“Delightfully put together. Ready to inspire and support young children’s learning. A brilliant resource”

Penny Tassoni, Child Development Author

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Site last updated 5th June 2008

Playscope is an award-winning* new set of resources designed to take Treasure Baskets to the next dimension. Playscope recognises the value of Treasure Baskets and Heuristic play for free exploratory play, but extends their value and use with older children by offering games to play with these richly stimulating resources.

*Playscope resources have just been shortlisted for the nasen awards, and Sue Gascoyne recently won a Special Recognition Award in the 2008 British Female Inventors and Innovators (BFIIN) Awards for the Playscope range of products.

Playscope still offers all the benefits of free play for babies that Treasure Baskets provide. But the inspiring games and ‘Intelligent, open-ended, materials*’ can be played with in limitless ways to stimulate creativity and actually grow with the child.

This resource offers a wonderful opportunity for bringing the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework (that comes into force in September) to life. In line with good practice the games have been designed to meet as many of the areas of Development and Learning as possible. The great news is that whilst playing and having fun the child’s brain and body get a work-out too.

*Reggio Emilia Approach

Some Recent Endorsements

“Playscope Treasure Baskets are fab. I would recommend this product.”

Elm Hall School, Witham, Essex

“A wonderful set which will inspire curiosity and exploration for children at all stages. A supportive adult can extend learning, skills and knowledge in all areas of development.”

Annie Clews, Early Years Teacher, Author and Trainer

“This is huge - a major discovery, a major idea.”

Rosaline Okaro, mother of a 2 year old boy from Switzerland

“If I go home with nothing else, I’m going home with the inspiration to make one of these [Treasure baskets]”

Barbara Adams, Knebworth Pre-school on visiting the Play to Z stand at the Education Show

“In all, I feel the Playscope cards are a useful resource for teachers, particularly in key stage 2. Ideas are given to implement the curriculum through play. I feel the resources are appropriate for all children who benefit from learning through play, across SEN and mainstream.”

Clare Harris, Key Stage 2 teacher at Sunfield (special school for children with autism)

“I am thrilled to see Treasure Baskets are at last being recognised as a stimulating, valuable play and learning resource for young children and it is now possible to purchase the baskets from a number of sources. This meets the need for those who do not, perhaps, have the time or energy to search out a wide variety of interesting objects made from natural materials to place in the basket. Of all the baskets I have seen the Playscope basket is by far the best being full to the brim of interesting objects including many unique items. The Playscope cards encourage practitioners to use the resources in a variety of imaginative ways with children from a wide age range. This ensures the investment made in the resources will be very worthwhile and they will be used by children in a variety of ways for many years and prove to be good value for money.”

Recently retired Ofsted Childcare Inspector

“The best Treasure Basket I have ever seen, has all the right things. Wonderful!”

Sally Featherstone, Featherstone Books

“I think Maria [Montessori] and Susan [Isaacs] would be proud of these”

Kathryn Solly, Headteacher - Chelsea Open Air School

“The best Treasure Baskets I have ever seen.”

College Chief Executive, Montessori International

More Feedback

A happy visitor to the Playscope stand at the Education Show, NEC, March 2008

The Playscope resources are the brainchild of Sue Gascoyne, a freelance consultant and facilitator:

“I observed my children (now aged 2 and 5) playing with their Treasure Baskets and felt that by restricting play to 6-12 month olds, [as stipulated by Elinor Goldschmied - the originator of Treasure Baskets], we were missing a valuable opportunity to give children much needed sensory rich stimulation. The idea of developing games to supplement free exploratory play with the basket of objects came from watching my daughter, then 2½, while playing. She still showed great interest in the basket but used it primarily for imaginary and discovery play instead.” (Fitting given its roots in heuristic play - meaning ‘I discover’).