Parent/Child Activities

The Treasure Basket

Treasure Baskets were inspired by early childhood specialist Elinor Goldschmied, over thirty years ago. Elinor Goldschmied was concerned that children’s learning opportunities were confined to the constraints of manufactured plastic toys and equipment. As a result, she felt that many young children were missing out on opportunities to explore natural, ordinary and real objects.

In order to address this deficit, Elinor Goldschmied developed the concept of the Treasure Basket. The Treasure Basket is simply a large basket made from a natural material (such as willow, wicker, straw etc) which is filled with a range of ordinary objects.

Treasure Baskets are designed to encourage babies and young children to explore the objects independently, make choices, discriminate between likes/ dislikes and encourage the use of their senses. According to Elinor Goldschmied (1989), babies and young children provided with
“... safe, stimulating and supportive opportunities children 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 with foster their earliest learning.”

Ideally the basket should be approximately 4 inches in depth and 12 to 14 inches in diameter, have a wide opening and be placed in a comfortable area (such as on top of a large duvet).

Examples of items that could be included are:

• Natural objects: fir cones, pebbles, shells, feathers, corks, conkers, natural sponge,
• Wooden objects: clothes peg, small bowl, curtain rings, wooden nail brush, wooden egg cup, spoons , wooden bowl, wooden egg, pastry brush, shaving brush, small baskets, paint brush, rolling pin, cotton reels,
• Metal objects: length of metal chain, spoons, tin lids, garlic crusher, metal beaker, brass curtain rings, bunch of keys, metal bowl, tea strainer, whisk, bells
• Leather, textile, rubber, or fur objects: coloured ribbons, velvet powder puff, piece of leather, flannel, woollen ball, leather purse, rubber gloves, small soft toy, small flannel, rubber ball, tennis ball, fur fabric,
• Paper / cardboard objects: notebook, greaseproof paper, egg boxes, sturdy cardboard tubes, the circles from inside sticky tape,
• Other objects: small jar and lid, plug and chain, hair rollers, toothbrush, ceramic bowl and anything else that takes your child’s interest!

It is important to ensure that all materials are safe and age appropriate - remember not to include small objects for babies and there may be some items which you would need to remove for older children (for example, chains which they might swing and hit others with). Also all children no matter how old should be closely observed which exploring the treasure basket.