Arrrrghhh A Baby's Treasure

Treasure baskets are another Montessori inspired concept that I discovered during my research and reading of Montessori practices before Sean started at his Montessori school. These simple baskets, or boxes, are an easy and essentially FREE way to engage your infant’s innate desire to explore and discover on their own.

To make a treasure basket, find a basket (“Montessorians” lean towards natural products like wooden baskets) or a box that is sturdy and is the proper size to allow your infant to safely be able to remove and place objects from. Next find 8-15 items that appeal to your infant’s senses. Think about how it feels in their hand, can they roll it, does it make a sound, how does it feel or taste? These items should be things from around the house of from nearby nature. Place all of the items in the basket and let your baby explore.

 * Olivia at 5 and 11 months!

 

Olivia loves to take everything out of the basket, inspect each item, and then place it back in the basket. I often place a large quilt on the kitchen floor and give her a treasure basket while I cook. It’s a great way to keep her actively engaged in something other than destroying the kitchen while I attempt to cook or clean.

So what should you put in your baby’s treasure basket? Glad you asked!!! They can be any odds or ends that are baby safe (try to avoid electronic toys). I love themes, so I tend to pick items that share a commonality. I have done treasure baskets for the following:

·         Seasonal (Sean collected various items on a fall nature walk- leaves, pine cones, sticks, rocks. I choose items that were safe for Olivia to taste.)

·         Wood (I included some of my wooden cooking utensils, a variety of Sean’s wooden blocks, a train track, coaster, unsharpened pencil, and paintbrush.)

·         Textiles ( I used random scraps of ribbon, felt square, wash cloth, tissue paper, old bib, faux craft fur, sock, scarf, and large pomp pom)

·         Balls (This is her current favorite! I gathered all the balls of various size and texture. Some make noise, some are rough, some light up, some are cloth…just tons of balls)

 

 

For older toddlers you could do color, shape, or beginning sound  themed baskets.

One thing that I love about the Montessori educational philosophy is the freedom of learning through exploration. They begin with the child’s desire to explore, to spark a genuine desire to dig deeper. It starts from the beginning! Engaging infants and children doesn’t require all the bells, whistles, lights, and batteries. Sometimes we just need to slow down and enjoy the simple things much like our wee ones.