DIY ribbon and lace box

It was on holiday that I got the idea for making one of these. Isla is obsessed with laces, labels and tags at the moment (as I'm sure any child her age is). She spends ages playing with them, pulling them, turning them over, waving them in her hands. She just finds them fascinating. Let's face it though, a cord of any kind presents a hazard to children and so, with this in mind, I wanted to make Isla something with ribbons and laces that would actually be safe for her to play with.

To make her 'toy', I used an old shoe box, offcuts of wrapping paper, a variety of colourful laces and ribbons, scissors, cellotape, a knife and a pen. It's better to use a lidded box with a lid that can be completely removed, as this makes it easier for threading the laces and ribbons later on.

I started by covering the shoe box in the wrapping paper. It helps to make a rough net first so that the paper fits neatly around the box. I then used a pen to make holes in the sides and ends of the box and threaded laces through. Once the laces were through each side, I made a large knot at each end so that Isla could pull the laces out slightly but not enough to pose a danger. I should mention at this point that with anything like this, babies should not be left to play unsupervised anyway.

For the ribbons, I used a small sharp knife to cut a slit in the sides of the box and threaded them through. When using the pen/knife to make holes in the box, it helps to wiggle them slightly to increase the size of the holes and this will make it much easier when it comes to threading your materials through. At this point, you could also put some jingle bells (or something noisy) inside the box to make it more multi-sensory. I didn't bother with this though.

I wasn't really sure how well this 'toy' would be received to be honest. Usually when I take lots of time to make something for Isla, it doesn't take long before it's shoved aside in favour of something completely ordinary. However, I was delighted to see her engaging with it for a lot longer than I expected. It's been out on a few occasions since.

A box like this is fantastic for developing a whole host of skills, including concentration, fine-motor skills and problem-solving ability. Making a toy can be a bit soul-destroying when you realise actually they're not so keen on playing with something you've spent a lot of time making and put a lot of thought into. In this case though, my hard work paid off and we've been using the box regularly ever since.

Have you made any DIY toys for your baby before? If so, I'd love to hear your ideas if you have.

Baby's First Easter Basket

I had been toying with the idea of not getting Isla an Easter basket at all. She is, after all, nearly only 7 months so anything chocolatey is completely out of the question. However, I had a bit of a rethink and came to the conclusion that it would be a good idea after all. I thought it was only fair that if I bought Tommy something for Easter, Isla would have to have something too. Also, it wouldn't seem right if the Easter bunny visited and only left something for Tommy. Tommy would be wondering why his sister had been left out! In addition to this, we needed to buy Isla some new books and a few bits and pieces anyway, so I bought we might as well put them together and present them in an Easter basket.

It can be tricky to come up with some ideas as to what to give a young baby for Easter (particularly as most Easter-related gifts tend to revolve around chocolates or sweets) but hopefully this might give you some ideas as to what you might include in an Easter basket. Most of the items I bought were inexpensive, none costing more than a couple of pounds and I bought them all from supermarkets, Amazon and cheap shops like Wilkinsons and Home Bargains. 

Here is how the whole basket looks:

The basket is a peg basket I bought for a pound from the Yorkshire Trading Company and I filled it with two bags of tissue paper straw from the Card Factory. I'm hoping I can reuse the baskets I bought year after year, as I don't like the idea of buying a new one every Easter. However, I did find these baskets a little on the small side for fitting everything I bought to go in them, but this might be due to the fact I went a little overboard on the buying front! 

Isla needed some new books so I thought I'd include several in her Easter basket. I have NO IDEA where Tommy's baby books have gone but we don't seem to have very many at all, despite keeping everything. I decided to buy books that were Easter-themed, as I like building up collections of books for different seasons and occasions.

 

1. 'I love you Bunny' - Home bargains

2. 'Easter Surprise' - Amazon

3. 'That's not my bunny' - Amazon

4. 'That's not my lamb' - Amazon

5. 'Hey diddle diddle' hand puppet book - Home Bargains

ALL gift baskets need to include a cuddly toy of some description in my opinion and this one was no different. I bought this super cute duck rattle from Home Bargains and a cheeping chick from Tesco.

I included some new bath ducks from Tesco and a new Tommee Tippee cup, as we've just recently started weaning and Isla needed a first cup.

The last items I included in Isla's Easter basket were a spinning light-up toy from Home Bargains and some sensory textured eggs I made with Tommy. You can find details on how to make these here. http://mummycollingwood.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/sensory-eggs-for-baby.html

I also purchased Isla a few clothes for her Spring/Summer wardrobe. And that was it! If you've made an Easter basket for a baby/young child, I'd love to hear your ideas as to what gifts you've included in it. I'll be sharing the details of Tommy's Easter basket on the blog in the next few days, so do look out for that! 

Our bath time-themed treasure basket

In my last post, I wrote a guide to using treasure baskets and I promised I'd share with you some of our ideas for objects you might use in them. This is our first of what I'm sure will be many themed baskets. I chose to start with the familiar, and what could be more familiar than the theme of bath time?

Using bath time as a theme for a treasure basket makes it such an easy starting point, because every household probably already has most of the objects you could possibly need to make one. There are lots of possible objects that could be used for this theme. I hadn't collected everything I wanted to, but the number of objects in the basket I made was enough for Isla's first experience of exploring a treasure basket.

