0mo–11mo10 minFree playFamily timeQuiet time
Treasure Basket Taster
A supervised ‘treasure basket’ exploration where you offers your child a small range of safe everyday objects to explore, building curiosity about how objects feel, look, and behave when handled.
What you'll need
Essentials
- a sturdy container or basket (no sharp edges)
- 4–6 safe everyday objects (large enough not to be a choking hazard), e.g., wooden spoon, silicone spatula, whisk, soft cloth, large plastic cup, empty clean container with lid
Nice to have
- a soft blanket or mat for sitting
- a mirror (unbreakable) for extra visual interest
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneExplores objects through the sensesBody· 0mo–11mo· core
- MilestoneExplores objects by linking together different approaches: shaking, hitting, looking, feeling, tasting, mouthing, pulling, turning and poking.Body· 8mo–20mo· core· Step 2
- MilestoneRepeats actions that have an effect, e.g. kicking or hitting a mobile or shaking a rattle.Mind· 0mo–11mo· core· Step 3
- MilestoneExperiments with object actionsMind· 8mo–20mo· core· Step 3
- MilestoneHas a strong exploratory impulse.Mind· 8mo–20mo· stretch
- MilestoneReaches for nearby objectsBody· 4mo–11mo· core· Step 1
- MilestoneReaches accurately and graspsBody· 3mo–6mo· stretch· Step 1
- MilestoneExplores objects by mouthingBody· 4mo–8mo· stretch· Step 2
- MilestoneCopies simple gestures or actionsMind· 6mo–2.3y· core· Step 3
What it practices
- The beginnings of understanding technology lie in babies exploring and making sense of objects and how they behave.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Looks around a room with interest; visually scans environment for novel, interesting objects and events.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Moves eyes, then head, to follow moving objects.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Smiles with pleasure at recognisable playthings.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Provide a range of everyday objects for babies to explore and investigate such as treasure baskets.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)