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Growing Hands-On Kids

Growing Hands-On Kids

Child Development Tips, Tools, and Strategies

You are here: Home / Child Development / Learning How to Use Buttons, Snaps, Zippers, and Buckles Through Play

Learning How to Use Buttons, Snaps, Zippers, and Buckles Through Play

November 16, 2016 By Heather Greutman 5 Comments

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Learning how to use buttons, snaps, zippers, and buckles through play.

Affiliate and Referral links are used below to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission on any purchases made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.

One of the more challenging skills to learn as far as fine motor skills are concerned is something most of us probably do daily. For children, learning how to use buttons, snaps, zippers, and buckles can be a huge learning curve. But that is were learning through play can be a huge help to them.

Learning how to use buttons, snaps, zippers, and buckles through play.

Learning How to Use Buttons, Snaps, Zippers, and Buckles Through Play

In the Montessori method that I also use with my children, these activities are often referred to as practical life skills. In Occupational Therapy we refer to them as Activities of Daily Living or ADLs. They really both mean the same thing.

There are so many great ways to encourage the skills needed for using buttons, snaps, zippers and buckles in just every day fun activities. It doesn't even need to be an activity that uses any of these items, as long as you are encouraging the use of specific skills children need in order to develop these important care of self skills.

So what skills does your child need in order to learn how to use buttons, snaps, zippers, or buckles?

  • Bilateral Coordination (using both sides of the body, or in this case hands, together)
  • Visual Motor Skills (includes visual discrimination, eye-hand coordination, and tracking)
  • Fine motor Skills (specifically finger dexterity, pincer grasp,
  • Motor Planning (being able to complete the activity from beginning to end in the correct sequence)

Any type of play activity that works with the skills above will help your child master these important activities of daily living (or practical life) skills.

Here are some fun ideas for each to get you started.

Play Activities to Work on Activities of Daily Living

These are some fun play or activity ideas that will help to improve all the skills needed for learning how to button, snap, zip, and buckle.

  • Stringing beads (small, medium, or large beads depending on your child's age)
  • Using scissors (holding the scissors with one hand, holding the paper with the other)
  • Lacing cards
  • Pealing Stickers
  • Thread buttons
  • Use clothes pins to pick up objects
  • Use fine motor tweezers or tongs
  • Use a hole punch to cut out designs
  • Make a button snake (links to tutorials below)

There are also many fun products out there that can encourage your child to practice these ADLs. Some of them include:

  • Basic Life Skills Learning to Dress Boards
  • Nuts and Bolts Set
  • Blast Off Zipper Trainer
  • Mosaic Pegboards
  • Basic Skills Board
  • Egg and Spoon Game


Learning how to use buttons, snaps, zippers, and buckles through play.

Here are some fun activities from other bloggers:

  • Zipper Activity from Sugar Aunts
  • DIY Dressing Frames from Living Montessori Now
  • Button Snake from MamaOT
  • Button Snake with Lots of Buttons from Therapy Fun Zone
  • DIY Toddler Buckle Toy from Swoodson Says
  • DIY Wooden Snap Blocks from I Can Teach My Child

Functional Skills for Kids : a 12 month blog series by OTs and PTs.

Be sure to check out all the other blog posts in this month's Functional Skills for Kids series on buttons, snaps, zippers, and buckles.

When Can Kids Learn to Button and Zip? | Mama OT

Clothing Fasteners and Fine Motor Skill Development | Kids Play Space

Clothing Fasteners and Gross Motor Skill Development | Your Therapy Source Inc

How to Adapt Buttoning and Zipping for Your Child   | Miss Jaime OT

Learning How To Use Buttons, Snaps, Zippers, and Buckles Through Play | Growing Hands-On Kids

Tips to Teach Kids to Zip and Button | The Inspired Treehouse

Pinch. Poke. Snap… Helping Kids to Manage Buttons, Zips and More!  | Your Kids OT

Clothing Fasteners and Sensory Processing | Sugar Aunts

Follow Heather | Growing Hands-On Kids's board Occupational Therapy Tips on Pinterest.
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Filed Under: Child Development Tagged With: Everyday Life Skills, For Parents, For Therapists, Practical Life

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CONTENT DISCLAIMER: Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.
All information on the Website is for informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice from a physician or your pediatrician. Please consult with a medical professional if you suspect any medical or developmental issues with your child. The information on the Websites does not replace the relationship between therapist and client in a one-on-one treatment session with an individualized treatment plan based on their professional evaluation. The information provided on the Website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.
Do not rely on the information on the Website as an alternative to advice from your medical professional or healthcare provider. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment as a result of any information provided on the Website. All medical information on the Website is for informational purposes only.
All activities outlined on the Website are designed for completion with adult supervision. Please use your own judgment with your child and do not provide objects that could pose a choking hazard to young children. Never leave a child unattended during these activities. Please be aware of and follow all age recommendations on all products used in these activities. Growing Hands-On Kids is not liable for any injury when replicating any of the activities found on this blog.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY The Website was developed strictly for informational purposes. You understand and agree that you are fully responsible for your use of the information provided on the Website. Growing Hands-On Kids makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees. You understand that results may vary from person to person. Growing Hands-On Kids assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions that may appear on the Website.

Comments

  1. Margaret@YourTherapySource says

    November 16, 2016 at 6:31 am

    Great ideas! I love the button snake – classic and the kids enjoy it for sure! Here is another suggestion – the button board https://www.yourtherapysource.com/videobutton.html

    Reply
  2. Stephanie says

    November 16, 2016 at 7:29 pm

    Thanks for linking my buckle toy!

    Reply
    • Heather Greutman says

      November 17, 2016 at 11:07 am

      You’re welcome! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Jaime Spencer says

    November 19, 2016 at 4:04 pm

    I love how you tied in bilateral coordination toys and hand strengthening activities. These are so important in developing the foundational skills for learning to dress. Will be sharing!

    Reply
  4. Cindy@YKOT says

    November 19, 2016 at 4:49 pm

    I definitely find that the “bilateral” component of fastenings the hardest aspect for kids to learn. Lots of great suggested play activities here!

    Reply

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