Here is ours:

The items we included were: a rubber duck nail brush; a wooden nail brush; two different kinds of loofahs, a toothbrush; a normal sponge and a baby sponge which goes hard when it dries; a rubber duck, a pair of exfoliating mitts and a reflective bath toy from John Lewis. All of these objects were really inexpensive, most of which we had already and the rest we purchased from Wilkinsons. He duck nail brush was purchased at a petrol station, so it just shows you that you can pick up these objects from pretty much anywhere! I always keep my eyes peeled for objects that might be useful as treasure basket items. I'm constantly on the lookout. I didn't take any pictures of Isla exploring her treasure basket, as I was supporting her as she sat. When she's a bit more stable, I'll take a few pictures and put hem up on the blog for you to see.

Isla enjoyed her first experience of using a treasure basket. She enjoyed waving the toothbrush around and was intrigued by the textures of the brushes and loofahs. If your baby isn't able to grasp objects yet, you could always take their socks off and allow them to explore and feel the objects using their feet. We tried this and Isla seemed to enjoy it.

An introduction to using treasure baskets

I first heard about treasure baskets when I attended baby sessions atmy local Surestart children's centre with my eldest, who's now three. They were regularly used during our baby and toddler PEEP sessions and I bought they were such a wonderful idea. So I set out with really good intentions, collecting a range of interesting objects when and where I saw them and searching online for ideas and inspiration. But it never went much further than that. Because I was always buying odd objects here and there, I often forget I had them, where I had put them, or ended up using them myself for some other purpose. So I thought I'd do it properly this time. I'd get ready in advance, become really prepared and make much mor elf an effort to use treasure baskets in our play.

What is a treasure basket?
A treasure basket is a basket or box full of interesting, unusual or everyday objects (usually around 20-30 different items). The items can be completely random and unrelated, or you might consider, as we have done, making some treasure baskets up with items that are related to one another or follow a specific theme. We have collected items as we've gone along and I pick them up very regularly as and when I see them. Most of the items I've bought I've got from Wilkinsons, The Range, major supermarkets, Home Bargains and other discount stores. Other items I've found in eBay.

What is the idea behind a treasure basket?
Playing with a treasure baskets falls under the term 'heuristic play.' Heuristic play describes the activity of babies and children playing with and exploring the property of objects from the real world. Heuristic play is a different experience for babies and toddlers; babies explore and make sense of objects using their senses, whilst toddlers discover how objects can be used and the relationship between them.

Plastic toys dominate the toy market but plastic can be boring for babies, it doesn't have an interesting texture, it doesn't smell of much, there is not much for them to 'experience' unless it rattles or makes some other kind of noise. So plastic toys don't provide much of a sensory experience. Treasure baskets can fill that void, offering objects that appeal to all the senses and therefore provide a rich learning experience for babies. They also offer babies contact with the outside world, encouraging them to problem solve and to make their own decisions.

When is a good time to introduce a treasure basket? 
Treasure baskets tend to be used from when babies reach a point they can sit unaided (around 6 months) until they reach around 16-18 months. Isla is able to sit unaided, but for only a very short period of time. We've found placing her in her Bumbo and putting the basket on top of a small box is one way of allowing her to explore a treasure basket until she can sit for a longer period of time. If you have a Bumbo with a tray, you could place a range of objects on the tray for your baby to explore. You could also perhaps do the same with your baby in a high chair. It is better to use a treasure basket once your baby can sit unaided, because this way they can access the objects themselves and make choices about what they would like to explore - an integral part of the activity.

What can I put in a treasure basket? 
Suitable items for treasure baskets include objects from the natural world, objects made out of any material other than plastic and everyday items that can be found in and around the home. As long as they don't present a choking hazard, they have no sharp edges and are safe for a baby to use, they can be included in a treasure basket. Do bear in mind that babies explore objects not only with their hands but also their mouths, so you need to choose objects that would be safe to do so. Items in the basket must be regularly checked to make sure they are still safe for your baby to handle.

How do I use a treasure basket? 
Using a treasure basket is simple: place it within your baby's reach and leave them to explore. It is important to stay close to your baby, not only for safety reasons, but also so that you can offer support and encouragement as they play. Interaction with them should be kept to a minimum. Your baby should be left to explore objects independently, to make their own choices, to 'use' them how they so wish. There is no right or wrong way to use the objects and being unobtrusive allows babies to develop confidence and concentration and play at their own pace.

As with any other kind of play time, ensure play is focused on the treasure basket by removing all other distractions (turning off the TV/radio etc). Also choose a time when your baby is relaxed, not tired or hungry. It is important that the treasure basket comes out for 30 minutes to an hour and then gets put away; leaving it out for your baby to play with all the time will only reduce the curiosity you are seeking to develop by using one in the first place. For the same reason, it is important to change items in the basket frequently. There should always be something interesting and new to explore. We tend to have one basket we put a selection of objects in for exploring and then a large container for all the objects we use in a treasure basket.

I'll be sharing some of my ideas for treasure baskets in subsequent posts, so look out for these. If you have any ideas as to objects to use, I'd love you to share them.

Happy treasure hunting!