This is a photo of the ACTUAL treasure basket I made for our last baby. It had more things added as time went on, but this is what I started out with. I looked for natural items (leather, cane, wool felt, wood), different textures, sizes and weights. I imagined what it would be like for a baby to feel in their mouth - would it be warm, cold, fluffy or smooth. It was great fun putting it together, and took my mind off morning sickness!
So when our baby arrived, and was around 5 months old (I think), we showed him the treasure basket one quiet afternoon. We kept the items as "special" things to explore so they didn't get boring. Most babies want to do things, and it can be hard for a sibling (or parent!) to know what to do with the baby at "play time". They can roll on the floor with the baby, sing or clap hands, look in the mirror, blow bubbles for baby - AND sit quietly and let baby explore the treasure basket.
The benefits to baby are HUGE - lots of tactile fun, figuring out sizes, shapes, tastes, noises etc; feeling secure with you beside them; learning they can explore new items by themselves without being shown "what you have to do" ... and more.
Our 2 year old just recently came across an item that we'd had in his treasure box. He hadn't seen it for a long time. The familiar and respectful way he picked it up looked as if he was saying "Hello old friend - I know you from somewhere!" ❤❤
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The following information comes from notes I have gathered from various places - but mainly from a wonderful book called:
DEVELOPING PLAY FOR THE UNDER 3'S
THE TREASURE BASKET AND HEURISTIC PLAY
by Anita M Hughes
Check this book out from your local library, or request on interloan (or purchase it) for more information.
NB All the GORGEOUS photos I have included in this post come from the internet.
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The three stages of play with
objects
The way in which babies and very young
children play with objects goes through three stages, which are very
clear and distinct. However, when new material is introduced, a
toddler or older child may revert to mouthing it before more
sophisticated exploration or imaginative play takes place.
Approximately 5 – 10 months
When a seated baby at the mouthing
stage is offered an object to play with, the predominant interest is:
'What is this object like?'
Approximately 10 – 20 months
When the baby becomes mobile and is
able to explore how he can make objects interact with his
environment, the predominant interest is: 'What can I do with it?'
and 'What else can I do with it?'
From approximately 20 months onward
As the child begins to develop the use
of language and he begins to understand the function of objects, the
predominant interest is: 'What can this object become?'
What is the Treasure Basket?
The
Treasure Basket is a unique approach, which was pioneered and
developed by Elinor Goldschmied. In this approach the adult offers a
seated baby (who cannot yet move independently) a range of natural,
household and recycled objects, contained in a rigid, low-sided round
basket, for exploration and interest … The objects in a Treasure
Basket can be described as 'food for the brain' as every new sensory
experience makes the brain grow and become more active. The greater
the variety of objects, the greater the mental stimulation and
satisfaction for the baby. However, the value of the
objects will only be realised if the caregiver is sitting comfortably
nearby, attentive and responsive to the baby's needs, interest and
safety.
Five aspects of
learning
Involves having secure and loving relationships.
Involves the balance between anxiety and curiosity to promote
confident and responsible action.
Is about playing, taking risks and putting in effort.
Is about making mistakes.
Needs an appropriately stimulating environment.
Encouragement
versus pressure
'encourage' – to give (someone) the confidence to do something;
to stimulate someone by approval or help.
When babies and children feel safe and secure, they need no active
encouragement as such. It is their natural instinct to play and
socialise. Babies and young children get their encouragement from
feeling safe and secure in their relationships, so it is important to
build those first. It also means letting the child know that you are
there for them, love and care about them, and very importantly, will
not rush them. Encouragement also comes from trust.
Encouragement can feel like pressure when there is a deadline
involved, like being rushed to complete some play activity before
lunchtime or to say goodbye to a parent. Similarly, it is easy to
inadvertently put children under pressure when they have to fit in
with our 'planned activities' or when we 'take over' a child's
interest.
What is play?
