Recommended Age: 2 and ½ to 3 and ½ years
Level of Parent Involvement: Medium to source and present the activity then low when the child works independently
Prerequisites
- None
Materials
- Various bottles and boxes with lids/tops for example: a small box with a lid, a bottle with a cork, a screw top bottle/container
- A basket to keep the objects
Start with 3-6 different bottles/boxes containers, once the child has mastered opening and closing them, include different objects for the child to practice opening and closing.
TIP; think about different things you may include in your child’s lunch/snack box which they child requires assistance in opening
Preparation
- Prepare the box by placing the boxes and bottles into the basket
Steps
- Invite the child letting them know they will be practicing opening and closing different fastenings
- The child may bring the basket to the table
- Sit to the right of the child and take out each object, naming them as you take them out
- Place the objects in a vertical line in front of the child
- Bring the first object from the line in front of you
- Model how to open the object, for example if it is a screw top bottle show the child how to hold the bottle with your left hand and unscrew the lid in an anticlockwise direction with your right fingers
- Place the lid in a column to the right of the objects
- Return the bottle to the left column
- Repeat opening the remaining objects
- When all objects are opened you will have two columns, one with the opened objects on the left and one with the lids/caps in a column on the right
- Bring the first opened object to the centre of the two columns
- Search for the correct lid
- Model to the child how to close the object, for example to close the bottle, hold the bottle secure with your left hand whilst screwing the lid back on in a clockwise motion with your right fingers
- Replace the close bottle into the basket
- Invite the child to continue closing the remaining objects
- Leave the child to work independently
- When the child has finished ask the child if they would like to do it again, mix up the objects and leave the child to work independently
- If the child does not want to repeat the exercise, the child may return the activity to the shelf
- Offer the child two suggestions for another activity to transition to
Variations
- Nuts and bolts
- Screws and screwdriver
- Padlocks and keys
