Opening and Closing Containers

Safety

Every lid and every object inside must not fit the small parts test cylinder (1.25 in. wide × 2.25 in. deep); lids at least 4 cm (1.6 in.) across do not fit. Do not use small bottle caps or containers with small removable parts.
Use new containers or ones that held dry food; never containers that held medicine, cleaning products, or cosmetics.
Use plastic or wood; glass jars only where licensing allows and with an adult beside the child.

1
Carry the basket to the table and sit beside the child. Take out the box and place it in front of you.
2
Hold the box with one hand. Lift the lid slowly with the other and place it upside down beside the box.
3
Take out the object inside, look at it, and put it back. Finding the object is the point of interest at first.
4
Put the lid back on and press it down with the flat of your hand. Hand the box to the child.
5
For a screw-top jar, offered later, hold the jar with your non-dominant hand and turn the lid slowly with the dominant hand, in several small turns, until it lifts off. Show the turn the other way to close it. This wrist turn is the difficulty isolated here.
6
Let the child try. If they cannot yet close a screw lid, accept the lid set on top.
7
When the child stops, close each container and return the basket to the shelf.

Basket of 3–4 containers with different closures
Lids and containers set out separately, so the child finds the lid that fits each one
Screw lids down to about 4 cm (1.6 in.) across, and containers with flip-top lids

A lid set on crooked does not close; a screw lid that is not turned straight does not tighten.

First: one wooden or sturdy cardboard box with a lift-off lid, with one object inside to find
Later, one at a time: a box with a hinged lid, a small purse with a large clasp, a plastic jar with a screw lid at least 5 cm (2 in.) across
Objects to hide inside, each at least 5 cm long (for example a wooden animal)
Small basket

opencloselidboxjarturn

Nothing — this can be a first presentation.

The Head Start infant and toddler outcomes this work meets show here for school accounts.