I did this when my kids were small, the youngest is now 32. I did it for my older grandkids, and I am now doing it for the younger grandkids and greatgrandkids. I have saved the colored plastic lids off of various bottles, such as mayonnaise, peanut butter, etc. Lids have to be too big to fit in a young ones mouth. I have a couple metal ones but most are plastic.
I keep them in a drawstring bag in basket, I use as a toy box for when the kids visit. They are good to teach colors, to count, to stack like blocks, to pretend, kids favorite is to pretend we are at a restaurant and the lids are food. Put little one between two larger ones and you have a sandwich, etc. Their imagination can run wild. So much fun with no additional expense. The amount of enjoyment for all is endless.
Source: Just me and my kids.
By Knitter926 from Bloomington, IL
Editor's Note: As Knitter926 mentioned, make sure that the lids are too large to be swallowed by children under 3 years old.
Check out these tips.
I normally save every plastic bowl that comes my way - empty margarine tubs, takeout soup containers, sour cream bowls, you name it. Lids, too. But invariably, the lids last longer around here, so I end up with, say, six butter lids and only two butter bowls.
Margarine or Cottage Cheese Lids for Hamburgers. I save plastic lids from margarine or cottage cheese or the same size lids, and when making up hamburger patties (using a tupperware pattie form).
Margarine or butter container lids make great dry erase boards. You can use washable markers on them or dry erase markers on them. I cut the rim off of the top of the margarine container lid and make a hole with an icepick.
When I open a new can of coffee, I take the plastic top from the old can and put it on the bottom of the new can. The plastic will help to protect your countertops.
"Upcycled" Pringles plastic lids make perfect coasters for the right sized glass or cup. You can use plastic coffee can lids for larger cups.
If you recycle your Pringles cans, keep the lids. Most yogurts don't come with them anymore, and most of them can be used for food or crafts.
I like to reuse plastic lids as paint palettes, and even as crafting surfaces. By "crafting surfaces", I mean things like: resting/drying spot for newly painted small objects, or a "palette" for small amount of craft glue or Mod Podge, and so on. The lids are easy to clean.
Every once in a while, you lose a lid to something important. I once plugged my waterbed with a small lid from a Vicks Vaporub jar. It worked for 6 years.
Save opaque plastic lids of the same kind and make games for young kids. Hide small treats like marshmallows or small crackers under a few of the lids and lay 10-20 of them upside-down on the table altogether.
I realized this morning, that my coffee can lid, which used to go in the recycle bag, was perfect for going under a flower pot to catch any water. Then I realized that there are different sizes of plastic lids, and some are solid colors.
I also use small lids to fit over top of drinks in glasses, cups or cans to keep bugs out (especially flies). It helps keep your drink hot or cold longer.
I save all plastic can lids to use to protect my cupboards from rust, as in on the bottom of my cleanser cans, also I used them to keep under my honey jar.
I have started using the plastic tops from coffee cans for pet dishes. The animals love them because their food is very accessible, and I like them because they are very easy to wash.
