Toddler activities with plastic food containers
22 activities in the library use plastic food containers, for toddlers aged 12 to 36 months: 9 starting 12–17 months, 5 starting 18–23 months and 8 starting from 24 months. Tubs with lids in several sizes are perfect for filling, stacking, matching lids, hiding and posting. They are light, unbreakable and already in the kitchen.
Updated
Plastic food containers: 22 activities to try
Safety: Use only plastic, never glass.
22 activities
- Blanket Picnic Finger Lunch 12–22 months · 10–20 min · Outdoors · Calm Unpack a simple lunch from a tote bag onto a blanket outdoors so your child can sit, choose and finger-feed somewhere other than the high chair.
- Teddy's Snack Time 12–20 months · 3–8 min · Indoors · Calm Your child copies one pretend action, feeding a stuffed animal with a real spoon and bowl, the first step from using objects to pretending with them.
- Lid Slot Posting Tub 13–22 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Your child posts large jar lids through a slot cut in a food-container lid, practising an aimed release, turning the wrist and the in-and-gone surprise.
- Clear Tub Ask for Help 14–22 months · 3–8 min · Indoors · Calm Put a favorite toy inside a clear container your child cannot open, then wait for a point, look or sound asking for help before you step in.
- Two of a Kind Kitchen Match 14–24 months · 5–8 min · Indoors · Calm Your toddler pairs identical kitchen objects, cup with cup and spoon with spoon, practicing the idea of 'same' that later supports sorting and colors.
- Two-Basket Copy Playdate 14–24 months · 5–15 min · Indoors · Calm Two toddlers each get an identical container of the same few toys, which makes it easy for one to notice and copy what the other child does.
- Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect 15–24 months · 3–8 min · Indoors · Active Your child walks between sticky notes placed at child height around one room, peels each one off and drops it into a tub, mixing peeling with walking.
- Muffin Tin Snack Hunt 16–26 months · 5–12 min · Indoors · Calm At a seated snack, pieces of soft food hide under covers in a muffin tin; your child lifts the covers to find them, mixing search with self-feeding.
- Turn-to-Fit Slot Box 16–30 months · 5–12 min · Indoors · Calm Your child posts big plastic tub lids through a long slot and soft balls through a round hole in a box, learning to turn a piece until it lines up.
- Snack Tub Lid Twist 20–34 months · 3–10 min · Indoors · Calm At a seated snack, your child twists open a small screw-top tub holding a few snack pieces, practising a steady holding hand and the turning wrist lids need.
- Unpack the Shopping Tote 20–28 months · 5–12 min · Indoors or out · Active After an errand, your child helps unpack a cloth tote, showing what each safe item is for and carrying it to where it belongs.
- Which Lid Fits? Container Match 20–30 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Your toddler matches lids to food containers of different sizes, testing, turning and retrying until each lid sits on its own container.
- Nature Jar Lid Twist 22–32 months · 3–8 min · Outdoors · Calm Your child twists open a plastic jar holding a pinecone or big leaf found outside, practising two hands working together and the turning motion lids need.
- Tall Tower, Short Tower 22–32 months · 5–12 min · Indoors · Calm You and your toddler build two towers side by side, one tall and one short, then compare, add blocks and knock them down while naming 'tall' and 'short'.
- Picture-Label Toy Homes 24–34 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Simple drawings on sticky notes mark which box each kind of toy lives in, so your child can match toys to their homes at cleanup.
- Which Cup? Toddler Shell Game 24–34 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm A toy hides under one of three opaque containers that you slide slowly around; your child follows it with their eyes and picks the right one.
- Teddy's Two-Step Picnic 25–34 months · 5–15 min · Indoors or out · Calm Set up a picnic for a stuffed animal and give two-step requests like "give teddy a cup, then a spoon", practicing listening inside pretend play.
- Things That Go Together 25–33 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Your child pairs everyday objects by use (spoon with bowl, lid with pot, sock with shoe), showing they know what each thing is for.
- Kitchen Outline Match Mat 26–36 months · 5–12 min · Indoors · Calm You trace three kitchen objects onto big paper, and your toddler matches each real object to its outline, a homemade shape-matching puzzle.
