treasure baskets

treasure baskets

by: bluestone13 - 12-05-05 20:31

Hi sally all you need are a small basket or boxes. you can put into the baskets or boxes wooden items such as spoons,bricks and you can also have a basket for metal,but make sure nothing has any sharp sides. you can make a basket of just about anything around you, soft and hard textures can be used it's fun for the children and they are learning,you can also bring into your planning for KUW and Language blind fold and allow the children to feel, touch and smell the items and each child to talk to you on what they are experiance

by: Bea

Hello
Welcome to the wonderful world of treasure baskets. I have very successfully used treasure baskets with the preschool years from newly sitting infants, currently i am using them with a group of primary children with severe special needs. Each basket contains a large array of interesting objects that stimulate on or more of the senses they only stipulation use your common sense as to whether an item is safe but remember to supervise use carefully. Treasure baskets can contain a hotch potch of things in them, or can based on a theme like bluestone13 said this i think would be particularly useful with two year olds. I will give you an example of some of the items in a seaside box that i am using with my SEN group a; large and medium sized shells, seaweed, squidgy fish, sqirty fish, netting, spade, bucket, squidgy sea enenomy type thing, medium drift wood, small beach ball, a flannel(symbolising towel) an old bottle of sun lotion (to smell) swimming trunks, rock etc....
Another basket i have used just for exploration with this group and babies contains; a CD, shiny wooden bowel, different textured and cloured materials, mushroom brush, shaving brush, massage mit, loafer, sauce pan lid, short wooden spoon (too long dangerous) curtain rings, each session i also add an orange/ lemon and pierce (to feel and smell)

I have found with young or less able children treasure baskets work best when if presented as a session in own right with a small group of children and is most productive if all other toys are cleared away plenty of adult supervision is required but the adult does not interfere or add their own ideas to play unless they are specifically invited to do so.

A great book on treasure baskets is available from
http://www.featherstone.uk.com/ hope this has been useful. Happy treasure basket searching you’ll have great fun.
Bea

treasure baskets - 18-05-05 18:58

by: sally

Hi!

I've created something similar to a treasure baskets - I went to my local charity shop and bought a cushion cover (50p) and then about ten headscarves in all different colours (50p each). The see through 'hair net' type ones are the most popular. I showed them to the children who now go and get them out whenever they want - they dance with them, pretend their princesses, juggle with them - the nice thing is that they're so versatile and easy to tidy away at the end of the day to make a comfortable cushion (they also helps children learn how to undo zips or buttons by the way!!)

I have another cushion cover with little china characters / ornaments in them, they're incredibly robust and it doesn't matter if they get chipped (they were only 10p each - again from the charity shop) - although they're not as comfortable if you sit on them!!! The children love delving into the 'sack' and seeing what they can pull out - one child spent a good ten minutes making the characters talk to each other and sat them down for a tea party.
The children I look after are betweent the ages of 2 and 4 - and they all love them.

treasure baskets - 17-07-05 13:20

by: kimmie

hi there for treasure baskets at work we use alot of things like wooden spoons, sponges,metal spoons, beads,loafers,whisks, egg cups,shakers,wooden toys,etc basically things in which the children can hold in their hands or also put into their mouths as well as this will allow the children to get used to a variety of textures whilst playing at the same time!! i hope this helps you!! kimmie xx :):)

treasure baskets - 06-09-05 21:20

by: johnr

i think the lady who created treasure baskets was eildur goldsmith they should contain everyday object such as rolling pins wells upervised wooden spoons sponges etc and let the children have loads of fun with thm

treasure baskets - 07-09-05 22:04

by: California

There's also another book to try. It's produced by 'Little Books' has an array of titles and one called 'Little Book of Treasure Baskets'. Also the baskets are aimed at non mobile babies who are able to sit independently.