The Button Pull Exercise: A Fun Way to Build Lip Strength and Facial Coordination
If you’ve been working on oral motor skills at home or in speech therapy, you may have heard of the Button Pull Exercise, a simple yet powerful tool for strengthening the lips and cheeks. It’s one of my favorite go-to activities for kids who need support with lip closure, drooling control, articulation precision, or oral muscle awareness.
Why It Matters
Strong and coordinated lip and cheek muscles are essential for so many everyday skills such as eating, drinking from a straw, producing clear speech sounds, and even maintaining a balanced and symmetrical smile. The Button Pull helps activate key facial muscles like the orbicularis oris, buccinator, and risorius, which all work together to support these foundational skills.
What You’ll Need
All you need is A clean button (around ¾ to 1 inch wide)
A piece of sturdy string or dental floss (about 12 to 18 inches long)
Thread the string through the button and tie it securely and you’re ready to go!
How to Do It
Place the button behind the lips but in front of the teeth.
Hold the string straight out in front and gently pull while keeping the button in place.
Hold for 10 seconds and feel those lips working.
Next, pull to the left side and hold for 10 seconds.
Then, pull to the right side and hold for 10 seconds.
Repeat the routine five times, gradually increasing the hold time up to 30 seconds as your child’s strength improves.
Tip: When pulling to the sides, aim for about a 45° angle and keep the string parallel to the floor.
What to Look For
Make sure your child keeps the button in front of the teeth (not between them) and uses lip strength, not teeth, to resist the pull. You should see effort in the corners of the mouth and cheeks, not jaw clenching.
The Benefits
Improves lip closure for clearer speech
Enhances oral motor coordination
Promotes symmetrical facial tone
Supports feeding and swallowing development
Author: Brittany Schoellkopf M.S., CCC-SLP