Treasure Basket

Babies love anything that appeals to their senses things that appeal to their sight, feel different and taste different. This is why you will be constantly catching them trying to eat paper, picking up every scrap of fluff and dirt they can find, pulling at your hair, eyes, nose, and lips.

Treasure baskets are great inexpensive way to allow your baby to explore all their senses and I guarantee they will love it and it will not be one of those things used for a while and then thrown to one side.

I first came across the concept at our local baby group when Bubba was 6 weeks old and I was fascinated watching an older baby play. At 7 months old she sat and played with all the objects and didn't grumble once in the 1 hour and half we were there. I decided there and then that it would make a perfect Christmas present for Bubba who would be by then around 8 months old. However, at about 6 months, we had a particularly horrible screaming day so I collected all the bits I had bought and searched around the house for other items threw them in a basket a plant had come in and he was fine the rest of the day. He has loads of toys and his favourite is still his basket and the reason why?....the majority of baby toys are plastic! How boring would it be if all we could do all do would be to play, eat and drink with everything plastic!

The purpose of the baskets are to teach your child to select, taste, touch and feel and helping them to gain confidence in making their own decisions.
They can be introduced as young as 3 months old and will encourage your baby to have tummy time and learn to reach out. A simple idea is get a jam jar and fill will dyed dried pasta, lay your baby on their tummy and roll the jar from side to side they will love the noise and movement it makes.

There different types of baskets to consider, colourful, kitchen, nature, food, soft and noisy.
I opted for a mixed basket and here are some ideas to get you started...

Wooden Spoon
Metal Whisk
Egg Cup
Ribbons
Wool
Washing up brush
Baby food jar filled with pasta/rice
Blusher brush
Pine Cones
Beads
Rocks
Shells
Old remote control
Old phone
Bean Bag
Keys
Photo of mummy and daddy
Maracas

The list is endless. I must stress the importance of supervision with this play technique and it is up to you as a parent to decide what you feel comfortable with your baby to play with.
Go on make one now with a few things around the house...you won't be disappointed