Christmas Treasure Basket

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Articles for general Ealry Years reading ..

Christmas Treasure Basket

Treasure Basket PDF

Store and use when needed

What is a Treasure basket …

Treasure Baskets are collections of items that can represent a theme, a focus or in general are user familiar household items …
Given free access they allow for a completely ‘hands on holistic play experience and exploration opportunity.

Everyday and representational items that let the children see, look, touch, name and recognise, understand and put function to !

Our Christmas Basket holds ‘Treasures associated with Christmas time ..
your basket may well hold different items that you find personally indicative of Christmas.

Some objects inside the basket may be unsuitable for the children to play with unsupervised - risk assess.

Guidance is given on how you can introduce each piece and how you can help the children understand it’s relevance to Christmas.

CHRISTMAS BASKET
our demo one doesn’t have all these items in !!

Please remember to decide for yourself if you feel these items are suitable for your home / Child / Setting.

Talk about the object.

Give it a name.

Touch and manipulate it.

Explore thoughts and feelings on the item ~ it’s shape, colour, texture

What material it is made from, what it does and how it is used.

Is it an object the children are familiar with – if yes, where from and who uses it.

Make your Christmas an exploring one .....

DECORATIONS

Christmas Stocking.

Balloons ~ Some children are afraid of balloons so whilst being a part of traditional Christmas festivities they may not be suitable for your group or home.

Tinsel ~ cut lengths of about 12” so avoiding strangulation but the children can still enjoy the feel & texture if wrapped around an arm or wrist.

Crackers ~ Remove the Snaps if necessary – of supervise closely through the exploration.

Small voile bags of glitter and Sequins.

IN THE HOME

Trays ~ use these to display things on as well as talking about the job a Tray does!!

Tea towels

Oven Glove

Serviettes and Holders

Name place holders

Apron

Table Cloth

MISCELLANEAUS

Tins ~ candles, food storage decorative ones..

Paper Bags

Calendar

Diary

DRESS

Christmas Hat

Hand Muff

Gloves

Woolly Hat

NATURE

Dried fruit

Orange & lemon fruit

Spices

Voile bags of Cinnamon sticks.

Fir cones

Dry leaves

Walnuts, Brazil, Almond, Hazel, Chestnuts nuts ~ PLEASE check for allergies and supervise these items extremely closely.

PRESENTS

Selection of Christmas wrapping papers

Different, Ribbons, laces,

Christmas Cards

Envelopes

Sticky tape

Scissors

Pens & Pencils

Sticky labels

Small Gift bag ~ can also house all the above !!

Additional Items / ideas …

Christmas music on CD

Portable CD player & earphones

SAFETY NOTICE

ALWAYS check and remove items that are unsafe if the Child is to play alone with the Treasure basket & its contents.

Small items that could cause choking

Lengths of items – scarves, tinsel, rope etc – that could be wrapped around their necks and strangle.

Items that may resemble food ~ playdough, Clay.

Sharp, brittle or glass items – that may shatter if thrown, dropped or knocked together.

Never include poisonous items – berries, mushroom/fungi.

Links of interest:

Treasure Basket PDF from Surestart.gov.uk

An introduction to Treasure baskets by RNIB - Royal National Institute of Blind people
In addition to this lin the RNIB now have an extensive support section for Early years: Supporting Early Years education

Treasure Basket image search from Google