Play
is spontaneous self-chosen activity, whch is at times riotously
carefree and, at others, earnestly careful. Play is also about
sustained thinking, being creative and imaginative and engaging in
vibrant energy … If children are asked to do something and they act
out of obedience (even if it is called
play) then they are not really playing. They are participating in a
directed activity. However, this can turn into play the moment a
child starts to do what he wants.
Effort
Children
intuitively know that learning is about effort and doing for its own
sake. They deomonstrate it to us by their determination to master
simple tasks, which, for them, are new and tantalising. They are
constantly setting themselves challenges. On the one hand, they move
heavy objects about, like furniture or heavy bags and boxes, and yet,
on the other hand, carefully sort out fine objects like beads or tiny
pebbles at the seashore. They demonstrate powers of concentration
and a level of perseverance that many of us lose before we reach the
age of ten. Adults
unwittingly kill off the natural learning instincts in young children
by interference, too much assistance, constant criticism or simple
lack of patience.
When fear of
failure creates a barrier to learning
A competent learner is someone who allows himself to be totally
immersed in the activity, process or experience for its own sake. A
competent learner feels secure in his relationship with others.
However, it is the fear of failure, which becomes the barrier to
learning when a child (or, indeed, an adult) focuses their emotional
and mental energy on worrying about what someone else might think of
him if he did fail. The child is not able to fully engage his energy
in the activity for its own sake (whatever the outcome) because he is
more focused on the response of someone else than on the enjoyment of
the activity. Failure becomes associated with fear.
There
is the fear that someone else might be disappointed with you, mock or
humiliate you. There is the fear that someone may tell you off or
disapprove of you. Even worse, there is the fear that you might be
ignored altogether. So, instead of enjoying the learning experience
for its own sake or for the possiblities it might offer, the child
becomes distrated through the fear of failing to satisfy someone
else.
In
my 28 years of being an educationaly psychologist and working with
children with special needs, I have found that, whenever there has
been a concern about a child's learning, that child has shown strong
feelings of fear of failure. This can come across in various ways,
such as stubborness or cheating, refusal to try new things, repeated
requests for reassurance from trusted adults, tearfulness,
destruction of whatever has been created and so on. Sadly, the
primary difficulty, which may be a sensory impairment, dyslexia or a
syndrome (such as Down's or Asperger's), becomes secondary as the new
primarly learning difficulty becomes the
fear of failure.
Plastic is dull
and disapointing
When
a baby's hands are large enough to hold a rattle and put it in his
mouth, he discovers that, although rattles may look
different, one plastic rattle tastes, smells and feels very much like
another.
To our adult eyes, the rattles are bright and fun, because we are
choosing them for their appearance. However, the baby is primarily
using the senses of touch, smell and taste to explore and find out
about the characteristics of the rattles. For him, the rattles soon
become limiting, dull and disappointing. It is rather like being
offered baked beans on toast for breakfast, lunch and supper every
day of the week.
We often forget that, until a baby can move about independently,
he is marooned in one place and is very much at the mercy of the
people around him in terms of what he will be given to play with and
explore.
Exercise to try
Select a number of objects with very different physical
characteristics. Here are some suggestions:
Place all the objects in an open dish or small basket. Select the
objects one at a time, feeling them individually in your hands, with
your eyes shut. In this way the dominant visual sense, which is
usually key in forming our judgements, it taken away. For example,
supposing you picked out the toothbrush and first of all 'looked' at
it. Maybe the thought, 'What an odd/inappropriate object to give a
baby' might cross your mind or 'That reminds me, I must buy some
toothpaste later today!' could intrude and distract you.
These thoughts are simply judgements and questions, reflecting
into the past and
projecting into the future. There is nothing wrong with them, but
they get in the way of
experiencing the essence of 'toothbrushness'.
