Button Frame

Make this cute button frame.

Description

Toddler Activities with Buttons Offers a Great Opportunity to Talk About Colors, Size and Shapes. A great Pre-Activity would be to sort the buttons by color,shape or style. Pictures of children, pets and family are always a treasured gift for a relative or friend. Displaying it in a handmade frame by a child makes it even more special! Use a colorful foam frame or even a wooden one and embellish with colorful buttons. An easy classroom activity or make and take for a party.

Materials

  • Frames made out of foam as shown in the picture, wooden or cardboard frame (found at most craft or Educational Supply Stores)
  • Craft Buttons (also found at craft stores or school supply stores)
  • Non Toxic Tacky Glue like Aleene's
  • Paper Plate, Empty Egg Carton or Muffin Tin or Small Containers for Sorting Buttons

Steps

  • Have child select about 20 buttons to start with and place on plate.
  • Sort by colors on plate or into small containers.
  • Glue on buttons. Let dry completely before adding picture.

Tips and Suggestions

  • Depending on age of child, either child can put the glue on themselves, or have them point to where they would like the button and adult puts glue there. That way it is still the child's work.
  • Have them pick 2 or three colors to work with so sorting is successful and frame will look more "coordinated."
  • If child is still learning colors, pre-select about 20 buttons in 2-3 colors for them to sort. Due to varying shades, it can be tricky or overwhelming to sort if given 6-7 colors.
  • Ask where they would like the button placed using directional vocabulary like left corner, bottom, top. Even if your child is not yet able to identify top or bottom, using the vocabulary and pointing to it will help reinforce the meaning visually.

Other Ideas

  • Use shells, feathers, sequins, or other materials to decorate.
  • Using left over or lost puzzle pieces and then painting over it makes a neat effect.
  • Make a collage with buttons and frame or make into a card.

Educational Note

  • Buttons Offer Many Pre-Sorting Toddler Activities that will help reinforce concepts like color, shape and size.
  • If you have buttons that are identical except for one attribute, you can have child make simple patterns.
  • Improves fine motor skills by placing buttons in a specific location.
    • Great pre-activity opportunities:
  • Make simple patterns in a row on the table such as yellow-red-yellow-red
  • Counting number of buttons in a row.
  • Sorting by shape, size or color
  • Play which one is different with 3 identical buttons/1 different button. See if they can identify why it is different.