Treasure Basket Stories
To develop early symbolic thinking and vocabulary through narrating treasure basket exploration.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Literacy
- Learning area: Literacy
- Level: EYFS Birth-2
Objectives
- Explores objects with sustained attention
- Responds to adult narration
- Returns to favourite objects
- Shows pleasure in sensory exploration
Materials
- Treasure basket with natural objects
- Descriptive language cards
- Comfortable floor space
- Fabric pieces of varied textures
Instructions
Set up a treasure basket with six to eight natural objects (wooden spoon, metal cup, shell, pine cone, fabric piece, stone, cork, lemon). Sit nearby as the baby explores.
Narrate the baby's actions as a story: 'You found the pine cone! It's rough and bumpy. Now you're putting it in the cup — clunk! And now you're finding... the shell! That's smooth and cool.'
Your narration is creating a real-time narrative around the baby's lived experience. This is the earliest form of storytelling — and the baby is the main character.
Use rich descriptive vocabulary: 'The lemon is smooth and yellow. It smells zingy! Shall we sniff? Ooh!' You're building a bank of adjectives and sensory language.
Resist the urge to direct. The baby chooses what to explore — you follow and narrate. This child-led approach respects agency while flooding with language.
Over sessions, notice the baby developing preferences and returning to favourite objects. This is early 'rereading' — revisiting known material for comfort and deeper understanding.