19+ Button Activities for Preschoolers (printables + Reels)

Button activities for preschoolers are a fun way for kids to use their hands and minds. These activities help little ones practice their fine motor skills as they sort, stack, and thread buttons by color and size.

Kids also get to solve problems and make decisions during these activities, like choosing which buttons to use and figuring out where to place them. This not only makes their fingers stronger but also boosts their thinking skills.

Whether making button art, learning to button clothes, or using buttons in stories and play, there are so many ways for preschoolers to learn and have fun with buttons.

button activities for Kids

Make your own button pizza Activity (3-7 Years)

Creating a “Make Your Own Button Pizza” sounds absolutely delightful! Kids can design their own play pizzas using buttons as toppings, perfect for imaginative play and learning about pizza activity.

Materials: Playdough or craft paper shaped like pizza slices, colorful buttons in various sizes, glue (if you wish to make the design permanent).

How to Do:

1. Shape your playdough or cut out craft paper into the shape of a pizza slice.
2. Select buttons to represent different pizza toppings like olives, peppers, or pepperoni.
3. Arrange the button toppings on your pizza slice to create a tasty design.
4. If desired, glue the buttons in place to keep your pizza creation for later display.

Button Whirligig Activity (3-8 Years)

The “Button Whirligig Activity” appears to be a playful and educational developmental exercise that introduces basic physics principles through a classic toy.

Materials: Sturdy button with four holes, length of string or yarn.

How to Do:

1. Cut a piece of string or yarn about 24 to 30 inches long.
2. Thread the string through two holes in the button, crossing over the back and then back through the remaining two holes to make a loop.
3. Tie the ends of the string together to secure the button in the middle.
4. Hold one end of the loop in each hand, with the button hanging in the center.
5. Wind the button up by twirling it (the string will twist around itself).
6. Pull the loops lightly and release, allowing the button to spin and unwind the string, then twist back up again.

Button Tree Activity (3-8 Years)

The “Button Tree Activity” is a wonderful craft to celebrate seasons or just enjoy a bit of creative time. This art project is great for kids to practice their fine motor skills and explore their artistic side by adding button “leaves” to a tree.

Materials: Worksheet with image of bare tree or use our printable, various colorful buttons, glue.

How to Do:

1. Spread out your buttons and pick out your favorites.
2. Place the buttons on the branches of the tree to see where they look best.
3. Once you’re happy with the arrangement, start gluing the buttons in place to resemble leaves or fruits.
4. Let the glue dry completely before moving your artwork.

Button Stamping Activity (3-6 Years)

The “Button Stamping Activity” is a perfect mix of art and play. This enjoyable craft uses buttons as stamps to create colorful designs and patterns.

Materials: Worksheet with drawing to be stamped (like a watermelon slice) for that use our printable, paint in various colors, buttons of different sizes and patterns, paper plates or trays for the paint.

How to Do:

1. Pour a little paint onto the paper plates or trays.
2. Press a button into the paint, ensuring the entire surface is covered.
3. Stamp the button onto the appropriate area of the worksheet to fill in the design or make a pattern.
4. Repeat with different colors and button sizes as needed.

Button Sorting Activity (2-4 Years)

The “Button Sorting Activity” is a fantastic way to teach little ones about colors and organization. This activity is great for young learners to help them recognize colors, improve sorting skills, and boost their ability to categorize.

Materials: Variety of colorful buttons, sorting containers with colored lids matching the buttons.

How to Do:

1. Spread out all the buttons on a flat surface.
2. Look at the colors of the lids on your containers.
3. Start sorting the buttons by color, matching them to the container lids.
4. Place each button into the corresponding container until all buttons are sorted.

Button Snowman Activity (3-5 Years)

The “Button Snowman Activity” is perfect for helping little ones practice counting and fine motor skills as they decorate paper snowmen with colorful buttons.

Materials: Worksheet featuring snowmen with numbered hats for that…use our printable and colorful buttons.

How to Do:

1. Look at the number on each snowman’s hat.
2. Find the same number of buttons as the number shown on the hat.
3. Place the correct amount of buttons on the snowman to match the number. You can place them as if they were the snowman’s buttons.
4. You can watch the reel for a better understanding of how my kid has performed.

Button Snail Activity (3-5 Years)

The “Button Snail Activity” is a lovely and colorful craft that can teach children about patterns, counting, and the joy of creating something cute and decorative.

