Heuristic Treasure Basket

Create a treasure basket for heuristic play 

The items should be selected for their sensory properties, so natural materials are preferable. Smooth plastic, which gives very little sensory feedback, should be avoided.

A word on health and safety

Obviously as a practitioner you are not going to place your children in harm’s way. Some of these objects may be considered to be potentially dangerous, particularly for babies who are still putting things in their mouths. You know your children and what you would be happy for them to experience. You know which ones will always chew first, ask questions later, or see any object as a weapon! This is entirely at your discretion.

Items should be cleaned regularly and thrown away if broken or considered dangerous.

These are real objects and have not been designed as toys, please always assess the risks of using these items.

30cm diameter x 10cm approx height, base 24cm diameter approx

Choose from the available options to create your own selection.

 Of course, these are only suggested activities and you can mix and match the items as you wish. We'd love to see your own ideas.

Some of the items here would work well for this: Sparking Curiosity

Other items you could add:

Egg Cup

Wooden spoon

Woollen pompoms

Range of boxes that will slot inside each other

Sponge

Tubes which will slide inside each other (inside of foil tubes, kitchen rolls, cling films etc)

Strips of materials with different textures

Items with slots or holes (spatulas, rings)

Jar tops

Shells

Corks

Hair rollers of different sizes

Chains of various sizes and shapes

Variety of tins (with safe tops) such as golden syrup tins, biscuit tins

PLEASE NOTE: These suggestions are often real kitchen items not toys, some of which are made from glass. They are only for use under the supervision of an adult, and you should assess the risk posed each time they are used. WARNING: Not suitable for 0-3 years - Small Parts: Choking hazard.