Twist The Lid

What you need

• empty jars or bottles with screw lids
• small toys or pom-poms to hide inside
• nothing else needed

How to do it

1. Hide a small toy inside a jar and screw the lid on loosely.
2. Let your toddler twist the lid off to find the surprise inside.
3. Swap the toy and hand it back so they can screw the lid back on.
4. Line up a few jars and let them work through all of them.

Why it matters

Twisting a lid works the same muscles they'll need for turning taps, opening lunchboxes and using cutlery.

What they're learning

wrist twisting

The screwing motion strengthens the exact wrist turn they'll use to open their own water bottle.

two-hand coordination

Holding the jar steady with one hand while twisting with the other trains hands to work as a team.

cause and effect

Realising twisting reveals the hidden toy builds understanding that their actions make things happen.

What to look for

Watch for them holding the jar body still with one hand rather than turning the whole jar around.

A tip

Start with lids loosely on, most toddlers get frustrated fast if the first few turns don't move anything.

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