shirts etc. If too worn for charity shop.
They are so versatile!