Instead, take the toothbrush and close your eyes. Allow your
fingers to explore the strange, uneven shape of the long hadle, some
of it smooth and slightly warm in the hand. Notice the strange
rubbery ridges at the bottom of the handle end and enjoy the
'ticklish' sensation of the bristles. Are the bristles stiff? Do
they spring back in your fingers as you flick them? Notice the
rigidity of the handle and compare it with the flexibility of the
bristles. Is the toothbrush heavy or lightweight? Just notice how
it feels in your hand. Does the toothbrush smell of anything?
Maybe, if its a clean, but used, brush, it has the traces of a minty
smell? Notice how you are feeling about this object. Does it
trigger any emotional response? Maybe its comforting, maybe it
produces a sense of agitation or urgency, or it may even feel
repulsive to you.
Continue this exercise with the rest of the objects. When you have
finished, you will probably have gained some sense of the 'ness' of
the objects, whether it is 'stoneness', 'shellness', 'woodness' or
'glassness'. This is precisely the experience the baby has when
exploring objects with his hands and mouth.
The benefits of
being able to manage one's fears responsibly
It is good if you are able to identify the source of your anxiety
(about any objects) and to understand there is a physiological reason
for your emtional reaction. It helps you to be able to consider your
fears rationally. Then you can think and talk through the possible
benefits of offering such objects to a baby.
For example, glass is deliciously cold, when first handled. It is
smooth to touch, with interesting bumps and ridges, like the screw
top rim or other 'hallmark' base. You can see through it and its
transparency catches the light and sparkles in the sunshine.
Sometimes it even reflects the rainbow spectrum of colours. Even the
cylindrical shape, with the narrow neck, offers wonderful
satisfaction for handling. There is so much sensory richness to a
simple little bottle, which can all too easily be perceived as a
threat and rejected.
The greater the variety of objects on offer to a baby in a
Treasure Basket, the richer and more stimulating it will be.
Communicating
our anxieties to babies
The strength of the relationship which caregivers share with babies
is connected to love and 'emtional attachment'. This attunement is
never one-way. As we pick up the emotions of the babies and adjust
the way we resond to them, so they do with us.
If there is an object in the Treasure Basket that causes you
anxiety, you will inadvertently communicate that anxiety to the baby.
This may be expressed as an extra sense of vigilance or a sinking
feeling that 'something' might happen. The focus is less on being in
tune with the baby's delight, apprehension and more on managing your
own emotions of distrust, anxiety and tension.
What
then happens is that the baby picks
up your anxiety (even
though he does not understand it) and responds ith an element of
distraction. The play loses its spontaneity, its free-flowing, but
concentrated attention and pleasurable satisfaction and becomes
rather more awkward and unsatisfactory, because the baby is now
tuning in to your feelngs. He then may even begin to associate the
negative feelings he has picked up from you with the objects in front
of him. He begins to form the most primitave type of pre-verbal
judgement.
Similarly, if you feel comfortable with, interested in and
confident about the ojects in the Treasure Basket, you are giving the
baby 'permission' to feel the same. He will not consciously
understand this, but he will be developing attitudes and a
relationship towards his environment, namely, that it is fine to
explore and be curious.
It is therefore of paramount importance to examine your own level
of trust and confidence, both in the relationship you have with the
baby, and with the objects you offer as playthings. Learning is most
potent when there is mutual satisfaction between caregiver and baby
in the experiences that are shared.
Playing with the
Treasure Basket is a 'non-social' activity
Although an attentive adult is always present, when a baby is playing
with objects in the Treasure Basket and the baby may copy or reach
out to another baby nearby, the activity is fundamentally non-social.
This is because the baby is gaining pleasure and satisfaction from
expoloring the objects for their own sake.
The pleasure is not dependent on another person in the form of an
interaction, such as when playing a 'peek-a-boo' game, tickling or
feeding. It is the objects themselves which provide the source of
intereste and not the way someone else uses the objects. Indeed, if
an adult handles the objects with a baby, the play changes into a
social form of play. While this is not 'wrong', it needs to be
recognised that the play is different and the qualities described and
the way the baby learns with the Treasure Basket will be less potent.
