Treasure Baskets, Sensory Play Resources and Training
Our senses are the gateway to all learning, essential to children's development and hardwiring the brain. We specialise in providing hand-made Treasure Baskets and a range of gorgeous sensory-rich resources, perfect for providing early sensory stimulation. Recognised as Sensory Play experts we pride ourselves on offering multi-award winning, safety tested toys, backed up by a solid foundation of research.
SAFETY
Here at Play to Z we have worked really hard to give you maximum peace of mind when it comes to safety. Every item in our gorgeous Treasure Baskets and Stacking Hoops has been selected not just for its sensory appeal but has been rigorously safety tested to exacting toy safety standards. This means that from wooden spoon to brushes, whole orange to handmade pottery pebble, each and every item has been subjected to drop, pressure, torque and small parts tests as well as being set on fire and chemically tested! The EN71 test gives you peace of mind that Playscope Treasure Baskets are not just wonderful for supporting children’s bodies and brain development but safe too. We know that babies and children can’t resist playing with our resources so we are not going to tell you that Treasure Baskets are not toys. From wooden spoon to hand knitted teddy each Treasure Basket has been officially approved as a toy, which means that supervision is not technically needed. We also know how important it is for adults to watch children’s play with resources like these as we can discover so much through play and it provides a wonderful opportunity to bond and learn. Buying a Treasure Basket can be one of the most important purchases you will make for a baby’s growth and development. As parents and practitioners you want the best for your children so how can you make sure that a Treasure Basket is EN71 tested? It’s simple - just ask as it’s much too important to leave to chance. Playscope Treasure Baskets are the only EN71 tested baskets in the world. You can count on us to put children’s safety first.
Play to Z offers four multi-award winning ranges of sensory play resources designed to meet babies and children’s every sensory need:
Sensory Bambini, Playscope, Little Explorers and Sensory Tales.
Take a look at our wonderful British-made resources to discover how they support whole body exploration, concentration, problem solving, creativity, language and imagination galore. Older children too thrive on sensory-rich, open ended play. Our gorgeous range of resources bring the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework and Key Stage 1 and 2 alive, making learning real and rooted in children’s interests. As many of our resources are hand-made by adults with learning or physical disabilities we're proud to say that our products are ethical and environmentally friendly too! From babies to six year olds and children with SEN our wonderfully tactile resources and fun activities take children on a sensory adventure, the cornerstone for all learning.
Check out Sue's latest book Treasure Baskets and Beyond to discover what's happening in a child's brain as they play with sensory-rich objects. You'll be amazed!
Latest Playscope News - see Twitter Feed below for our latest updates
Right click here and select 'save target as' to download the latest of our latest sensory activity ideas
MORE AWARDS - we're delighted to have scooped another coveted award! Our gorgeous Pistachio and Marmalade Stacking Hoops have won a Slow Toy Award 2012 which adds to the Nursery World Award 2012, Practical Pre School Gold, 2011 and Eco Award 2012 already won! Described as 'Brilliantly and unashamedly quirky' its play potential and quality shine through. We're proud to announce that Stacking Hoops is now available to purchase in Selfridges, Oxford Street, officially voted the best department store in the world!
Check out our Treasure Trove- for those of you wanting to supplement existing collections with some of our gorgeous treasures.
Sue Gascoyne’s latest book ‘Treasure baskets and Beyond – Realizing the Potential of Sensory-rich Play’ demonstrates how Treasure Baskets are powerfully effective for development, and how babies through to primary school children, including those with special educational needs, can derive rich and meaningful hands-on learning from sensory rich objects.
This timely and empowering book is written for practitioners and students working with babies through to primary-aged children. The book draws extensively upon observations of children’s play as well as contemporary and original research in neuroscience and sensory play, to offer fresh insights into the use and benefits of Treasure Baskets and Sensory-rich play.
“This accomplished book represents and impressive and important extension of previous writing in the field and is sure to expand practitioners’ understanding of the fascinating medium that is the treasure basket.” Janet Moyles, Writer and Professor Emeritus at Anglia Ruskin University, UK.
Treasure Baskets and Beyond: realizing the Potential of Sensory-rich Play was launched at ECEERA, an international childhood conference in Portugal at the end of August 2012.
See below for our online product catalogue.