Treasure Baskets

Treasure Baskets were an idea originally created by Elinor Goldschmied and they are now a popular activity used in many early years' settings to promote learning with babies. Treasure Baskets are particularly relevant for babies and young children who are blind or have sight problems because they can offer a range of direct hands on sensory experiences. It is a simple, fun and very effective way of enriching the early experiences of children with sight problems and it is also a resource that parents can create cheaply and easily at home.

What is a Treasure Basket?

A Treasure Basket is a shallow sturdy basket containing a collection of everyday items, none of which are plastic. Most of the objects are in everyday use by adults and are made of natural materials. The items in the basket vary in weight, size, texture, colour, taste, temperature and sound and all the items are chosen to stimulate one or more of the five senses. Children explore the Treasure Basket using their senses to discover what an object is, what it is like and perhaps what it does when shaken or manipulated.

What does the child gain from a Treasure Basket?

Children learn by exploration and experience. A Treasure Basket brings many items within reach that a child may not have had the opportunity to handle. A child can feel items with their hands, feet, fingers and mouth. By having this opportunity a child discovers weight, texture and size. Does it have a smell? Can you taste it? Wave it, does it make a noise? Drop it and what happens? Can I put it inside another object? Can I join two items together? What happens when I bang one item against another?

Particularly for a young child with a sight problem it may be some time before they are ready to move confidently around their environment and find different objects for themselves. This is because children with sight problems are often later learning to crawl and walk. At times a

child with a sight problem can seem less confident to handle unfamiliar objects and textures and this type of play, introduced early on, can help to avoid this. It is also much easier and more pleasurable to learn about the properties of objects when each one is distinctly different.

How the idea of a Treasure Basket came about

Elinor Goldschmied spent time observing children and their parents. She looked at how children gained knowledge of the world around them and how parents often give children objects to explore. For example if when out, our baby or child gets upset we often give them something to play with that is to hand and which makes a noise or can be fiddled with, such as a bunch of keys. When we are busy in the kitchen a child sitting on the floor will often reach for the spoon we have dropped or the pots and pans in the cupboard.

These observations led Elinor Goldschmied to the development of the Treasure Basket as a way of helping children to learn, explore and have fun. Treasure Basket ideas were originally designed for babies who are sitting but not yet on the move. The basket is a good exploratory resource for babies and children who are not independently mobile.

"Babies given safe, stimulating and supportive opportunities will use their senses to learn about objects they encounter. In doing so they will enter into a world of discovery, puzzlement, social encounter and communication… As babies suck, grasp, touch and feel objects they rehearse behaviours which foster their earliest learning."
Goldschmied E (1989)

Why no plastics?

Many plastic objects are similar in many ways. They are often all smooth, have no smell and no taste. In our manufactured world, adults and babies use plastic objects everyday and a child gains experience of these objects from handling bottles, cups, toys and rattles. By offering a whole range of objects, which are not plastic we increase the opportunities for a child to explore and learn.

Items in a Treasure Basket

The items contained in the basket fall under six headings. The following list gives ideas for each heading. You know your child best and can experiment with likes and dislikes. It is sometimes best to start with a small number of items at first and to introduce new objects gradually. This way your child can find their favourite objects and notice when something new has been presented:

Natural objects

Pumice stone
A lemon
Natural loofah

Natural materials

Little basket
Wooden nail brush
Paint brush

Wooden objects

Curtain rings
Clothes pegs
Egg cup

Metal objects

Spoons
Bunch of keys
Bunch of bells

Leather, rubber, textiles

Leather purse
Bath plug and chain
Ribbon and lace

Paper/Cardboard

Greaseproof
Paper
Boxes
Tubes

What else can I put in my Treasure Basket?

Here are some more ideas to get you started:

Objects that rattle. Choose varying shapes and materials that produce different sounds. These offer instant reward for effort and their entertainment value for a child is immense.

Objects that fit inside one another, such as boxes and pegs or graded measuring spoons. These help children to discover ideas about size, shape and combining objects

Building and demolition articles, which fit together and take apart, such as wooden blocks, zipped leather purse, a box with a lid. These may encourage your child to combine objects and to notice smaller details and encourage finer manipulative skills.

Objects to follow, such as wooden eggs, balls and tubes that roll. Children can use sound to follow the object as it makes a noise on the floor, perhaps encouraging them to reach out. They can use sweeping movements with arms and legs to try to find the object by touch. Many children can also use their vision to follow an object particularly if it contrasts well against a plain background.

The following items have proved popular. Find out what your child enjoys best:

spoon
pastry brush
wooden egg cup
natural loofah
cane coaster
empty boxes- various sizes
wooden and metal curtain rings
glasses case
leather bag and purse
avocado pear stone
bottle brush
maraca
velvet hair bands and scrunchies
orange
lemon
shells
cork
pinecone
shaving brush
little baskets
toothbrush
bamboo whistle
large beads on a string
small bowls
wooden lemon squeeze
scent bottles
closed tins containing different sounds
small egg whisk
cloth bags containing scent
bean bag
various fabrics - satin, lace, chamois leather.
powder puff
nylon pan scourer
chain - various lengths and thickness
wooden foot massager
honey drizzler
survival blanket
...and many, many more!

These are just a few objects you could include. There are many more interesting items you will discover.

Points to consider - safety

Choose a basket that is strong and durable without jagged edges.

Objects should be washable, disposable and replaceable, for example pieces of fabric.

Each object should be clean and safe. Always check the basket regularly.

Be watchful of painted or varnished items. Check they are non-toxic and if in any doubt do not include them.

Points to consider - maximising play opportunities

Aim for a variety of shape, texture, weight and colour.

Be wary of including 'soft' toys, as their information and interest value can be limited. Often cuddly toys do not offer a solid shape (the shape changes when hugged, bent or squashed) so some young children do not recognise them as an object.

Consider where to place the Treasure Basket in relation to your child, for example would your child find it easier to reach in front or to one side? Have you made exploring the basket as easy as possible?

Find out what the range of your child's vision is so you can use the Treasure Basket within this range. If you know your child has better vision on one side present objects from this side. For some children you will need to place the Treasure Basket where it is touching them so they remember where it is and can keep returning to find different objects.

Consider lighting conditions in the room, for example it is preferable to sit your child with their back to a light source or window so that they are not affected by glare. The glare from a window can stop a child with a sight problem from seeing objects as well as they could.

Try to provide a good contrasting background that the objects can be seen against, for example sit your child with their Treasure Basket on a plain tablecloth or floor rug.

Allow your child the time to look or feel for fallen objects. If necessary help your child by taking their hand towards the object or moving the object in towards their body where they can feel it or hear it rather than giving the object straight into their hands.

Observe how your child interacts with and explores the Treasure Basket. Do you need to offer some new objects to explore? How can you make it more interesting? Is there an object that your child doesn't like?

Children all develop at different rates. With regard to exploration be aware of the stage your child is at. You may choose to introduce one item at a time.

The Be Active Box and Little Room

Treasure Basket ideas can also be adapted for children who are not yet sitting. Items can be put in a 'Be Active box' or 'Little Room' or suspended from a baby gym.

The 'Little Room' is an idea devised by Lilli Nielson for children with sensory difficulties. You can make a little room from a large cardboard box. Place the box down on its side with your child lying just inside the

opening. Line the sides with textured materials and suspend objects securely from the top so that they hang down within the child's reach. In this way the environment is brought in closer to the child so that it is easier for your child to see, touch and hear the objects. The 'Be Active box' and 'Little Room' are available commercially *