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Corduroy by Don Freeman is the beloved tale of a stuffed bear in a store who wants to be purchased by a little kid and given a home. When a little girl wants to take him home, her mother points out that he is missing a button. So Corduroy goes on a mission to find his missing button in hopes that it will help him get a family. Buttons are very versatile and can be used to practice a lot of skills.
Use Corduroy’s button as inspiration for learning!
Button Cookies – Make button cookies as a family. There are a bunch of recipes online for cute button shaped cookies. Bakerella created a batch of adorable peanut butter cookies covered in dark chocolate that are super easy and adorable! There are steps that even young kids can help with, so the whole family can take part in the fun!
Sorting Practice – Collect a variety of buttons in different shapes, sizes and colors. Have kids sort them into different cups by similar characteristics. Then they can dump them out and sort them a different way. Kids love dumping things out of cups so give them an opportunity to do it while learning something!
Name Practice – Cut out circles of colored paper and write letters of each child’s name on them. Poke holes in the buttons and have kids thread them in the right order onto a shoelace. While they are practicing spelling their name, they will also be using their fine motor skills.
Pattern Practice – You could also use different colored paper buttons, or regular buttons, to give kids practice building a pattern. Using a string or shoelace, let kids thread the buttons in different repeating patterns.
Learning to Sew – Sewing a button is an important skill that many people don’t have anymore. Take this opportunity to teach older kids how to sew a button onto fabric. Give kids a bit of fabric or burlap and let them create their own masterpiece with different colors and shapes of buttons.
Corduroy is a sweet story about an adventurous bear who is determined to make a friend. It is a classic that is beloved by both parents and kids alike. Use some of these activities to introduce your kids to Corduroy! Feel free to share photos of your projects in the comments!
