Create a Treasure Basket

I put together the foundations of Orla's treasure basket just before she was six months old. I had read about the benefits of heuristic play - children's exploration of everyday objects and experimentation with them - and the idea of a treasure basket that she could dip into and that I could add to, update and regenerate in order to create something that she could enjoy for many months, or even years, really appealed to me. The fact that it costs almost nothing to make was an added bonus!

The idea is to collect objects that are made from materials other than the smooth, shiny plastic that most children's toys are made from, allowing the child to feel, mouth and play with a wide variety of shapes, sizes and textures. Aim to collect 20-30 objects to begin with; over time, as your baby grows old enough to handle other objects, or requires new items to add interest, you can increase to 60-80 objects. You may need to find a bigger basket, too!

I began with a shallow, straw bread basket, approximately 16 inches in diameter. I collected together cotton, silk, wool, fleece and felt items, wooden spoons and hairbrushes, a bamboo calligraphy brush, loofah, sisal and sponge objects, grosgrain, satin and glitter ribbons, tin boxes and metal spoons, a rubber ball, a feathered shuttlecock, large smooth pebbles, a straw tablemat, a ball of silver foil, cardboard tubes, postcards and thick paper coasters... and so the list goes on. As you can see, I was able to pick most of them up in half an hour as I wandered from room to room. Since then, I have found or acquired silk purses, individually knotted beads, a fat pincushion (minus pins!), a hessian chopstick sheath, wooden top and toys, to name but a few - and a much larger and deeper woven willow basket with a handle!

Keep the basket away from everyday toys, somewhere it can be put away between playtimes. When you want to use it, choose a time when your child is happy and rested; clear away all other toys and introduce the basket, allowing him or her to choose the objects that look most appealing. Let them play for about 30 minutes or so, or until they begin to lose interest. Some items (the paper and card) will disintegrate and need to be replaced; others will last the lifespan of the treasure basket, when you can return them to the drawers they came from...

Orla has spent countless hours enjoying her constantly evolving heap of treasures and I've loved finding new additions for her to examine. And because the point of the exercise is non-directed exploration and discovery, I've been able to sit back, watch her indulge her natural curiosity - and to enjoy a HOT cup of tea and the Guardian quick crossword, too!