Button snakes are great for not only working on the beginning stages of learning to button, but also for working on fine motor, bilateral, visual perceptual, visual motor, and motor planning skills. You can also use them to work on increasing visual attention to task as well as improving attention span needed for success in childhood occupations such as dressing, self-care, and learning.
You can make a button snake for fine motor practice like the ones pictured above in only a few minutes!
MATERIALS NEEDED
• 1 large, round button
• Approximately 18″ of thin ribbon
• A few pieces of felt in different colors (approximately 25¢-30¢ per sheet at a craft store)
DIRECTIONS
1. Select a large, round button that provides plenty of surface area for grasping and pulling, and thread a thin piece of ribbon through the button holes to make an “X”. Tie a knot in the back and trim the end. Your large button should now be secured to the ribbon.
2. Cut out a square of felt approximately 3″ x 3″ to be used at the opposite end of your button snake (mine was the white square), and then cut a small slit near one of the edges, just big enough for the ribbon to fit through.
3. Pull the non-button end of the ribbon through that slit in the felt until the button and the piece of felt are about 8″ apart, then tie a knot on the edge of the felt so it stays in place. You should now have a secured button on one end and a secured square of felt on the other end (this will keep the colorful felt squares from sliding off the ribbon once they are buttoned on).
4. Cut out additional colorful squares of felt to be used for your button snake, also approximately 3″ x 3″, and then snip a slit in the center of each square. The slit should only be slightly longer than the width of the button. I like cutting squares for my felt pieces of the button snake because they are quick and easy to cut out, but you can also make circles, ovals, rectangles, triangles, hearts, or other simple shapes if you want!
Now your button snake is ready to be used!
http://mamaot.com/button-snake/
