DIY Button Sensory Play Game

Occupational therapy is a huge aspect of having a toddler (or any child) with an autism spectrum disorder.  Little man loves unconventional toys, and I am cheap, so I often recreate his therapy toys at home.  One of his favorites has been our DIY Button Sensory Play Game.

The diy button sensory play game cost just $3 to make (or less if the supplies are around the home).  This is a steal compared to the price of a manufactured button game.  I love that when you make it yourself, you can customize it to your child’s likes.  You could add Thomas the Train stickers, lots of pink, or even different shaped buttons.

Teaches Early Skills

This is a great activity to promote fine-motor skills and color recognition.  You can ask your child to place in a specific color to help with learning colors.  A way to increase the skill level is by having them hold the buttons in one hand and manipulate the buttons to put them in the slit one at a time.

Learning Multiple Step Directions

Children with autism often struggle with multiple step directions.  A great way to play with the diy button sensory play game is to ask your child to pick out the “big blue button” or similar descriptions.  By doing this, you are teaching your child how to follow directions.  Once they have mastered that skill, you can move on to two-step directions.  For example, you can say “Find the small pink button and put it in the tube.”

Learning to Button

By using a piggy bank style slit in the container, it provides resistance when pushing in the button. This is a great way to get sensory feedback to the fingers. They feel how the button slides in and learn where to push on the button to get it to go through.  These sensations are great for learning how to button!  Though pushing button through the fabric is hard, learning in small steps is great for any toddler! c

DIY Button Sensory Play Game

(Instructions)

Note: All of these supplies items can normally be found at your local Dollar Tree or at DollarTree.com.  You can even order online and have it shipped to your local dollar tree for free!

Materials:

• Tootsie Roll Container 
• construction paper, pretty cardstock, stickers, etc.
• Different Sized Buttons

Skills:

• Buttoning
• Finger strengthening
• In hand manipulation
• Hand-Eye Coordination

Directions

This is an easy one!  The Tootsie roll container is already perfectly designed for the diy button sensory play game.  Decorate your container (or have your child help decorate) to your liking.  Then get to playing!

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