Pediatric Physical, Speech, and Occupational Therapists Inspiring Play

Button Skills for Preschoolers: XO Button Snake

Button Skills for Preschoolers: XO Button Snake


Buttoning can be a tricky skill for little fingers to master! We recommend starting with activities like button boards or making your own button snakes. They are a simple way to grade the task to decrease frustration by using a large button and eliminating managing the fabric while positioning it on your body. 

You need:

Felt 

Ribbon

Large Buttons

Thread and needle 

Cut felt into whatever shapes you like, with a cross cut in the middle to accommodate the button. For our button snake we went with a Valentine’s Day theme with red, pink, and purples, and big X & O shapes. Sew large buttons onto each end of the ribbon, or for a no-sew option, use your hot glue gun. Then get buttoning! The felt pieces can be used as part of a larger muscle activity, like an obstacle course. Then your kiddo can collect all the pieces and place them onto the ribbon. This activity is easy to grade by using smaller buttons, or by sewing many buttons along the ribbon. 

Insider tip: Cut larger holes for beginning buttoners while they are learning how to push and pull.


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