I love doing STEM activities with preschoolers. STEM for preschoolers is all about learning about the basics of how the world works and the thinking process that is necessary to complete more complicated STEM and science activities later. Learning how to sort and classify items is an important STEM skill for preschoolers, and in this simple button sorting activity preschoolers learn how to classify buttons by color. We are always happy to find new preschool STEM activities to try!
Button Color Sorting Activity for Preschool
This easy button color sorting activity is perfect for kids who don’t know all their colors. It’s also just fun to do as a rainy day activity when preschoolers can’t go outside to play!
Preschoolers love sorting things, so it’s a lot of fun for them even when they do know their colors. And I haven’t met a preschooler yet who doesn’t like buttons (just watch out for choking hazards).
Supplies for the Color Button Sorting Activity
You really only need just a couple of things to get this button sorting activity done! You need buttons, and you need paper. You can also print out the templates from our other color sorting printable activity if you want to get fancy!
But, in case you don’t have any of these items, you can get them from Amazon using the links below:
And if you want more STEM activities for preschoolers, get my FREE preschool STEM challenges by clicking the button below!
Here are some of my favorite essentials for preschool STEM bins!
hand2mind STEM Bins Kit by Brooke Brown for Kids (Set of 16) – 18 Different Manipulatives, 8 Challenge Yourself Cards, 8 Writing Prompt Cards, and Teacher Guide
hand2mind STEM Bins by Brooke Brown, 12 Ready-to-Fill Plastic Bins with Manipulative Labels (Bins Only)Carson Dellosa STEM Challenges Learning Cards (140350)The Mason Jar Scientist: 30 Jarring STEAM-Based ProjectsSTEAM Play & Learn: 20 fun step-by-step preschool projects about science, technology, engineering, arts, and math!Fisher-Price Think & Learn Code-a-pillar TwistEducational Insights GeoSafari Jr. My First Microscope STEM Toy for PreschoolersLearning Resources Primary Science Lab Activity Set, Science Exploration, 22 Pieces, Ages 4+Learning Resources Super Magnet Lab Kit, STEM Toy, Critical Thinking, 119 Pieces, Ages 5+Learning Resources Primary Science Color Paddles, Set of 18 Paddles, 6 Assorted Colors, Grades PreK/Ages 3+Kidtastic Set of 7 Take Apart Toys – Dinosaurs, Helicopter, Train, Truck, Motorcycle – STEM Building Set – Hours of Fun – 192 Pieces – Engineering Kit for Boys, Girls, Toddlers – Age 3, 4, 5 +Year Old48 Pack Microscope Slide Collection of Insect Animal and Plant Specimens for Basic Biology Education and Science Exhibition Projects for Kids & Students
Button Color Sorting Activity Set-Up
This activity is amazingly easy, which is why it is a favorite here! We love doing this button color sorting activity with curious preschoolers.
Most preschoolers won’t be able to do this activity on their own (buttons would end up everywhere), but it is the perfect low-key activity to try during the day.
If you have a spare bag lying around, this could easily be converted into a busy bag.
Color Sorting Lesson Plan Expansion Ideas
Here are some additional things you can do in this activity to expand on what the preschoolers learn while doing it!
- Count the buttons as you sort them
- Create button patterns
- Sort other small objects by color (like these clay manipulatives)
- Use the buttons to make pictures and shapes
- Glue the buttons to the paper
- Use this activity as a way to introduce scientific classification to preschoolers
More Preschool STEM Activities that We Love!
Here are some other fun STEM activities for preschool that have always been a hit with my preschoolers!
Preschool STEM Challenge Cards
Animal Diet Classification STEM Challenge for Preschoolers
Super Fun Fizzing Rainbow Experiment for Little Scientists
How to Do the Button Sorting Activity with Preschoolers
Follow along with the directions below to learn how to use the button sorting activity in your classroom or at home with your own preschooler. You can also print out these directions and save them for use later in case you forget some of the STEM extensions we created!
How to Do the Button Sorting Activity with Preschoolers
Preschoolers can learn so much with just a few objects! All you need to teach classification, sorting, and color matching to preschoolers are some fun buttons and some colored paper. Use our printable color circle templates if you want to make this activity reusable.
Materials
- Craft buttons
- Colored paper
- Color circle templates
Tools
- Laminator
- Laminating pocket sheets
Instructions
- Gather some colored buttons (these are safe for preschoolers if you're worried about choking hazards) and colored paper, or you can grab the color circle templates from our color sorting printable activity.
- Laminate the paper with a laminating machine so that the preschoolers can't tear the paper and you can reuse the activity.
- Cover the floor in colored paper (or your circle templates). Use one color of paper for each color of button that you have (we had pink, green, blue, white, and yellow paper when we did our activity).
- Allow the preschoolers to sort the buttons based on the color. Help them decide which color is the predominant color for mixed-color buttons and how close a color has to be to the paper to be included on that sheet.
- Once the preschoolers are able to sort easily by color, add in the other extension ideas listed in the notes below to turn this classification activity into a math, STEM, or art activity!
- When you are done with the activity, dump the bottoms back into your STEM box and save the activity to try again another day.
Notes
Here are some STEM extension ideas for this preschool button sorting activity:
Recommended Products
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What are some of your favorite sorting activities to do with your preschoolers? Don’t forget to grab our free set of preschool STEM challenges for more hands-on STEM ideas like our button sorting activity that preschoolers love!