Looking for a button turned into some fun and learning for all kinds of thinking, another way that ordinary tasks can help support early development and kindergarten readiness.
While I looked thru the buttons for one that matched, Big Sister found 3 big buttons that were the same color as “dirty snow’. She lined them up in a row like a snowman and using more buttons, added a nose, mouth, eyes, and buttons down the front. Using only dark buttons, she outlined a hat for his head. When it was all done, she called me over to look. This is one way to make a snowman when the snow on the ground has all melted away.
Drawing does not have to be done with only a paper and crayons, it can be done with buttons. Children can create with whatever is close at hand. Their imaginations can turn ordinary, everyday items into whatever they want. This unplanned, spontaneous activity was certainly fun and it involved thinking challenges, too.
Big Sister had to collect all the information that she knew about snowman. She searched for buttons that were the right size and color for her project, choosing some and putting others back in the box. She planned how it would go and carefully paid attention to what she was doing. Chatting about the process, it didn’t matter to her if anyone else was listening or not. She was giving herself instructions and practicing how to use self-talk effectively. Her fingers were carefully placing and adjusting, giving the small muscles in her hands, wrists, and fingers some exercise. Once she was done, she let Little Sister play with it. The finished product was not the purpose for her, it was the creating.
All this learning and more came into play, and play is certainly the word. We sometimes think kids play just with toys, but ordinary household items can be wonderful fun. Does your child–the ones that are beyond putting them in mouths or other openings–play with buttons?