- Trace Around the Lid 26–36 months · 5–12 min · Indoors · Calm Your child holds a crayon against the edge of a big lid and runs it around to make a circle, then tries a circle without the lid after watching you.
- Three Jars, Three Lids 28–36 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Your child works out which lid fits which of three plastic jars and twists each one on, combining size matching with the turning motion lids need.
- Tissue Box Mystery Feel 30–36 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Your child reaches into a tissue box without looking and finds the object you name by touch alone, then checks it against a matching twin.
Nothing matches these filters. Try another age band or "Anywhere".
Plastic Food Containers at a glance
| Activities | 22, 4 on the low-prep menu |
|---|---|
| Ages covered (corrected) | 12–36 months |
| Focus time | 3–20 minutes |
| Main domains | 7 fine motor, 5 cognitive, 4 early concepts, 2 language, 2 practical life, 1 creativity & pretend and 1 social-emotional |
| Where they happen | 18 indoors, 2 indoors or outdoors and 2 outdoors |
| Quickest start | Clear Tub Ask for Help, 3–8 minutes |
Every activity with plastic food containers
Sorted by the first month each one fits (corrected age for children born early). Quick picks: for a calm moment, Teddy's Snack Time; to burn energy, Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect; with no prep at all, Unpack the Shopping Tote.
| Activity | Ages | Minutes | Domain | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teddy's Snack Time | 12–20 months | 3–8 | Creativity & pretend | None |
| Blanket Picnic Finger Lunch | 12–22 months | 10–20 | Practical life | 5 min |
| Lid Slot Posting Tub | 13–22 months | 5–10 | Fine motor | 5 min |
| Clear Tub Ask for Help | 14–22 months | 3–8 | Language | 2 min |
| Two of a Kind Kitchen Match | 14–24 months | 5–8 | Early concepts | 2 min |
| Two-Basket Copy Playdate | 14–24 months | 5–15 | Social-emotional | 2 min |
| Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect | 15–24 months | 3–8 | Fine motor | None |
| Muffin Tin Snack Hunt | 16–26 months | 5–12 | Cognitive | 2 min |
| Turn-to-Fit Slot Box | 16–30 months | 5–12 | Fine motor | 5 min |
| Unpack the Shopping Tote | 20–28 months | 5–12 | Cognitive | None |
| Which Lid Fits? Container Match | 20–30 months | 5–10 | Early concepts | 2 min |
| Snack Tub Lid Twist | 20–34 months | 3–10 | Fine motor | 2 min |
| Nature Jar Lid Twist | 22–32 months | 3–8 | Fine motor | None |
| Tall Tower, Short Tower | 22–32 months | 5–12 | Early concepts | None |
| Picture-Label Toy Homes | 24–34 months | 5–10 | Practical life | 5 min |
| Which Cup? Toddler Shell Game | 24–34 months | 5–10 | Cognitive | None |
| Things That Go Together | 25–33 months | 5–10 | Cognitive | 2 min |
| Teddy's Two-Step Picnic | 25–34 months | 5–15 | Language | 2 min |
| Kitchen Outline Match Mat | 26–36 months | 5–12 | Early concepts | 5 min |
| Trace Around the Lid | 26–36 months | 5–12 | Fine motor | 2 min |
| Three Jars, Three Lids | 28–36 months | 5–10 | Fine motor | 2 min |
| Tissue Box Mystery Feel | 30–36 months | 5–10 | Cognitive | 2 min |
How each activity uses plastic food containers
- Teddy's Snack Time (simple pretend play, 3–8 minutes): An empty plastic bowl or food container.
- Blanket Picnic Finger Lunch (finger feeding, 10–20 minutes): Lift the containers out of the tote one at a time, naming each: "Cheese. Pasta."
- Lid Slot Posting Tub (posting objects, 5–10 minutes): Cut a slot in the container lid a little wider than the jar lids and tape over the cut edges.
- Clear Tub Ask for Help (pointing to ask, 3–8 minutes): While your child watches, put a favorite toy into a clear container and press the lid on firmly.
