Treasure baskets are a really simple and fun activity that babies and toddlers will love. My two have both enjoyed exploring treasure baskets and I shared a valentine’s day treasure basket with you last week. This week I am going to share with you a nursery rhyme treasure basket that both my girls have loved over the years.
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It’s really simple to put together a nursery rhyme treasure basket. As I have two young children, we have quite a lot of small toys that are suitable for these kinds of treasure baskets. Toys like Duplo, Happyland and wooden peg board pieces are some of the toys I include most often but you might have other suitable toys. As well as toys to represent the nursery rhymes and song, sometimes I add a few musical instruments too.
Your toddler may have some favourite nursery rhymes already or perhaps you are thinking of making a nursery rhyme treasure basket as a way of introducing your baby to nursery rhymes.
My toddler loves Row, row, row your boat, sleeping bunnies and Twinkle, twinkle so I try to include these each time. She knows the actions and also says “row, row, row”.
It’s nice to encourage favourites as well as introduce new rhymes. I have included a list of nursery rhymes and suitable nursery rhyme props below if you are looking for inspiration but you might have other ideas based on the contents of your toy box or your child’s favourite rhymes.
Once I have collected together a basket of props, I sit down with my child. I Place the basket in front of her and let her explore. There is no right way to play with a treasure basket, see what your child does.
Sometimes mine will pull the items out one by one and sometimes they will tip the basket out completely. When she picks up a toy, I start singing the nursery rhyme it corresponds with to her. Sometimes she will join in with the actions or the words/sounds she knows. Other times she will continue to explore the toys or perhaps pick up a musical instrument to play along with the rhyme.
Every time the basket comes out it is different including how long it is played with for. Sometimes she will sit and enjoy it for a while and other times she will get up and walk away almost immediately.
Ideas for nursery rhymes props:
- Row, row, row your boat – a boat and if you have them the animals crocodile, lion and polar bear
- Old MacDonald had a farm – a farmer and a selection of farm animals
- Baa, baa black sheep – a sheep
- The wheels on the bus – a bus
- Incy, wincy spider – a spider
- 5 little ducks – a duck
- Horsey, horsey – a horse
- Sleeping bunnies – a rabbit
- Hey diddle, diddle – a cat, cow and/or moon
- Twinkle, twinkle – a star
- Timmy turtle – a turtle
- Hickory, Dickory, Dock – a mouse &/or clock
- This little piggy – a pig
- Two little dicky birds – a bird
I’d love to know if you have ever done a similar activity with your child in the comments or perhaps they have a favourite nursery rhyme I have forgotten?
More great sensory play ideas for babies and toddlers
Find loads of simple outdoor activities for babies
We love coloured rice sensory play
Another great rice sensory play tray can be found here.
Or how about rainbow spaghetti sensory play?
If you’re looking for more mess free sensory play, find 15 fantastic sensory toys for toddlers here.
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Oh my goodness I love this idea so much! Will definitely have to save this to remember to do it when Baby number 3 arrives!
Thank you. It really doesn’t take a lot of effort.
Wish I had done these when mine were babies, looks so fun x
I’m sure you did other things instead.
Love the idea of a nursery rhyme themed one. Great way to get.babies recognising things and matching them to the songs
Thank you. It is great for recognition and language development.
A great idea! I will have to remember this when my newest addition is old enough 🙂
Jemma x
It won’t be long! Treasure baskets are great from as soon as babies can sit up.
Lovely idea. They do a similar thing at rhyme times and play groups I’ve been to in the past but never thought to try it at home too.
We don’t get to groups as often as I’d like so it’s nice to things at home too.
What a lovely idea x
thank you.
I absolutely love this idea and am definitely going to do it with my two! Thanks for sharing #kcacols
I hope they enjoy it as much as mine do.
Got to love a good treasure basket, especially a nursery rhyme themed one! You’ve inspired me to share ours via the blog so thank you xx #KCACOLS
I’m glad I’ve inspired you. Email me the link is you do share it as I’m planning a round up style post on different treasure baskets.
I used to love making my kids sensory baskets when they were toddlers. Never thought to do a nursery rhyme one. Great idea! #KCACOLS
It’s lovely to make sensory baskets for young children.
What a good yet simple idea. Thank you! #KCACOLS
Glad you liked it.
Aww this is so cute! I did a sensory box with my son when he was a baby, his poor sister hasn’t got anything like that yet but maybe I’ll do this when she’s a bit bigger because her big brother can help her with the rhymes! #KCACOLS
It is harder with your second. I don’t do half as much with E as I di with my first.
super cute. i used to make little themed baskets for b and he loved it #KCACOLS
Babies and toddlers do seem to love them.
Oh! This is a super adorable idea 🙂 Will definitely keep this idea in mind. Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next time
Thank you.
This is such a cute idea, however little man is firmly fixed on his love of little mix and the trolls soundtrack hahah! #sharingthebloglove
Hahaha! Love it. Basket of trolls?
I love this idea- it’s amazing what objects you can find around the house and in their toy box to match to nurser rhymes. Will definitely try this with my 2 year old x #sharingthebloglove
I’m sure your 2 year old will love it. So many nursery rhymes are based on popular kids toys like farm animals.
what a lovely idea #KCACOLS
Thank you.
At our local play group we have always had the little ones pull an item out of the bag and then sing s Nursery rhyme relating to that item. I don’t know why I didn’t think of making these before. You introduced them to me worn your valentines box. I defo need to make one. I think my three year old will love it. We often find items relating to books we are reading
#KCACOLS
They do the same at our play group too. I’m glad my posts are inspiring you.
This is a lovely idea – I have so many of those things, so I’m definitely going to try this with my little one! I sang lots of nursery rhymes with my eldest, and they’re all coming back to me now! Thanks for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove
I’m sure he’ll love it.
This is such a great idea! I’ve done treasure boxes before but wouldn’t have thought to do one that was nursery rhyme themed. You’ve given me something to think about. My son absolutely loves nursery rhymes even though he’s still quite young so doesn’t really understand them yet. I still think he’d really enjoy this. #KCACOLS
We sing nursery rhymes all the time in our house, they are always a favourite. This is a lovely idea to theme the treasure basket, my girls would’ve loved this as babies. Thank you for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove
What a lovely fun activity to do with the little ones. I cant remember doing this when mine were little although there was lots of singing in our house:)
Mainy
#KCACOLS
Such a gorgeous and simple idea! I need to do this for my 2yo #KCACOLS