The Ziplock Button Slide

Ages:: Preschoolers (3 to 5), Toddlers (1 to 3)
Play time:: 5 to 10 minutes
Setup:: 5 minutes
Where:: Table

Why it helps

This activity helps your little one build hand strength and coordination in a mess-free way. Moving buttons through water inside a bag creates a gentle resistance. This resistance works the small muscles used for holding a pencil. It also helps children practice using one finger at a time. Your child will love the slippery feeling and the challenge of matching colors!

Steps

Use markers to draw three different colored circles on the front of a Ziplock bag.
Place buttons that match those colors inside the bag.
Add a small splash of water to the bag.
Seal the bag very tightly to prevent leaks.
Tape the bag flat onto a table using masking tape.
Ask your child to use their pointer finger to slide buttons into the matching circles.
Encourage them to move slowly to keep the buttons under their finger.

Safety tip: Adult supervision is required. Buttons are a choking hazard. Ensure the bag is sealed and taped down firmly.

Make it easier

For younger children, swap the buttons for a few large foam shapes and tape over the seal.
Draw the circles large, about the size of a cookie, so the buttons have more room to land.
Let your child push with any finger or the whole hand at first.

Make it harder

Draw a curvy path from each button to its circle and ask your child to follow the line.
Add more buttons and colors, and fill the circles in an order you call out.
Push with the non-dominant pointer finger, or use only the middle finger.

What to watch for

Notice whether your child presses with the pad of the pointer finger or the very tip, and which one gives better control.
Watch whether your child looks at the button or at the target circle while sliding.
If the squishy bag feels strange, let your child push the buttons with the eraser end of a pencil.