I'm not sure what it is about buttons, but they somehow open a door to my children's creativity.
Here are some ways we use buttons for creative play and learning:
-Count the buttons
-Arrange the buttons in piles of ten and practice skip counting
-Sort by color
-Sort by size
-Find something in the room that is the same color as a selected button, then repeat with another colored button
-Arrange in a line from biggest to smallest or vice versa
-String the buttons on a cord to make a necklace (great fine motor practice!)
-Create the outline of shapes with rows of buttons (ex: square, triangle, circle,etc.)
-Pretend the buttons are somethings else...by son loves to pretend his are fish!
-Fill a tray with buttons and scoops and cups for a sensory experience scooping and pouring buttons. (My 21 month old really enjoys this!)
Have fun playing and learning with buttons!
Just a reminder: as buttons can be quite small, never leave children unattended when using buttons, and watch them closely especially if they are under 3 years old.