When I was little my Grandmother used to have a tin filled with buttons. Every time a shirt would come with an extra button, someone lost a button off a blouse or coat she would put them in this old shortbread cookie tin. I loved the feeling for putting my little hands in the tin and burying them in smooth, cool buttons. The buttons themselves looked like treasures hidden in a special nook in the house much like the rocks and shells I would collect when in nature.
I started my own button tin of my own at my house remembering how I felt about the tin at my Grandmothers. When I used to go to auctions with my father-in-law or got thrift shopping I'd snag a mason jar or bag filled with various buttons thinking of how I loved sorting through them when I was little.
Now, I get them out and let my daughter sort the buttons. We have conversations about colors, size, shapes and textures whiles sorting them. Once they are sorted we practice counting each. Sometimes we use buttons for projects or crafts -- this year my daughter used some on her Valentines for her friends. They are great for decorating play dough and clay creations.
Occasionally I find having these buttons useful -- when a favorite top is missing a button or my husbands favorite sweater is missing a button. I use this as an opprtunity to engage my children in the searching process which also provides sensory, organization and fine motor skills. Including my children in the tasks gives the children an idea of the time that goes into
A.) Finding a match for a button set
B.) How long it takes to line up and apply the button once located.
Some of you have very young children and I suggest large buttons the babies cannot swallow. But, we have two bins at our house now -- "big buttons" and "small buttons". The small buttons only come out when the baby is sleeping or if I need to repair clothes. Others have kids you think are too old for this answer is -- you are wrong. My niece was into sewing and repairing clothes up to last year ( age 15). She had her own sewing machine and special pins with buttons, threads and needle pins to make her own clothes until last year.
Buttons open doors for conversations about life skills and repurposing materials at any age. I highly suggest the introduction to buttons in your home.
I started my own button tin of my own at my house remembering how I felt about the tin at my Grandmothers. When I used to go to auctions with my father-in-law or got thrift shopping I'd snag a mason jar or bag filled with various buttons thinking of how I loved sorting through them when I was little.
Now, I get them out and let my daughter sort the buttons. We have conversations about colors, size, shapes and textures whiles sorting them. Once they are sorted we practice counting each. Sometimes we use buttons for projects or crafts -- this year my daughter used some on her Valentines for her friends. They are great for decorating play dough and clay creations.
Occasionally I find having these buttons useful -- when a favorite top is missing a button or my husbands favorite sweater is missing a button. I use this as an opprtunity to engage my children in the searching process which also provides sensory, organization and fine motor skills. Including my children in the tasks gives the children an idea of the time that goes into
A.) Finding a match for a button set
B.) How long it takes to line up and apply the button once located.
Some of you have very young children and I suggest large buttons the babies cannot swallow. But, we have two bins at our house now -- "big buttons" and "small buttons". The small buttons only come out when the baby is sleeping or if I need to repair clothes. Others have kids you think are too old for this answer is -- you are wrong. My niece was into sewing and repairing clothes up to last year ( age 15). She had her own sewing machine and special pins with buttons, threads and needle pins to make her own clothes until last year.
Buttons open doors for conversations about life skills and repurposing materials at any age. I highly suggest the introduction to buttons in your home.
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