Jar Lid Twist & Unscrew: illustration of a toddler doing the activity

Jar Lid Twist & Unscrew

from 20 months · 5-10 min · Fine motor

Physical DevelopmentPersonal, Social and Emotional Development

What you need

  • a few clean, empty large plastic containers with screw lids

How to do it

  1. Give your toddler a plastic container with the lid loosely twisted on.
  2. Show them how to grip the lid and twist it off.
  3. Let them practice twisting lids on and off a few different plastic containers.
  4. Check containers have smooth rims with no cracks or sharp edges.

Why it matters

Twisting a lid is a real-world wrist rotation task that shows up constantly in daily self-help skills.

What they're learning

Wrist rotation
The twisting motion strengthens the same wrist movement used later for turning doorknobs and taps.
Bilateral coordination
Holding the jar steady with one hand while twisting with the other trains coordinated two-hand use.
Problem-solving
Figuring out which way to twist to open versus close builds early logical thinking.

What to look for

Watch for them trying both twist directions and settling on the one that works — that's trial-and-error learning.

A tip

Use only plastic containers with smooth rims — no glass or metal — and always supervise closely.

Make it easier or harder

Easier: start the lid barely on so just one twist pops it off

Harder: match each lid to its correct jar by size before twisting it on

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Fine motor activities · Activities for 18 month olds · Activities for 2 year olds · Toddler activities with jar lids