The Treasure
Basket and choice
The question is often asked about whether it is too overwhelming for
a baby to be given such a large choice of objects in a Treasure
Basket (between 80 and 100). The answer is definitely no! Babies
have absolutely no difficulty about being offered a large range of
objects if they have:
the choice of which ones to select for themselves
the choice of whether they pick the objects up or not
the choice about when to pick up any objects
Objects from a Treasure Basket are only overwhelmingif the adults
takes charge and hands the baby objects, dangles them in front of his
face, tickles him with objects and generally intrudes on the baby's
'space'.
It is the large variety of objects all in one place in a Treasure
Basket that actually stimulates curiosity and interest. We often
forget that, until a baby can more about independently, his choices
are limited to what people around him will give him to play with.
The Treasure
Basket facilitates conceptual learning
Through the repeated handling of a variety of objects, babies learn
many abstract concepts, which are not apparently to most adults.
Adults often simply see the ojbects as being put in the mouth,
fiddled with, moved about, shaken, banged against other objects or
dropped.
Babies learn a range of concepts to do with the physical qualities
of objects, such as coldness, smoothness, heaviness and prickliness.
They also begin to recognise that some objects are rigid and others
move about between their fingers. They notice that some objects are
hollow and others are solid. They experience the transparency of
glass and the reflective nature of shiny metal. They experience the
fact that some objects change temperature as you hold them and some
do not. The temperature of glass and metal in one's hands changes
very quickly, whereas wood, cork or fabric does not change very much.
A baby discovers that some material has a strong scent, such a
leather, rubber or a lemon, whereas the scents of wicker, bristle or
stone are less potent.
Children who have had the experience of handling, mouthing and
experimenting with objects understand these complex concepts long
before they have the language to express them or the maturity to use
and manipulate them. Indeed, language can best be learned through
direct experience.
How to create a
Treasure Basket
The Treasure Basket comprises a suitable basket and a collection of
between 80 and 100 different objects to put in the Basket. It is not
a static piece of play material, as objects may be replaced (when
worn or broken) and the collection can continue to grow over time.
Every collection will be unique. The collection of objects in my own
Treasure Basket was started nearly 30 years ago and has not only been
a source of pleasure to many babies, it has also become, for me, a
catalogue of memories and generosity.
Here are some guidelines when purchasing a Treasure Basket. The
Basket should be:
round in shape
be made of wicker or some other natural material, which has no
'sharp bits'
have rigid sides
be 30 cm in diameter
be 12 cm in height
be flat bottomed and have no handles
Making the
collection of objects
It is often said that the most difficult part of introducing the
Treasure Basket into a nursery setting or your home is making the
actual collection of objects … there is often the disappointment
of finding perhaps only half a dozen or so appropriate materials
after an exhausting shopping expedition, with a daunting 80 or more
objects to collect. There have been many people who have given up
collecting after about 20 objects, but then feel dissatisfied with
the end result. The babies' intererests have not been sustained and
the rather empty-looking treasure basket is then only occasionally
used.
You will be richly rewarded for your efforts if you stick at this
task, even if it takes a surprising number of months to create a
stimulating collection of about 80 or so objects. What you will find
is that, whenever or wherever you are shopping, you will find
yourself looking at moderately small objects with new eyes.
Some ideas for
Treasure Basket objects
Natural objects
Objects made
from wood
Objects made
from metal
Objects made
from leather and textile
leather wallet/purse/spectacle case
fabric wallet/purse/spectacle case
coloured ribbons
leather key ring
bag of herbs
lavender bag
velvet powder puff
piece of flannel and ther fabric off-cuts (12 x 8 cm)
bean bag
juggling ball
small teddy bear
Objects made
from rubber
ball
large eraser
coaster
soap holder
door stop
Objects with
bristles
Objects made
from glass and marble
Objects made
from other materials
hair roller
woollen ball
golf ball
cane bag handle
raffia mat
small ceramic pot
champagne cork
small basket
large button (5cm)
scourer
Management and
storage of the objects
The Treasure Basket itself is not only an excellent container when
presenting the collection of objects to a baby, it is also an ideal
method of storage as well. However it is advisable to cover the
basket with a cloth if it is to be stored on an open shelf (rather
than in a cupboard) to keep the objects dust-free.
