Treasure Baskets
Treasure Baskets are baskets that contain a vast range of everyday objects that are usually made from natural materials for babies to sit next to and explore. The baskets have a broad base and a large opening at the top so the baby can see all in the basket and access it easily if they wish. The items in the baskets are kept clean, safe and hygienic as babies enjoy exploring with their mouths.
We use Treasure Baskets at The Gower School as they assist babies in developing a number of skills. Young children enjoy learning and exploring through sensory play. They respond to their surroundings through the senses of touch, smell, taste, hearing, sight and movement. Treasure Baskets provide babies with a wide range of experiences which aid the brain to make connections and develop. Babies learn from Treasure Baskets by looking, touching, sucking, licking, banging, picking up and dropping. It gives babies the opportunity to explore and decide independently whatever they wish to play with.
An adult always sits nearby so they are able to observe and supervise. It is not necessary for an adult to intervene unless it is clearly required; in fact adult interference is discouraged.
We use Treasure Baskets with Les Nounours, the 3 months to 14 months group, each day from 4.00pm to 6.00pm.
Heuristic Play
The word ‘heuristic’ comes from the Greek ‘Eureka’ meaning discovery, and so the purpose of Heuristic Play is to find out and discover by trial and error. As babies develop, they have a natural growing curiosity to explore items and see what can be done with them. Heuristic Play consists of providing children with a large number of varied objects and receptacles with which they are able to explore freely for as long as they desire. It is a natural progression from Treasure Baskets and was developed by a team of child experts.
Heuristic Play provides children with the chance to strengthen cognitive development, fine muscle control and also hand eye coordination. Toddlers have the urge to handle objects and like to gather them, fill them, stack them and manipulate them in any way they can. Heuristic Play sessions allow children to do this with a wide range of real objects in a safe and secure environment for as long as they wish. It also helps their attention span as children of this age tend to have difficulty in staying focused on something for more than a few minutes. In addition to this, children benefit from handling ‘real’ objects made from metal or wood rather than plastic as it helps the refinement of their senses as they explore the items.
Heuristic Play is suitable for babies and toddlers and take place:
Les Nounours (3 months to 14 months) have Heuristic Play sessions every day from 4pm to 6pm.
Les Petits Lapins (14 months to 2 ½ years) and Les Petits Poussins (18 months to 2 ½ years) have Heuristic Play sessions two to three times a week during the morning from 9.30am to 11.30am.