Containers and Lids

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Containers and Lids
Practical Life - Fine Motor Skills
Opening and Closing Containers 3.JPG
LevelPrimary
Age2.5
Prerequisitesnone
Materialssmall containers with lids
basket or tray

In this activity the child practices opening and closing containers with a variety of lids.

Presentation

  1. Take the basket to a mat or table. Place it in the upper right corner.
    Opening and Closing Containers 1.JPG
  2. Lay out the containers along the left edge of the rug.
    Opening and Closing Containers 2.JPG
  3. Take the first container and remove the lid.
    Opening and Closing Containers 3.JPG
  4. Set the container back in the same spot, set its lid to the right of it.
    Opening and Closing Containers 4.JPG
  5. Open the other containers.
    Opening and Closing Containers 5.JPG
  6. Put the lids back on starting with the first one.
    Opening and Closing Containers 6.JPG Opening and Closing Containers 7.JPG
  7. Continue until all of the lids have been replaced.
    Opening and Closing Containers 8.JPG

Points of Interest

Control of Error

Variations and Extensions

  • Practice opening and closing a ziplock bag.
  • The containers in the basket could start with the lids off, and the child would have to figure out which lid went with each container.
  • The lids could be mixed up after taking them off and then matched to put them back on.
  • The containers could be hiding small objects inside:
    Containers variation 1.jpg Containers variation 2.jpg
    Source: Leptir Montessori Blog

Further Reading