35+ Button Activities for Preschoolers (Free & Fun!)

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Between these cute as a button crafts and button activities that work on fine motor skills, buttons are (or will be!) a must-have in your craft supplies cupboard!

After all, buttons are so versatile! They are useful for strengthening fine motor skills. And they can be used to teach colors, letters, numbers, and so much more.

Please note: Children should be closely watched when using buttons because buttons can be a choking hazard.

Now that we are past the warning, it’s time to press the fun button! Check out these button crafts, button fine motor activities, button sensory bins and sensory bags, and more button activities.

Get a free Go-To List of Fine Motor Activities to do with preschoolers

Button Crafts for Preschoolers

Grab some buttons and enjoy these beautiful button crafts. Great for any time of the year! And they are as cute as a button.

Practice the alphabet with button letters as seen on No Time for Flashcards. Similarly, try one of these 50 simple and fun alphabet activities for preschoolers.
Glue a button rainbow like Easy Peasy and Fun. This is a great way to practice the colors of a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
Paint birch tree art as shown on Hands On As We Grow. If you like trees, you might like this handprint apple tree craft too.
Design button icicles as seen on Hands on As We Grow. Then hang your icicle garland across a window. So beautiful!
Make a heart button craft like Hands On As We Grow. This could be given as a gift or even displayed in your house.
Construct a button starfish as shown on A Little Pinch of Perfect. A starfish template is available if desired but may not be needed.
Create a button turtle craft as seen on Fireflies and Mudpies. If you don’t have a CD available, then cut a circle out of cardboard instead.
Grab some red and black buttons for a button ladybug like Easy Peasy and Fun. The different sized buttons add a neat texture.
Draw legs on a glued button caterpillar as shown on Books and Giggles. Pair this activity with the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and this painted caterpillar craft.

Fine Motor Button Activities for Preschoolers

Buttons are great for practicing fine motor skills. Little ones can pinch buttons as they grab them. And they can strengthen their fingers by buttoning things.

Create a button magnet as seen on Hands On As We Grow. As a bonus, peeling the backing from the adhesive magnet also strengthens fine motor skills.
Play with a button whirligig as shown on Heaps of Laundry. All you need is yarn and a large button!
Design a button bracelet like Kids Activities Blog. For practice with weaving and threading, learn to weave with a clothes basket first.
Make a button necklace as seen on Preschool Powol Packets. Using a pipe cleaner and buttons with large holes makes this super easy!
Sew buttons as shown on Play to Learn Preschool. Similarly, try fork weaving.
Stretch those little fingers with a buttoning board activity like Hands On As We Grow. No sewing required!
Practice colors with a button matching activity as seen on Hands On As We Grow. This is a great way to practice shapes too.
Stick buttons in a sponge as shown on Hands On As We Grow. So simple, yet fun! And it can be done over and over again.
Glue buttons on lines as seen on Learning4Kids. Pair this activity with the book Lines by Sarvinder Naberhaus. Squiggly lines, straight lines, circular lines, and more!
Build a pipe cleaner button caterpillar like Factory Direct Craft. Googly eyes complete the look of this cute caterpillar.
Try button stacking as shown on Coffee Cups and Crayons. How high can you go?
Construct a button tree as seen on Hands On As We Grow. Leaves can be many different colors!

Button Sensory Bins and Sensory Bags

Sensory bins and sensory bags can provide hours of educational entertainment. And here are some activity ideas that use buttons.

Toss some buttons in a bin to create this simple button sensory bin like 3 Dinosaurs. For an added bonus, mix in some hidden treasures, like alphabet buttons.
Create a button sorting sensory bin as seen on Learning4Kids. And sort the buttons by color, by shape, or by size.
Try a playdough button sensory bin as shown on Crafty Morning. This is a great way to explore different textures.
Play with a container button sensory bin like Toddler Approved. And use tongs, tweezer, or even fingers to grab all the buttons.
Push buttons around in a button sensory bag as seen on Falling Flannel Boards. Great for all ages!
Practice colors with a color sorting sensory bag as shown on Hands On As We Grow. Pushing the buttons into drawn circles adds to the fun.
Make this beautiful flower sensory bag like Active Littles. A free printable template is available to use if desired.
Explore with a robot sensory bag as seen on JDainel4sMom. Add button joints, a button shirt, and a button smile.
Fill a heart with a heart sensory bag as shown on Happy Toddler Playtime. I love all the different shades of pink, purple, and red. Beautiful!
Decorate a Christmas tree sensory bag like Entertain Your Toddler. Can you get all the buttons inside of the triangle?
Display a sensory bag on your window as seen on Practically Functional.
Build a snowman inside with a snowman sensory bag as shown on Fantastic Fun and Learning. Then grab more buttons and create this snowman found on Hands On As We Grow.

Fine Motor Go-To List of Activities! Download!

More Button Activities for Preschoolers!

If you are looking for even more button activities, here they are!

Construct a button tower as seen on The Educators Spin On It. How tall can you get it before it tips over?
Play a math game with buttons as shown on Buggy and Buddy. Then try this fun math activity.
Practice counting with button mitten counting like Play to Learn Preschool. A free template is available.
Learn colors by sorting buttons as seen on Hands On As We Grow. How many button colors can you find?
Match shapes with a shape sorting activity as shown on Planning Playtime. Buttons come in so many shapes, colors, and sizes!
Trace shapes for toddlers to try a shape match activity like Powerful Mothering. Large buttons are perfect for little fingers.