- Two of a Kind Kitchen Match (matching, 5–8 minutes): 2 identical food container lids.
- Two-Basket Copy Playdate (copying other children, 5–15 minutes): Put the same three large blocks in each of two identical containers and set them an arm's length apart.
- Sticky Note Peel-and-Collect (tearing and peeling, 3–8 minutes): Peel one off slowly with a "rrrip" sound and drop it into the tub.
- Muffin Tin Snack Hunt (finding hidden objects, 5–12 minutes): While they watch, cover every cup with a small upturned container.
- Turn-to-Fit Slot Box (shape sorting, 5–12 minutes): Three or four large plastic lids from food tubs.
- Unpack the Shopping Tote (using objects the right way, 5–12 minutes): 4-5 safe items: a box of crackers, a closed food container, a sponge, a roll of paper towels, a bunch of bananas.
- Which Lid Fits? Container Match (matching, 5–10 minutes): Set out two containers of very different sizes and put their lids in a separate pile.
- Snack Tub Lid Twist (twisting lids and knobs, 3–10 minutes): Put a few snack pieces in the tub while your child watches, and close the lid with just a quarter turn.
- Tall Tower, Short Tower (size words, 5–12 minutes): 6-10 large blocks or upside-down food containers.
- Picture-Label Toy Homes (tidying up, 5–10 minutes): 2-3 open cardboard boxes or large food containers.
- Which Cup? Toddler Shell Game (finding hidden objects, 5–10 minutes): Turn three matching food containers upside down in a row.
- Things That Go Together (using objects the right way, 5–10 minutes): 3-4 pairs that belong together: a pot and its lid, a spoon and a plastic bowl, a sock and a shoe, a food container and its lid.
- Teddy's Two-Step Picnic (following two-step directions, 5–15 minutes): Spread a blanket, sit teddy on it and put cups, bowls, spoons and empty food containers nearby.
- Kitchen Outline Match Mat (matching, 5–12 minutes): 3 objects with different outlines: a wooden spoon, a measuring cup, a container lid.
- Trace Around the Lid (scribbling and early drawing, 5–12 minutes): A big plastic lid from a food tub.
- Tissue Box Mystery Feel (finding hidden objects, 5–10 minutes): 2 of each: socks, plastic food-container lids, teaspoons.
By age
12–17 months: 9 activities, 3–20 minutes. 18–23 months: 5 activities, 3–12 minutes. From 24 months: 8 activities, 5–15 minutes.
Starting 12–17 months
Starting 18–23 months
Words that come up
Across these activities you will model “eat”, “teddy”, “mmm, yum”, “more?”, “picnic”, “open”, “all gone”, “more”, “in”, “gone”, “where did it go?” and “help”. Say one at the moment it happens, then pause for your child's turn.
Safety with plastic food containers
- Use only plastic, never glass.
- Do not use containers that held medicine, cleaning products or anything with a strong smell.
Prep tips
- Keep lids that fit and lids that do not, for matching games.
- Cut a hole or slot in a lid for posting.
No plastic food containers? Use instead
- Measuring cups.
- Small pots.
- Clean yogurt pots.
Combine it with
Plastic food containers are most often paired with blocks (3 activities), blanket (2 activities) and cardboard box (2 activities). The skills practised most: matching (7), problem solving (6) and posting objects (4).
Often combined with
Skills practised
Frequently asked questions
What can a toddler do with plastic food containers?
22 activities here use them, for example Teddy's Snack Time (12–20 months), Blanket Picnic Finger Lunch (12–22 months) and Lid Slot Posting Tub (13–22 months). 4 are on the low-prep menu: no prep and 10 minutes or less.
Are plastic food containers safe for toddlers?
Use them only with an adult close by. Use only plastic, never glass. Do not use containers that held medicine, cleaning products or anything with a strong smell.
What can I use instead of plastic food containers?
Measuring cups, small pots or clean yogurt pots can stand in for most of these activities.
What ages are activities with plastic food containers for?
They cover 12–36 months of corrected age: 9 starting 12–17 months, 5 starting 18–23 months and 8 starting from 24 months.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.