Materials: Paper plates, construction paper, glue, colorful buttons, markers or paint, pipe cleaners (for antennae).

How to Do:

1. Paint or color the paper plate to be the snail’s shell.
2. Cut a snail head shape from construction paper and attach it to the rim of the plate with glue.
3. Glue buttons in a spiral pattern or any creative design on the paper plate for the snail’s shell.
4. Add googly eyes and pipe cleaners to the head for eyes and antennae.

Button Sewing Activity (4-8 Years)

The “Button Sewing Activity” is a fantastic way for children to develop their sewing skills and learn about patterns, colors, and textures. It’s also a perfect exercise to improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Materials: Embroidery hoop with fabric tightly secured, variety of colorful buttons, needle and thread (choose a thread color that stands out against the fabric), scissors.

How to Do:

1. Select a button and thread your needle. Tie a knot at the end of the thread so it doesn’t pull through the fabric.
2. Start from the back of the fabric, bring the needle through to the front, and thread the button onto it. Then, push the needle back down through another hole in the button to secure it to the fabric.
3. Repeat the process with different buttons, sewing them onto various spots on the fabric.
4. Once you’re done sewing on the buttons, tie off the thread on the back of the fabric to ensure the buttons are secure.

Button Photo Frame Activity (3-8 Years)

The “Button Photo Frame Activity” is an engaging craft that lets kids decorate a photo frame with colorful buttons. It’s a wonderful way to create a personalized gift or keepsake while practicing artistic design and fine motor skills.

Materials: Plain photo frame (wooden, plastic, or cardboard), variety of colorful buttons, strong glue suitable for the frame material.

How to Do:

1. Start by selecting a variety of buttons that you like. Think about the colors and sizes that will look good together.
2. Arrange the buttons around the frame without gluing them to get an idea of the design you want.
3. Once you’re happy with the arrangement, begin gluing the buttons onto the frame one at a time. Be sure to press each button down firmly to ensure it sticks well.
4. Allow the glue to dry completely before moving the frame or inserting a photo.

Button Letter Tracing Activity (3-5 Years)

The “Button Letter Tracing Activity” is a colorful way to help kids learn their alphabet. By tracing letters with buttons, children can improve their letter recognition, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.

Materials: Letter tracing worksheet with large or use our printable, outlined letters, colorful buttons, glue (if you wish to permanently place the buttons).

How to Do:

1. Choose a letter on the worksheet to start with.
2. Select buttons and place them along the lines of the letter to trace its shape.
3. Continue placing buttons until the entire letter is outlined.
4. If desired, glue the buttons in place for a permanent letter art piece.

Button Ice Cream Cone Activity (2-4 Years)

The “Button Ice Cream Cone Activity” is great for summer-themed fun or anytime kids want to play and be creative, making it perfect for summer activities.

Materials: Construction paper or cardstock in colors for the cone and ice cream, glue or double-sided tape, colorful buttons, scissors (child-safe if kids are using them).

How to Do:

1. Cut out a cone shape from brown or tan paper to represent the ice cream cone.
2. Cut out a larger, rounded shape from a different color of paper for the ice cream.
3. Glue or tape the “ice cream” shape on top of the cone.
4. Decorate the “ice cream” part with colorful buttons to look like sprinkles or flavored bits.
5. Let the glue dry, and then your pretend ice cream cone is ready to play with!

Button Hairband Activity (4-6 Years)

The “Button Hairband Activity” is a fun craft where kids can decorate their hairbands with colorful buttons. It helps them improve their fine motor skills and lets them show off their style.

Materials: Plain hairband, various buttons in different sizes and colors, strong adhesive or glue (safe for children or to be used under adult supervision).

How to Do:

1. Choose the buttons you want to use on your hairband. You can select different colors, sizes, and styles to create a pattern or random design.
2. Arrange the buttons along the hairband without gluing first, to plan out your design.
3. Once satisfied with the arrangement, carefully glue each button onto the hairband in place.
4. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly before wearing the hairband.

Button Graph Activity (4-7 Years)

The “Button Graph Activity” is an educational and interactive way for children to learn about sorting, counting, and graphing. It’s a great way to engage in number recognition and math activities.

Materials: Button graph worksheet with color-coded columns for that..you can use our printable, variety of buttons in different colors, additional paper for notes or calculations (optional).

