Treasure Baskets

In the early months following diagnosis parents often want to know how they can help their baby and young child in practical terms. There are many things that you can do to help your child to develop and there is information that you can access to help you through these early stages, such as:

• By creating a loving and stimulating environment, you can introduce your child to new experiences and awaken their interest in the people, things and places around them.
•  And there are people to help too. Your local authority (LA) should have at least one qualified teacher of visually impaired children (QTVI) to work with you and your child both at home and in nursery. If you have difficulty getting help, or need the details of the specialist teacher in your area, contact the NBCS Starting Point Helpline on 0800 781 1444

The concept of Treasure Baskets - an idea originally created by Elinor Goldschmied. Treasure Baskets are now a popular activity used in many early years settings to promote learning with babies.

Treasure Baskets are particularly relevant for babies and young children who are blind or have a vision impairment because they can offer a range of direct hands-on sensory experiences. It is a simple, fun and very effective way of enriching the early experiences of children with sight problems and it is also a resource that parents can create cheaply and easily at home.

What is a Treasure Basket?

A Treasure Basket is a shallow, sturdy basket containing a collection of everyday items, none of which are plastic. Most of the objects are in everyday use by adults and are made of natural materials. The items in the basket vary in weight, size, texture, colour, taste, temperature and sound, and all the items are chosen to stimulate one or more of the five senses. Children explore the Treasure Basket using their senses to discover what an object is, what it is like and perhaps what it does when shaken or manipulated.

What does the child gain from a Treasure Basket?

Children learn by exploration and experience. A Treasure Basket brings many items within reach that a child may not have had the opportunity to handle. A child can feel items with their hands, feet, fingers and mouth. By having this opportunity a child discovers weight, texture and size. Does it have a smell? Can you taste it? Wave it, does it make a noise? Drop it and what happens? Can I put it inside another object? Can I join two items together? What happens when I bang one item against another?

Particularly for a young child with a sight problem, it may be some time before they are ready to move confidently around their environment and find different objects for themselves. This is because children with sight problems are often later in learning to crawl and walk. At times a child with a sight problem can seem less confident to handle unfamiliar objects and textures and this type of play, introduced early on, can help to avoid this. It is also much easier and more pleasurable to learn about the properties of objects when each one is distinctly different.

How the idea of a Treasure Basket came about

Elinor Goldschmied spent time observing children and their parents. She looked at how children gained knowledge of the world around them and how parents often give children objects to explore. For example, if when out a baby or child gets upset, we often give them something to play with that is to hand and which makes a noise or can be fiddled with, such as a bunch of keys. When we are busy in the kitchen a child sitting on the floor will often reach for the spoon we have dropped or the pots and pans in the cupboard.

These observations led Elinor Goldschmied to the development of the Treasure Basket as a way of helping children to learn, explore and have fun. Treasure Basket ideas were originally designed for babies who are sitting but not yet on the move. The basket is a good exploratory resource for babies and children who are not independently mobile.

‘Babies given safe, stimulating and supportive opportunities 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 which foster their earliest learning.’
Goldschmied, E 1989

Why no plastics?

Many plastic objects are similar in many ways. They are often all smooth, have no smell and no taste. In our manufactured world, adults and babies use plastic objects every day and a child gains experience of these objects from handling bottles, cups, toys and rattles. By offering a whole range of objects which are not plastic, we increase the opportunities for a child to explore and learn.

Items in a Treasure Basket

The items contained in the basket fall under six headings. The following list gives ideas for each heading. You can experiment with likes and dislikes. It is sometimes best to start with a small number of items at first and to introduce new objects gradually. This way a child can find their favourite objects and notice when something new has been presented:

Natural objects

• pumice stone

• a lemon

• natural loofah

Natural materials

• little basket

• wooden nail brush

• paint brush

Wooden objects

• curtain rings

• clothes pegs

• egg cup

Metal objects

• spoons

• bunch of keys

• bunch of bells

Leather, rubber, textiles

• leather purse

• bath plug and chain

• ribbon and lace

Paper/Cardboard

• greaseproof

• paper

• boxes

• tubes

What else can I put in my Treasure Basket?