When making the collection of objects, it is important to check
that each object is in top-quality condition, especially as the
recycled or natural objets will be unique, with the possibility of
imperfections, such as sharp edges, loose fragments, etc. Newly
manufactured objects should be perfectly safe, but they need to be
checked, nevertheless, and cleaned before use. Indeed, all objects
should be cleaned before they are placed in the Treasure Basket.
When objects begin to get tired (for example, the bristles of a
brush are beginning to come loose or a sponge is flattened) or
broken, then they should be removed and replacements provided. In
this way the collection of objects will always be safe, as well as
attractive, for exploration.
How long
Ideally, it is good to offer a session lasting between 40 minutes and
one hour. However, even a short session of 15 minutes will have
plenty of 'play value' and takes very little time or efford to
arrange.
Where
You
should find a quiet area, which is not part of a thoroughfare with
people walking about. It needs to be a space where there is a
comfortable soft-furnished chair for the adult and carpeted floor for
the babies to sit on. It is a good idea to provide supporting
cushions for the babies so they feel secure as they reach into the
basket for objects. The carpeted space does not need to be more than
two square metres in size.
However, it is important that this space is protected from the
intrusion of toddlers or older children, who may inadvertently tread
on the babies or be tempted to 'borrow' some of the objects.
How often
Ideally, the Treasure Basket should be offered to the babies on a
daily basis. However, as it is so important for the atmosphere to be
calm and the caregiver quiet and attentive, it is better to miss a
day if there is unexpected disruption or changes to routine (which
create uncertainties for the babies).
Being an
attentive facilitator
Facilitation is, by definition, an 'easing of the way'. The
caregiver is not teaching the baby about the physical characteristics
of objects or how to concentrate. By being attentive to the baby's
emotions and intentions, the caregiver is supportive, responsive and
unobtrusive so the baby is freely motivated to learn these things for
himself. This might involve accepting the baby's offer of an object
to you, exchanging a smile or gently retrieving an object that has
rolled out of the baby's reach. One needs to develop the art of
'alert stillness', which means being observant and attentive without
intrusion or distraction.
Providing an
atmosphere of trust
It is important that the caregiver has a secure and positive
relationship with the baby, so the baby has a secure base from which
to reach out, explore and enjoy the objects, knowing and trusting
that the adult will be there to keep him safe.
Management of
materials
It is the responsibility of the caregivers to make the collection of
suitable and varied objects and to make sure they are cleaned and
replaced (when necessary) to keep them in top-quality condition.
Much emphasis is placed on the importance of adult-child
interaction in the early years. One tends to think of this as
involving the adult 'talking' to the child. While this is certainly
the case for much of the time, it is not so at the Treasure Basket.
The interaction is more subtle (than talking), as has been described
in the previous paragraph. However, it is important that the
caregiver does not carry out a conversation with another adult at
this time, because of the required attentiveness will be all but
lost.
The importance
of sitting comfortably
Unless the adult is comfortable she will not be in a relaxed and
alert state to be fully attentive. In addition, if the adult is not
comfortable, the babies will not be really relaxed or comfortable
either.
...Unless you can relax in an upholstered chair (or large bean
bag) which supports your back, you will either find yourself noticing
and being distracted by your physical discomfort or you will be
moving about to alleviate it (and causing a disturbance) or missing
something in the children's play. In the long run, you are storing
up back problems for yourself. Your comfort is an essential part of
a successful Treasure Basket session.
