One of the sweetest and simplest hands-on crafts we added to our Little House on the Prairie Unit Study this week was learning how to make a button string. While the older children were away and Becca (2) was having her afternoon nap, Abigail (4) and I decided to recreate a classic pioneer toy inspired by Laura and Carrie Ingalls themselves.
A button string is exactly what it sounds like—a string of assorted buttons threaded onto sturdy twine. In Little House in the Big Woods, Carrie used hers as a toy, and it may even have served as a teething ring when she was small. It’s a wonderful example of the kind of cheerful, resourceful play that defined life on the frontier. Better still, it’s incredibly easy to make, child-friendly, and perfect for quiet, meaningful time together.
Another great DIY! Click here and learn how to make your own DIY prairie mattress to go in your little house.
Gathering Our Supplies
Before we began, we collected everything we needed:
- Our well-loved Little House craft book
- A length of strong leather or cotton twine
- A colourful assortment of buttons in various shapes and sizes
- A highly enthusiastic four-year-old
- And her mother, ready to supervise…and follow instructions
Our button box was overflowing with colours and textures, and Abigail’s eyes lit up as soon as we opened the lid.
Check it out! Click here to find out how we made some prairie nightdresses from a couple of pillowcases
Abigail Takes Charge (Of Course!)
Anyone who knows Abigail knows she’s wonderfully confident and absolutely sure of her own mind. If she ever ends up in Parliament one day, I can only hope she remembers us fondly while she runs the place.
Naturally, she took charge of our crafting session immediately. She announced that she would thread two buttons, and then it would be my turn—but she would also be choosing my buttons. I was gently reminded several times not to “spoil it” by picking my own. My turn, yes, but my buttons? Absolutely not.
I yielded graciously, accepting my role as assistant to the very determined four-year-old craft supervisor.
Another fabulous prairie toy is the Little House on the Prairie Paper Dolls
Threading the Button String
With her system in place, Abigail began threading merrily, choosing each button with great seriousness and delight. She was careful, capable, and thoroughly involved in the process, creating a beautiful pattern of colours and shapes.
Before long, she had produced a lovely, cheerful button string, full of personality and pioneer charm. It was wonderful to watch her take ownership of the project, but also to bond over something so simple yet historically rich.
Another Pioneer Recipe! Click here to find out how to make some prairie cornbread
Playtime With a Pioneer Toy
Once the button string was finished, we let Becca enjoy some playtime with it, since she’s long past the stage of putting things into her mouth. The button string has now earned its place in our growing collection of homemade toys.
Pioneer Recipe! This was an incredibly tasty pioneer recipe of prairie crispy fried salt pork
Our plan is to store all our handmade Little House-inspired toys together in a dedicated basket. This basket will sit upstairs in our little house setup, next to the sleeping area, just like the Ingalls’ children might have stored their precious playthings.
Click here for another prairie recipes – making sweet prairie pancakes
Why This Craft Belongs in Your Little House on the Prairie Unit Study
Learning how to make a button string isn’t only fun, it’s meaningful. This simple pioneer activity:
- Strengthens fine motor skills
- Encourages creativity and pattern-making
- Provides hands-on historical learning
- Sparks conversations about resourcefulness and frontier childhood
- Offers a quick, quiet, screen-free activity
- Connects beautifully to chapters from Little House in the Big Woods
It’s the perfect craft for young hands and young imaginations, and it brings a touch of 19th-century simplicity into your home.
For more activities please do visit my MEGA Little House on the Prairie Unit Study page, which contains all ten weeks of our summer building our own Little House on the Prairie!
A4’s post about making pancakes with me and B2 is up on the children’s blog, if you’d like to go and have a peek.
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