Objects that rattle.

Choose varying shapes and materials that produce different sounds. These offer instant reward for effort and their entertainment value for a child is immense.

Objects that fit inside one another, such as boxes and pegs or graded measuring spoons.

These help children to discover ideas a combining objects.

Building and demolition articles, which fit together and take apart, such as wooden blocks, zipped leather purse, a box with a lid.

These may encourage your child to combine objects and to notice smaller details and encourage finer manipulative skills.

Objects to follow, such as wooden eggs, balls and tubes that roll.

Children can use sound to follow the object as it makes a noise on the floor, perhaps encouraging them to reach out. They can use sweeping movements with arms and legs to try to find the object by touch. Many children can also use their vision to follow an object - particularly if it contrasts well against a plain background.

Popular objects

The following items have proved popular. Find out what a child enjoys best.

• spoon

• pastry brush

• wooden egg cup

• natural loofah

• cane coaster

• empty boxes, various sizes

• wooden and metal curtain rings

• glasses case

• leather bag and purse

• avocado pear stone

• bottle brush

• maraca

• velvet hair bands and scrunchies

• orange

• lemon

• shells

• cork

• pine cone

• shaving brush

• little baskets

• toothbrush

• bamboo whistle

• large beads on a string

• small bowls

• wooden lemon squeezer

• scent bottles

• closed tins containing different sounds

• small egg whisk

• cloth bags containing scent

• bean bag

• various fabrics - satin, lace, chamois leather

• powder puff

• nylon pan scourer

• chain - various lengths and thickness

• wooden foot massager

• honey drizzler

• survival blanket

• ...and many, many more!

These are just a few objects you could include. There are many more interesting items you will discover.

Points to consider - safety

• Choose a basket that is strong and durable, without jagged edges.

• Objects should be washable, disposable, and replaceable. For example, pieces of fabric.

• Each object should be clean and safe. Always check the basket regularly.

• Be watchful of painted or varnished items. Check they are non-toxic and if in any doubt do not include them.

Points to consider - maximising play opportunities

• Aim for a variety of shape, texture, weight and colour.

• Be wary of including 'soft' toys, as their information and interest value can be limited. Often cuddly toys do not offer a solid shape (the shape changes when hugged, bent or squashed) so some young children do not recognise them as an object.

• Consider where to place the Treasure Basket in relation to the child. For example, would the child find it easier to reach in front, or to one side? Have you made exploring the basket as easy as possible?

• Find out what the range of the child's vision is so you can use the Treasure Basket within this range. If you know the child has better vision on one side, present objects from this side. For some children you will need to place the Treasure Basket where it is touching them so they remember where it is and can keep returning to find different objects.

• Consider lighting conditions in the room. For example, it is preferable to sit the child with their back to a light source or window so that they are not affected by glare. The glare from a window can stop a child with a sight problem from seeing objects as well as they could.

• Try to provide a good contrasting background that the objects can be seen against. For example, sit the child with their Treasure Basket on a plain tablecloth or floor rug.

• Allow the child the time to look or feel for fallen objects. If necessary help the child by taking their hand towards the object or moving the object in towards their body where they can feel it or hear it, rather than putting the object straight into their hands.

• Observe how the child interacts with, and explores, the Treasure Basket. Do you need to offer some new objects to explore? How can you make it more interesting? Is there an object that the child doesn't like?

• Children all develop at different rates. With regard to exploration, be aware of the stage the child is at. You may choose to introduce one item at a time.

The Be Active Box and Little Room

Treasure Basket ideas can also be adapted for children who are not yet sitting. Items can be put in a Be Active Box or Little Room, or suspended from a baby gym.

The Little Room is an idea devised by Lilli Nielson for children with sensory difficulties. You can make a Little Room from a large cardboard box. Place the box down on its side with the child lying just inside the opening. Line the sides with textured materials and suspend objects securely from the top so that they hang down within the child's reach. In this way, the environment is brought in closer to the child so that it is easier for your child to see, touch and hear the objects. The Be Active Box and Little Room are available commercially.

This document is based on an original effective practice guide from RNIB, with some minor amendments to make it consistent with NBCS’s house style.