How to Teach a Child to Use Buttons
Toddlers and preschoolers love to dress themselves, but buttons can sometimes be frustrating obstacles to little fingers.
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Instructions
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Wait until your child is ready to use buttons. Most children develop the dexterity they need by about age 3, although this may vary.
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Start your child off with large, easy-to-handle buttons and buttonholes. There are toys available that teach this skill, but it's easy to produce a simple button-teaching toy if you know how to sew or know someone who can help you.
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Stand next to your child while you demonstrate. That way she'll be able to copy your actions rather than mirror them.
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Praise your child when she gets it right. This will boost her self-esteem and make her feel like a "big kid."
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Tips & Warnings
Reinforce the buttons on your child's clothes, otherwise they may come loose or fall off from frequent tugging and twisting.
If your child is left-handed and you aren't, try to find an adult "lefty" who can help her master this skill.
Encourage but don't push - some children are easily frustrated, while others get embarrassed and give up if they don't master a concept immediately.
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Comments
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Nov 22, 2005
My son's occupational therapist used her own method of teaching kids to button up by telling him to pinch-poke-pull. Pinch the button, poke in in the hole and then pull it through. -
Nov 22, 2005
I've read that you can use an adult cardigan sweater, hang it on the back of a chair so the child can stand or sit behind the chair and practice with these bigger buttons.
