Playful Learning Baskets

Playful learning baskets have been a big hit with Noah since he was about 6 months old, and he currently still enjoys them at 15 months. I love how simple they are to make and you don't have to purchase anything at all for them. You can make them for babies (best once they can sit up solo), toddlers, preschoolers and school age children. I usually choose a theme for each basket and put it out for him to play/learn with a couple times a week. Once he seems to get tired of the basket, I simply empty the basket and fill it with new "themed" objects. They are so easy to make and so much fun! 

Steps to Making Playful Learning Baskets:

1. Find an empty basket

2. Choose a theme
(ex: wooden objects, kitchen utensils, objects that shine, objects that start with the letter B, etc)

3. Fill your basket with 5-10 themed objects

4. Let you child play/learn through hands-on discovery

The photo above was of Noah's first playful learning basket when he was about 6 months. I did not theme this one, but he sure did have fun with it!

The theme to this playful learning basket was "Ribbons and Things". I filled the basket with yarn, ribbons and silk pieces so Noah could learn about different textures through his own discovery.

This is Noah's most recent playful learning basket. He is really fascinated lately with cars, trucks and buses since we see so many pass by each day out in our yard (we live on a very busy street), so I thought it would be fun for him to have a "Things that Go" basket. He had so much fun making each item "go" and is working on his "VROOM!". :) 

Adding literacy to any activity is always a wonderful way to enhance learning. One of Noah's favorite books these days is "Things That GO", so we have been reading it each day to go along with his themed playful learning basket. I love how this book is wooden and wordless. Each time we read it, the pages come alive in a new way!

Enjoy!