Over the last few weeks
I have been making treasure baskets for Edie
And exploring heuristic play
Treasure Basket and Heuristic Play support personal, social and emotional development
Treasure Baskets give babies and children a chance to
Enjoy the exploration of very carefully chosen objects with all their senses
They delight in exploring familiar and new objects
Often items from around the home
Treasure Basket and Heuristic Play helps children to develop their
Communication, language and literacy skills
They make sounds, expressions and gestures as they play
Sharing their findings with those they are playing with
Edie babbles away to herself and anyone who will listen as she plays
She pulls all manner of facial expressions
As she studies and scrutinises
As she discovers and explores
As she tries and tests things out
It is an utter joy to watch her play
A total privilege to see her learn
To witness the awe and wonder she experiences
In the every day
Treasure Baskets and Heuristic Play help small children to develop their
Problem-solving, reasoning and numeracy skills
Though Edie cannot verbalise what she is thinking
We can see her thinking about size and shape
We can watch her putting things in
Taking things out
Seeing if things roll
Bashing things together top see if they make sounds
Trying hard and soft movements
Learning about loud and quiet
Rough and smooth
Edie learns all these things through her senses
Touch
Taste
Smell
See
Hear
Using these senses she is developing her understanding
Of the world around her
Through play she learns about cause and effect
Treasure Baskets and Heuristic Play help babies to develop
Their gross and fine motor skills
Grabbing
Grasping
Passing from hand to hand
Banging
Bashing
Shaking
Mouthing and chewing
All these things help babies learn to control their movements
While also developing their hand-eye coordination
So much to be gained from so little
Treasure Baskets are so easy to set up
The treasure is easy to source from your own home
The key element for successful happy baby Treasure Basket play
Is you!
Be there with your baby
Talk to them
Play with them
Explore and investigate alongside them
Model for them
At the moment we change our Treasure Basket each week
And I do not leave the basket out
We use it for a short period each day
Either at home
Or out and about
When I have time to play too
I try to make sure Edie has time with the basket
And the treasure
Before her older siblings get involved
Our first basket
I filled with wooden dough tools
These are safe for Edie to explore with all her senses
Safe for her to mouth and chew
Safe for her to bash together
They are different sizes, shapes and textures
They are fun and interesting for her to examine and explore
They make interesting sounds
Edie has loved discovering them and what they can do
We will get these out again for Treasure Basket play
They can also be used with playdough
And for painting
What would you use these for?
Have you tried Treasure Basket play?
What is your favourite treasure?