Button Strip
What you need
- a strip of felt or an old shirt front with a big button and hole
How to do it
- Cut a strip from an old shirt front so it has one big button and its hole.
- Sit with them and push the button through slowly so they can see.
- Let them post it through and pull it out again.
- Do it again as many times as they like.
Why it matters
A single button on a strip of fabric lets them repeat the same small movement over and over, without a whole coat in the way.
What they're learning
- Push and catch
- The exact movement a coat button needs.
- Repeating
- A strip can be done again and again.
- Both hands
- One hand pushes, the other catches.
What to look for
Watch for them catching the button on the other side without looking away.
A tip
Use big buttons sewn firmly on, and keep loose ones away. Stay with them while they practise. Sew the button on firmly and check it before every go.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: hold the strip still while they push
Harder: use a strip with two buttons
