Screw Cover matching Activities that Develop Fine-Motor Skills

Screwing and unscrewing covers to bottles and other containers is a great way to develop manipulation skills!














There is an unlimited supply of plastic containers from detergent, dishwasher soap and juice bottles available to make these activities.

I cut around the threaded pouring spouts and saved the lids so that young children with or without disabilities or adults with developmental disabilities can match by size and then screw the pieces together.

The yellow covers shown in the photo screw onto white threaded  containers used for Thick-it. Many of my clients have their drinks thickened with this product. Sometimes the threaded pieces are the same color as the caps so that children can match both size and color at the same time.


 

This activity may be used as a simple single- step matching cover to threaded piece activity without inserting them into containers.

 It is generally easier to motor plan the motions to unscrew than to screw the pieces together. So you may set the activity up to separate them before teaching how to screw them together.

Create a 2 step task by requiring the child to insert the covers into container openings.  The threaded pieces may function as rings to stack on a ring stack. .

At first, choose larger materials that are easier to manipulate. As skill develops use smaller caps and threaded pieces... perhaps from juice bottles.




You may choose to have only 2 or 3 different types of  sizes to match and then increase the challenge as skill develops.

The client removing the yellow covers has limited visual perceptual skills, so I provided a container with only one opening and all of the yellow covers can fit inside.

 In the following video, there are so many different sizes that even I found it a challenge to match them! So I numbered the covers to match the threaded pieces and it turned out to be a hit!

I discovered that my clients really enjoyed having the threaded pieces organized on a long strand of fabric or cord.

Cut 2 holes in the threaded pieces to string these in sequence. Children can work on matching and sequencing skills as they develop eye-hand coordination.


You may choose to match and sequence these in alphabetical rather than numerical order. Some children or clients m ay best match simple shapes or pictures drawn or glued onto materials.



Source: Matching Numbers Screw Cap Activity to Develop Fine- Motor Skills by RecyclingOT

This activity may also be adapted to be performed while sitting, standing or moving across the room to retrieve materials. Moving from high to low and back provides not only aerobic exercise but vestibular sensory stimulation. Many children or adults with sensory processing disorders will appreciate the movement sensory stimulation that may decrease anxiety or agitation.

Reaching high up is great for developing posture and visual attention since the materials are right in front of the person's face.

The individual in the green shirt has cerebral palsy and avoids using his left hand. However, he was so motivated to work on matching and unscrewing - he stabilized the threaded pieces - and worked with a smile!


Source: Unscrewing Bottle Caps to Insert or Stack by RecyclingOT

This gentleman is blind and enjoyed working on a book stand that has the threaded pieces attached. A maintenance man at work drilled holes into the bookstand so that I could attach string to tie pieces onto.

A container with  2 different shape openings turns this into a simple shape sorter after the covers are unscrewed.....

Another option is two attach materials to the sides of a large container used for cat litter a bucket.



Source: Matching Lids Sensory Activity by RecyclingOT


 
I share the links to demonstrate the products that come in the containers I like. If you shop on Amazon through any of these links, I earn a few pennies.....

However, obviously, I prefer to recycle!