Treasure baskets have been around for a long time in the world of early years child care and are used mainly with babies and young toddlers. It' a simple idea but one our littlies love! They are often themed and are created to engage the child's senses and their natural curiosity!
Net-mums says "Babies of all ages appreciate the sensory delight of a treasure basket".
I have created lots of treasure baskets since retiring from teaching, some for my own grandchildren, some for the Toddler Group I help at and some I made specifically for a local special school and main stream schools as topic starters in nurseries. I also adapted some treasure baskets for a nursing home specifically designed for people with dementia.
My daughter requested a themed treasure basket for my granddaughters first and second birthdays and she reported that it has been the best present and the one that was played with over and over again. I also created Christmas treasure baskets for both my granddaughters...the theme being FROZEN of course!
Here are a few ideas for treasure basket themes:
Colours, shiny things, brushes, ribbons and bows, winter, autumn, growing, balls, the seaside.
This seaside basket was made for older children to explore and became a topic starter in a nursery class. Topic starters are used to engage the children and get them talking and asking questions.
I created this treasure basket for a residential home that caters for people with dementia and is filled with different containers that open in different ways. Good for manipulative skills but also great to talk about.
A Treasure Basket is a unique, tailor made gift that toddlers just love to explore...
Here are some things you could include in a seaside themed basket...
Beautiful floaty themed material (sea or sand inspired), shells, magnifying glass (plastic), bucket and spade, scoops, funnels, assorted pebbles, ribbons, themed treasure bottle containing sand and shells, plastic sea creatures, sea side story picture books, sunglasses, picnic set, hand windmill, toy boats.
For babies who have just begun to sit independently treasure baskets are an ideal activity for them...begin simply with a basket containing everyday objects such as a brush, a sponge, a wooden spoon, a rattle and a fabric ball containing a bell. Sit with your baby and explore the basket together. Take one of the objects and offer it to your baby saying Here you are...here's a brush...can you take it? Then encourage your baby to take something from the basket and get them to hand it to you...don't forget to say "Thank you" it's never too early to start. Gradually introduce the name of each object. extend this activity by introducing new things...perhaps some natural ones like shells, cones etc.
What is your baby learning through this activity? they are grasping and releasing, offering, selecting, listening, talking, sharing, communicating, interacting and identifying.
Hello and goodbye basket
Again for baby 6 months + I use a basket with a lid (a shoe box will do) Hide some small soft toys inside and take a toy out, one at a time saying "Hello Teddy"..."Hello Monkey" etc. and then start to return them to the basket / box saying "Good bye Teddy"..."Good bye Monkey" encouraging baby to copy you pulling the toys out and putting them back in. Simple but babies love it. It's a good game to introduce waving goodbye, maybe a kiss goodbye to each toy. It can also become a peep-bo game too. Repeat the game if they enjoy it and leave the basket on their play mat for them to select independently. What are they learning when they play this game? They are watching and listening, participating, taking turns, talking, smiling!
Put it in and take it out
Honey, my grand daughter just loved removing objects from a basket and then putting them back over and over again. Have a go with your little one and see if they enjoy it too. Choose interesting objects that react in different ways when picked up such as a scarf, a boat, a soft toy, a plastic bottle, a box (make sure your baby can handle the objects easily and keep the number of objects small, between 5 and 7 perhaps. Let them play for as long as they want but keep watching for safety reasons. What are they learning? Using two hands, transferring from one to the other, sitting steadily, concentrating, Developing fine motor control, exploring...Will it fit? Do I need to tip it up to fit it in? What does it feel like? Putting in and taking out can last for quite a long time with the containers and objects getting smaller and more fascinating...Honey moved on to treasure bottles and loved them.
Containing ribbons, beads, finger puppets and pompoms
The Very Hungry Caterpillar treasure basket
This treasure basket is for a baby and contains soft shapes and toys with sounds to be discovered. It is a mixture of handmade and bought items, I usually find brilliant resources for my treasure baskets in charity shops or at car-boots...with a good wash they are ready to use.
I also made a treasure basket contains all wooden items. Wood is amazingly tactile
and great for children and for adults who require additional tactile experiences such as those
suffering from dementia or have learning difficulties.
I have supplied special schools and care homes with wood treasure baskets.
I made this treasure basket for Toddler group, we have had a lot of new little children start and it was a great hit! I filled the basket with silver coloured shiny objects including fabric stars, magic wand, a ball of foil, bells, ribbons, sequin fabric, treasure bottle, beads, silver torch, card stars and spoons. I put them all in a star basket on a shiny star shaped mat but that isn't necessary, I just love sewing!
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