Treasure basket

Today we took an activity from Elinor Goldschmied whose key person system and emphasis on thoughtful, child-focused play fits in perfectly here at Brightly Living Headquarters. Elinor believed that children should have access to everyday, real world objects and materials in play instead of toys.

Putting together treasure baskets for your child could not be easier, or more enjoyable - and infancy is a fantastic time to start. Just drop in some objects with interesting textures, shapes, and colors. What happens with the objects is up to your child, which provides the perfect opportunity for open-ended learning!

Today's fabulous treasure basket included a whisk, a baster, a ribbon, and a seashell that we collected from our most recent beach day. Bee explored these items by touching, holding, dropping, seeing, sucking, and smelling. I let Bee take the lead in the investigation of our objects, so the experience was stimulating without being over-stimulating as it allowed her to control the amount of time spent inspecting each item, and also to return to her favorite ones!

How did I know those sweet little hands would especially love the cold feeling of the metal whisk? I was so pleased that she grabbed this item first, and then raised it up as if to show me how fascinating it was!