Tiny treasures and sensory surprises!
Treasure baskets are a collection of day-to-day materials that are natural and offer stimulation to the five senses – hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch.
Treasure baskets aid exploration, curiosity and concentration, as well as enabling brain development during interaction with the treasures.
Developed by Elinor Goldschmied, the idea of a treasure basket is for babies aged between 6-9 months or babies able to sit up by themselves, unable to crawl yet.
Top tips:
- Fill your baby’s basket to the brim: this will encourage them to search and discover
- Provide a range of textures, weights, tastes, smells and appearances: for example wooden items, metal, fur, leather, large shells etc.
- Feel confident and happy with the contents of your baby’s basket: if in doubt, take it out
- Find a quiet area with your baby: try to keep away from distractions so the sole focus is on the treasure basket
- Seat your baby comfortably in front of the basket: sit close by your baby, but not too close that you become directly involved
- Only become directly involved if invited by your baby: this is known as ‘watch and respond’
- Add words for the items your baby is discovering: this will help them begin to make a connection between the objects and the words
- Allow your baby to explore: they can handle and manipulate the items in their own way
- Change the objects regularly: this will add variety and maintain your baby’s interest
