Ian has been very interested in buttoning his shirts lately. In fact, just the other night he sat on my lap and tried to button the top of my shirt for about 3o minutes, concentrating really hard but not being able to get his little fingers to work just right to actually button it. Then I remembered I had seen an idea about teaching kids how to button in a Montessori book. It allows him something solid to hold on to and to push against as he figures out how to hold the button and hole just right. I modified it some and I think it came out pretty well!
I took an old shirt of Sawyer's (any shirt with buttons would work but the smaller the shirt the closer together the buttons are and the more I could fit on my canvas) and a paint canvas that I had gotten awhile ago from the craft store.
Keeping the shirt buttoned, I cut around the square with enough material to pull around and staple to the back.
Next, I stapled the sides of the shirt around the back, careful not to pull too tightly so there's plenty of give in the material for his little fingers to grab ahold of.
Then I stapled the corners tucking the material inside as I stapled. I left the middle top and middle bottom free so the material could move freely. And it's done!
He was excited and has been working at it for awhile now. He was so happy when he finally buttoned all three of them.
7 comments:
That's a great idea--I remember playing for hours (or what seemed like hours) with stuff like this, learning to button, sew (with shoelaces) and making big x's with a big, plastic needle and yarn into some sort of plastic canvas.
What a good idea! I remember observing these when I looking at Montessori schools for Samuel.
You're such a great Mom, Andrea.
Now that it's nearly 1AM, I need to get to bed. Good thing Annagrace will have coffee in the morning...
Karli
You're a genius.
Where were you when I was young? =)
When Emi was little, some brilliant person gave us a doll that had three vests on (stitched at the sides so they don't come off). One vest has two big buttons, one vest has a big zipper and the last one has snaps. All of my girls (except for Natsuki) have learned how to work buttons this way. I just wish I could remember who gave it to me so I could thank them properly!
This is such a clever idea! :D Ian is doing great.
Very cute. My boys don't usually slow down long enough to button their clothes! hehehe Though they all know how to...I guess they picked it up somewhere. I'm not as on the ball as you!
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