5 Button Crafts & Games for Kids

Have you ever played "Who's Got the Button?"

By Christal Y. July 6, 2023

Have you ever played “Who’s Got the Button?”

If you have a box of random buttons, take it out because they’re your key to fun today. We’ve come up with a few engaging button crafts and ways to play with buttons perfect for toddlers and preschool kids. Each one will fine-tune their observation skills and help them think outside of the box. Bonus points for making gifts that the kids can give away, too.

Note: Make sure your child is old enough to know not to put buttons in their mouth.

Button Sorting

This isn’t a trick to getting your kids to play Cinderella. Button sorting is actually a great way to teach your colors how to match by colors, shapes, or numbers (how many holes does the button have). Don’t forget to get a box with separate compartments so that you can keep everything organized.

Button Stacking Game

Take a page out of A Minute to Win It game and see how high you can stack those buttons! Let the kids practice and get a feel for stacking first before introducing them to concepts like thinking strategically (e.g. biggest buttons at the bottom). This game is also a great way to practice fine motor skills, especially if you have a box of tiny buttons.

Button Bookmarks

A little hot glue, a little button, a paper clip, and Voila! A little bookmark. It’s a craft that’s easy as one-two-three, all you need is a little patience. They make great trinkets, so as your kids hold their bookmarks together, waiting for the hot glue to dry, ask them to whom they want to gift a bookmark. Note: your crafter will need assistance with the glue gun.

Button Art

The supplies you’ll need for this button craft include a canvas, paint, glue, buttons, and endless imagination. A brown button can be the round body of a horse while a tiny yellow button becomes a bright flower of an outdoors scene. Group a bunch of green buttons together and style a Seuss-esque tree. Think outside of the button!

Who’s Got the Button?

Reign in those observation skills in this classic game. All you need is one button and it’s great if you’re having a party of kids over that day. It’s a bit like Duck, Duck, Goose but without the chasing. Have the kids (except one) get in a circle with their hands behind their backs. Then give the outlying kid the one button and have him or her walk around the circle. He or she should discreetly leave the button in someone’s palm and loop it around a few times before getting in the middle and chanting, “Button, button, who’s got the button?” Everyone will then take turns to guess and whoever guesses correctly gets to be the next person to hide the button!