Hello All!
I have acquired about 70 small jam-jar lids which are begging to be turned into some sort of educational game/teaching aid. I just can’t figure out how. The best idea I’ve had is simply putting letters on them and using them for spelling (or doing the same with numbers) but that doesn’t strike me as the best use of the materials.
So… any ideas from all you creative types?
You can paint them different colors and use them to teach colors, sorting and patterning. Or use them to count. You said you have letters on them so maybe you can put numbers on the other side.
I don’t have letters on them - I just think letters would be one thing I could do 
I do like the idea of letters on one side and numbers on the other - it would be a fun way to introduce algebra!
But I can’t help feeling that there is something entirely more exciting to be done with them…
You could drill holes in them and use them for threading. If you paint them different colours, you could thread them in different patterns. If you do the alphabet and numbers, they could be threaded in numerical and alphabetical order. And in reverse order too!!
add some magnets to them? Ask your child what he/she would like to do with them?
Hmmm…is it too late to give you ideas on this…I agree with you - there’s something more to it…have you already decided or can I have another week to come up with something? :unsure:
No, I am still most undecided! At the moment they are serving as a fun put-in-the-box activity (followed by a throw-around-the-room activity :rolleyes: )
Nicholas is only just one and I am not planning on starting numbers or letters for six months or so, we’re focusing on flashcards right now. So, I am hoping that the perfect idea will come to me before then!
Okay…so here are two ideas I would consider:
1- glue a loop of an elastic band on one side of the lid. Do this to at least 4 lids, do 8 if you want to have a set too…Then show him how to put them on a middle finger and a thumb on each hand and tap them together to make a sound…like little finger musical symbols. You could do this to help him with his fine motor skills between tapping each finger to the thumb while teaching him what each finger is called…sounds fun to me! :wub: how cute if he had one on each finger… lol
2 - print a headshot of picture of each person in your family affix it to one side of the lid and write clearly (white background w/ red or black ink) the name of that person in your family. then put them with words up on a table or floor and ask them to find “mom” … this will teach him to search for “mom” …I’d start with just a few pictures at first…be sure to include a picture of him and write his name out rather than using “b-a-b-y”
With left over lids you could share the same ideas with some friends or neighbors
Enjoy! Let me know what you think and if it works! :biggrin: