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Sensorial Exploration

Treasure basket, color basket, theme baskets or sensory baskets, whatever you chose to call them they are popular, easy, and fun! Oh and very affordable! 

These baskets are not to teach your child colors or anything in particular, they are more to provide a sensorial experience. With that in mind, try to find objects that provide different sensations in the same basket, such as heavy/light, rough/smooth, dark/bright, warm/cold, etc.

We went with color themes but the sky is the limit for these types of baskets. The most important part is just to make sure that if your baby is into mouthing things, only use large objects that are big and safe. Here are a few other themes you can use:

• Natural

• Shapes

• Brushes

• Kitchen utensils

• Animals

• Fabrics

• Metal

• Sounds

• Shiny

• Seasonal

• Wooden blocks

• Themeless

Gather your materials:

-Baskets: no, they don't have to match the color of the theme but we had enough colors for that. We find ours at thrift stores and garage sales, if you'd like more consistent baskets check out THESE or THESE.

-5-10ish objects that match your theme: enough to provide a variety but not so much that it overwhelms. These baskets are for your baby to discover. If you were trying to do a red theme and only found three things, make it a red, orange, yellow theme or just scratch the theme altogether and call it a themeless treasure basket! Keep your eyes open at dollar stores, garage sales, etc. Especially for items that you can use as the child grows (such as small kitchen utensils).

If you are having a hard time finding appropriate things for baskets, check the Montessori Room for options or grab a set of these textured balls.

Presentation

1. Give your baby the basket.

2. Watch him explore!

3. Put the basket away on a shelf.

Variations

Use different themes.