Natural resources for babies ?

[mumofone]

What would be considered good natural sources for babies to explore all their senses?

[moggy]

I have a treasure basket, for supervised use by babies, it contains:

Big fir cones
several conkers threaded on a piece of knotted string
pebbles and stones with holes in (too big to choke on but not too heavy to hurt if dropped on toe!)
very big sea shells like oyster and scallop shells
drift wood branch

man-made things made from natural materials like:
shiny metal syrup tin lid
stainless steel pots
silver metal bangle
natural bristle nail brush
piece of cotton ribbon
cotton lace/crochet doily

I also have a bowl of natural tree blocks (with bark on)
We use sand, water
Mud in garden/allotment if they are beyond eating everything

[mumofone]

Thanks moggy it's such a minefield in that they can't have anything they could choke on and put in their mouth.

[Maza]

Wooden spoons, wooden napkin rings/curtain rings, old fashioned wooden pegs, cardboard box...

[moggy]

Thanks moggy it's such a minefield in that they can't have anything they could choke on and put in their mouth.

They can put things in their mouth, that is fine. It is the choking you need to watch, things that might break off or crumble too as well as small things. But there are loads of things you can use- all with close supervision of course.

[Smiley]

It appears more of us are using treasure baskets and natural resources with children and this is one of the reasons I intend to undertake research in this area.

I have submitted a research proposal as part of my MA in Early Childhood Studies, hoping to hear next week if I can go ahead. I'm planning to look at the opportunities for children's curiosity and exploration using open-ended natural resources I shall probably focus on childminders as there is so litte research about home based childcare. I may do a comparative review of different early years settings.

I want to look at training around heuristic play I recently attended 2 days of Fun on the Floor at the TotemPole in Grantham and everyone was really inspired. Early days yet but I itend to use questionnaires as one method of gathering evidence.

[loocyloo]

I have treasure boxes of natural objects, wooden items, metal items, fabric and ribbons plus open boxes on shelves of heuristic bits ... fir cones, sticks, conkers, bits of bark, log slices, corks, feathers, drift wood, old cds, big stones/pebbles, shells, cardboard tubes, velcro strips, wooden lolly sticks, old fashioned pegs, wooden pegs, some caster wheels, bottle tops and small cliplock tubs with pumpkin seeds/pasta/polystyrene puffs/fake crystals/rubber stoppers plus sensory bottles and a selection of small baskets/boxes and inserts from Choc boxes! And probably more!
These open boxes are used all the time for everything and anything.

When I have a spare few hours I need to sort through the cliplock boxes as one dear child consistently mixes all the contents together in a big basket and then packages it up in mixed boxes! She is never happier than when she finds a box I've sorted out or put in new!

I add odds and ends as find them plus dh brings me bits and so do friends!

[loocyloo]

Double post

[loocyloo]

Picture of my heuristic boxes.

Please ignore the sawdust on the floor .. messy play got rather messy this morning!

[Kerry30]

I put corks and old baby food jars of different sizes in mine. Had an lo that would sit for ages just filling the jars with corks,shaking them and emptying them, over and over again. I then added small wooden boxes of different shapes. Endless fun!
Large wooden buttons, brushes.....

[mumofone]

If children are regularly taken outside to touch and feel the environment then is it ok not to have natural resources in the house do you think?

[moggy]

If children are regularly taken outside to touch and feel the environment then is it ok not to have natural resources in the house do you think?

I could not imagine not having natural resources in the house.

Outside natural materials are lovely to touch, but with the British weather and things being wet, squishy, muddy, dirty, dogs etc babies don't get the chance to really sit and investigate a load of pine cones or feel what a piece of drift wood feels like when they try to bite it, or push their hands through piles of autumn leaves when outdoors in nature all that often.

Unless you are a really outdoor based setting (spending most of your time outdoors, which is a challenge in this country unless one has a Scandinavian outlook and set-up) babies may get a walk out in a buggy once or twice a day, a play in the garden or park for an hour maybe (but I find little hands get so cold, and they can't do much in mittens, so it is more like 15 mins a day for 6 months of the year) and that is it. Not much really, sadly. So by bringing the outdoors in they can experience all the sensory benefits of natural materials for far more hours of the day and incorporate then in their play.

If you do not have natural materials indoors, what do you have? Plastic? I have absolutely minimal plastic, it give so little sensory input for babies/children. As well as environmental harm.

BY 'is it OK..?' do you mean OK for Ofsted? Well, that depends on the inspector you get. Nothing in the EYFS says one must have natural resources indoors, BUT I have read reports myself where it has been specifically written as a recommendation and reason for not being good/outstanding.

Do you have concerns about having natural resources? or are you wondering about having too much stuff/storage? I am pretty minimal here- I'd rather chuck out a load of plastic HappyLand buildings and bring in a bowl of tree blocks (and have done!). Then the children can build their own houses for little people. A simple natural resources treasure basket/bowl is easy and cheap to put together.

[sing-low]

It appears more of us are using treasure baskets and natural resources with children and this is one of the reasons I intend to undertake research in this area. I have submitted a research proposal as part of my MA in Early Childhood Studies, hoping to hear next week if I can go ahead. I'm planning to look at the opportunities for children's curiosity and exploration using open-ended natural resources I shall probably focus on childminders as there is so litte research about home based childcare. I may do a comparative review of different early years settings. I want to look at training around heuristic play I recently attended 2 days of Fun on the Floor at the TotemPole in Grantham and everyone was really inspired. Early days yet but I itend to use questionnaires as one method of gathering evidence.
That sounds fantastic, Smiley. Would be really interested to see your research. Don't know about you, but I think that the lack of research into home based childcare is one of the reasons that we get less recognition as childcare professionals than say nurseries.

[Mouse]

If children are regularly taken outside to touch and feel the environment then is it ok not to have natural resources in the house do you think?

Children do so much more with natural resources than just touch and feel them. This week we've had a basket of wooden pieces out. The children have built with them, weighed them, measured them, made a little village for the little wooden figures. Our natural resources are used an awful lot as they can be used for anything.

You don't need to get a lot, or spend a lot. Collect twigs and leaves from outside, look out for wooden objects in charity shops, collect shells from the beach.