Toddler activities with jar lids

Jar lids and bottle tops are perfect toddler-sized objects: safe to hold, satisfying to clink, and they fit through slots and into tins. The activities here all use lids, from a handful of bottle tops to the lids off saucepans, and most need nothing more than a container to post them into. They cover posting and fitting for problem solving, matching for early maths and drumming for rhythm, and they are cheap to set up since the lids are already in a drawer somewhere. Keep the very small ones for older toddlers and stay close in case one goes towards a mouth. Steps, skills and switch-ups for each activity are written out below.

35 activities

Quiet Box Lid Open & Close illustration Quiet Box Lid Open & Close from 12 months · 5-10 min Shoe Box Lid Flip illustration Shoe Box Lid Flip from 12 months · 10-15 min Snow Globe Shake & Watch illustration Snow Globe Shake & Watch from 12 months · 5 min The Pan Cupboard illustration The Pan Cupboard from 12 months · 20-30 min The Tub They Can't Open illustration The Tub They Can't Open from 12 months · 5-10 min Tub Tower Topple illustration Tub Tower Topple from 12 months · 30-45 min Lids On, Lids Off illustration Lids On, Lids Off from 14 months · 10-15 min Pine Cone Paint Roll illustration Pine Cone Paint Roll from 14 months · 10-15 min Round Hole Posting illustration Round Hole Posting from 14 months · 5-10 min Tin Tower Build illustration Tin Tower Build from 14 months · 5-10 min Torchlight Bug Search illustration Torchlight Bug Search from 14 months · 25-40 min Velcro Strip Pull Apart illustration Velcro Strip Pull Apart from 14 months · 5-10 min Trace The Lid illustration Trace The Lid from 16 months · 5 min Post the Lid illustration Post the Lid from 18 months · 10-15 min Red Box Post illustration Red Box Post from 18 months · 5-10 min Lid Match Stack illustration Lid Match Stack from 20 months · 5-10 min Lid Match Up illustration Lid Match Up from 20 months · 30-45 min Lid Twist & Unscrew illustration Lid Twist & Unscrew from 20 months · 5-10 min Shaker Band Practice illustration Shaker Band Practice from 20 months · 30-45 min Shaker Bottle Symphony illustration Shaker Bottle Symphony from 24 months · 20-35 min Shape Poster illustration Shape Poster from 24 months · 5-10 min Tilt The Ball Home illustration Tilt The Ball Home from 24 months · 5-10 min Twist The Lid illustration Twist The Lid from 26 months · 5-10 min Family Band illustration Family Band from 30 months · 20-30 min Heavy or Light? illustration Heavy or Light? from 30 months · 5-10 min Bottle Skittles illustration Bottle Skittles from 36 months · 10-15 min Calm-Down Glitter Bottle illustration Calm-Down Glitter Bottle from 36 months · 10-15 min Cardboard Box Car illustration Cardboard Box Car from 36 months · 30-45 min Mud Pie Recipes illustration Mud Pie Recipes from 36 months · 30-45 min Pack a Picnic Box illustration Pack a Picnic Box from 36 months · 10-15 min Pumpkin Scoop and Sort illustration Pumpkin Scoop and Sort from 36 months · 30-40 min Shaker Pairs illustration Shaker Pairs from 36 months · 10-15 min Sound Effects Story illustration Sound Effects Story from 36 months · 30-40 min Spider Web Snip illustration Spider Web Snip from 38 months · 10-15 min Big Box, Little Box Drums illustration Big Box, Little Box Drums from 40 months · 10-15 min

Other things from the house

Toddler activities with a bowl · Toddler activities with a spoon · Toddler activities with a basket · Toddler activities with cups · Toddler activities with a tray · Toddler activities with paper · Toddler water activities · Toddler activities with a cardboard box · Toddler activities with a blanket · Toddler activities with a towel · Toddler activities with socks · Toddler activities with masking tape · Toddler activities with a ball · All activities