1. Start by sorting your buttons by color.
2. Count how many buttons you have in each color.
3. Place the buttons on the graph worksheet, matching the button colors to the corresponding columns on the graph.
4. Stack the buttons in each column to represent the quantity of each color.

Button Flower Pot Activity (3-6 Years)

The “Button Flower Pot Activity” is a lovely and easy craft project that adds a pop of color to any plain flower pot, making it perfect for flower activities.

By attaching buttons to the pot, kids can help beautify their garden or room, and they can learn about gardening and taking care of plants in a fun way.

Materials: Plain flower pot, various colorful buttons, strong glue or hot glue gun (to be used by an adult).

How to Do:

1. Start by selecting colorful buttons to decorate your flower pot. You can choose a theme of colors or just a random assortment.
2. Plan out where you want to place the buttons on the flower pot. You can put them in rows, make shapes, or create a random pattern.
3. Carefully use strong glue or a hot glue gun (adults only) to attach the buttons to the pot. Press firmly to make sure they stick.
4. Wait for the glue to dry completely before moving the pot or planting anything in it.

Button Counting Activity (3-5 Years)

The “Button Counting Activity” is a fantastic educational tool, contributing to educational development. Here’s a fun way to engage in this activity.

Boost your counting skills with the exciting “Button Counting Activity“! It’s a playful way for children to practice their numbers by counting buttons.

Materials: Worksheet with different groups of button illustrations or use our printable for that, pencil or marker to circle the numbers.

How to Do:

1. Look at each group of button illustrations on the worksheet.
2. Count the buttons in each group carefully.
3. Circle or color the correct number that matches the count of buttons.

Button Cookie Activity (3-5 Years)

The “Button Cookie Activity” is a playful craft that mimics the look of colorful cookies using buttons and playdough. This activity encourages creativity and helps with color recognition and motor skills.

Materials: Playdough in various colors, buttons in different sizes and colors, child-safe scissors (if playdough needs to be cut).

How to Do:

1. Flatten the playdough to create a base that resembles cookie dough.
2. Choose buttons of different colors and sizes to press into the playdough to mimic chocolate chips or decorations on the cookie.
3. Arrange the buttons in a pattern or randomly to create your unique cookie design.
4. If you want, use a toy oven or just your imagination to “bake” the cookies.

Button Caterpillar Activity (3-6 Years)

This is a “Button Caterpillar Activity,” a lovely and colorful project for creating a cute caterpillar out of buttons. It’s perfect for developing fine motor skills and enjoying activities that involve mixing colors.

Materials: Variety of colorful buttons with four holes, pipe cleaners, woolen thread, googly eyes, glue.

How to Do:

1. Choose one larger button to be the caterpillar’s head and glue the googly eyes onto it.
2. Glue the pipe cleaner on the head button. and thread the woolen from the buttonhole.
3. Add more buttons along the woolen thread, arranging them to create the caterpillar’s body.
4. If you want, twist a small piece of pipe cleaner and attach it as antennae.

Button Bracelet Activity (3-8 Years)

This is a “Button Bracelet Activity” where you can turn colorful buttons into cool bracelets. Just thread the buttons and create a unique piece of jewelry that matches your style.

Materials: Buttons with four holes, elastic cord or strong thread, scissors.

How to Do:

1. Cut a piece of elastic cord long enough to go around your wrist plus some extra for tying a knot.
2. Choose your buttons and thread them onto the cord one by one.
3. Arrange the buttons in a pattern or randomly, as you like.
4. Once you have enough buttons to wrap around your wrist, tie the ends of the cord together securely.

Button Bookmark Activity (3-10 Years)

This activity is a “Button Bookmark Activity,” a fun and creative craft for making unique bookmarks. Not only are they practical, but they also add a bit of flair to your reading routine.

Materials: Colorful paperclips, buttons in various colors and sizes, glue, decorative stickers or sequins.

How to Do:

1. Choose a paperclip and a button.
2. Apply a small amount of glue to the button and attach it to one end of the paperclip.
3. Decorate the paperclip with stickers or sequins for extra pizzazz.

Conclusion

Hope you have a blast with these button games! Remember, every button is like a tiny adventure waiting to be discovered. Did you find a new favorite game? Or maybe you came up with a super cool button activity of your own?

We’d love to hear all about it! Your ideas might just be the next big button sensation. Keep playing and keep sharing! 😊