The Treasure Basket is the wonderfully apt name given, by Elinor Goldschmied (an educator in early child development), for a basket filled with simply scores of interesting objects.

The treasure basket should be filled with approximately 60 different objects. The baby is seated beside it and will have at arms length a fantastic array of exciting items, from which he can choose what he wants to mouth, handle or play with.

The treasure basket should be approx 4 inches high and 12-14 inches in diameter. It should be filled with household objects ranging from tea strainers, napkin rings, pine cone, whisk etc.

The feel of these objects, will facinate the baby and he will chew, smell and feel the objects getting used to different textures.

While playing with the treasure basket your baby will be learning powers of concentration, and an interest in his world, which will give him the best start in life that you could ever wish for. Although you may feel that you wish to handle these items for yourself, a baby does not need adult help, comments or encouragement. In fact a baby will get the best out of his basket if left to his own devices with it, however he should not be left unsupervised.

Your house is full of treasures which a baby cannot reach, so why not introduce him to these treasures using the treasure basket.

Here are some idea's of what you can put in the treasure basket. The purpose of this collection is to offer the maximum interest through:

Touch, texture, shape & weight

Smell

Taste

Sound, ringing, tinkling, banging & Scrunching

Sight, shininess, colour, form length.

Natural Objects

Fir cones, large pebbles, shells, Big feather, pumice stone, corks,advocado pear stones, piece of loofah, small natural sponge, A lemon, An apple.

Objects of natural materials

Woollen ball, small raffia mat, wooden nail brush

toothbrush, little baskets, bone shoe horn.

Wooden Objects

Small boxes, cotton reel, Rattle, Bamboo whistle, egg cup, clothes peg, coloured beads on string, spoon, spatula.

Metal Objects

Spoons, Small egg whisk, Bunch of keys, bunch of bells, pettipans, lemon squeezer, Brass cutain rings, small harmonica,tea strainer, Small metal frame mirror, bottle brush.

Objects in textiles

Small leather purse, colours marble eggs, bouncy ball, velvet powder puff, small rag doll, tennis ball, bath plug with chain,Lavender bag, bean bag.etc

Text taken from 'The treasure basket by Anita M Hughes.'