Treasure baskets are great for engaging your baby into the natural discovery of everyday objects found in the home.

Babies are curious about their surroundings and learn through their senses.

Things to know:

• You can let your baby reach for items themselves and watch how they investigate the object.
• Your baby will explore the objects in a variety of ways, including looking, touching, bashing, tasting, etc.
• Name the objects for your baby and talk about each item.
• Clean the objects regularly and have fun with your baby.

Safety note: Only use items which are safe for your child to use and put into their mouths. This play must be supervised by an adult.

Things to try:

Find a basket or box with strong sides, that your child can easily access. Fill this with a variety of objects such as:

• Wooden utentsils.
• Metal utensils.
• Pieces of material.
• Nail brush.
• Bracelets.

For more information on helping your child to communicate, visit How can I help my child communicate with me? – BBC Tiny Happy People.

For more information on the importance of play for babies, visit Why is it important to play with newborns? – BBC Tiny Happy People.

For more information on how toddlers learn through play, visit How toddlers learn through play – BBC Tiny Happy People.