about

Buttons & Figs inspires kids to think critically and express creatively through wordplay.

Our IMPACT

Buttons & Figs is a fun literacy program for kids, parents, educators, librarians, anyone, everyone who values wordplay. Buttons & Figs introduces kids to great nonsense literature, poetry, and songs as a way to give them permission to play with words. These great works of art inspire kids to read, write, sing, talk and play with the words.  Buttons & Figs works in collaboration with teachers, librarians and parents to bring wordplay concepts to their kids. In turn, those kids, your kids, share their writings and ideas on our show.

wordplay helps kids make sense of the world by allowing them the freedom to play with meaning, sounds, and ideas.  making sense sometimes requires stepping away, taking a rest, playing, or laughing a bit.  by listening, reading, and thinking about the sounds and images words create in the mind, the brain has a way of potentially finding new pathways to approach problems and solve solutions….wait, reverse that.  in short, wordplay is the way we inspire kids to think critically and express creatively.

each podcast episode or activity features some form of wordplay inspired by a great book, song, or poem. on occasion, episodes will feature great nonsense artists who share writing and wordplay advice for kids.  but mainly you’ll hear original kid writing and wordplay on each episode, including a recording challenge for you, our listeners. 

there are many ways you can play along –

if you are in or around Arizona and would like to invite Buttons & Figs to come play with your kids in the classroom or at the library, then we would love to hear from you!  pamela@buttonsandfigs.com

if you’d like to offer an ongoing series of weekly wordplay workshops, please contact me.  here is a great explanation of what we do, created by Buttons & Figs kids.  

if you love kids and wordplay and can volunteer in and around Phoenix or Glendale, then please volunteer…it’s a lot of fun!

thanks for listening to me and you and you and me.

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who we are

pamela rogers is the creator of Buttons & Figs and takes nonsense and word play very seriously.  she is a children’s librarian who has been on the look out for nonsense from D.C. to Dallas, from NOLA till now.  she loves to sing the “Chickery-Chick” song from her home in Arizona, at moments when you least expect it.  pamela@buttonsandfigs.com

Sarah- Age 6sarah torbey is the Rarin’ Sharin’ Librarin’ of Buttons & Figs and she loves to spin tales and twirl words, all the while lassoing a fine book recommend.  she is a children’s librarian who has rared and shared many a book from Timbuktu, to Texas, to Toronto.  she loves to squawk like a peacock at moments when you least expect it. sarah@buttonsandfigs.com

Compact_OED_entrythe dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedia are known to make appearances on Buttons & Figs.  we say, “hooray” to those who capture words, write down their sounds, and tell us how to use them.  we also love all the nonsense words made up by kids because you never know when you’ll need a new word. audio@buttonsandfigs.com