about the world around them, explains nursery owner Emma Graham.
Exploring materials is instinctive to children and supports them in developing an understanding of the world around them. Even the youngest baby is curious and will turn to try to reach out for an object. So at our nurseries, we have developed a wide range of treasure baskets to support babies in their exploration.
As with many of the treasure baskets we use in nursery, 'wool' baskets are inviting to babies and satisfy their natural curiosity. The colours and textures appeal to them and seem to spark their interest in different ways. They can often be observed slipping into a deeper level of concentration. We recognise this as one of the fundamental life skills that we try so hard to develop within children.
AGES AND STAGES 
The age and stage of the baby usually affects how they play and, consequently, how we present the wool to them.
Sitters
It goes without saying that for most of the babies, sitting next to a ball of wool can help scaffold new skills as they solve problems, develop their mathematical thinking and extend much needed fine motor skills.
We find that 'sitters' tend to engage better with a large ball of wool on their laps, as it means they can use both hands to grasp and poke the ball and unravel it more easily. They manage to pull individual strands and enjoy seeing them getting longer and more tangled. They notice how the ball rolls as they pull, so they start to develop an understanding that pulling wool unravels the ball.
Crawlers, cruisers and walkers
Once on the move, children gain great satisfaction from plucking small strands of wool from a box, bag or basket. It seems that their exploration is more about fine pincer movements and emptying the contents of the basket, rather than focusing on the wool as a material.
The fact that wool is light, malleable and adaptable and that strands can be manipulated guarantees a certain level of success for those children who begin to post with wool. They soon discover that it fits into most things.
Balls of wool also offer a good opportunity for practitioners to engage children who are shy and reserved. Nothing is more intriguing than a moving ball. Often, they use one strand to pull the ball out of the basket and across the floor. The children are amazed and come over to explore, and for a moment the practitioner feels like a magician.
SOURCING SUPPLIES
Sourcing wool is normally a job for me, as I live near a market. It is a cheap, easy-to-use resource that has endless possibilities. In addition, staff, parents and grandparents can often be relied on to donate interesting supplies. The many varieties of yarn available means our stock ranges from the fine and natural in colour to the thick and brightly coloured, so providing a true sensory experience.
We incorporate a variety of traditional knitted dolls in our baskets. Jean Greenhowe collections (see www.jeangreenhowe.com) are incredible for any practitioner keen to take on the challenge of creating imaginary opportunities (the scarecrow family is one of my favourites). The detail in the dolls, small birds, flowers and so on provides exciting avenues for discussion and play with babies, and the fact that they are made from wool means they are soft, washable and robust.
Pompoms of different sizes and colours are easily made and another wool basket favourite (www.molliemakes.com has excellent instructions). They are great for exploring texture and we value them hugely when supporting individual children who are beginning to throw. They are light, easy to hold and are great for damage limitation as they fly through the air. Babies enjoy nothing more than watching a practitioner throw things in the air and this provides a great distraction for those who may be unsettled or fractious.
Baskets are ideal for presenting wool to babies as they are easily accessible. Shallow natural woven baskets are excellent (www.communityplaythings.co.uk supplies baskets and has several informative linked articles).
FURTHER IDEAS
Wool does not always need to be presented in baskets.
- Grabbing strands of wool from a shallow water tray can encourage larger movements, helping to hone the physical strength required for pulling, cruising and walking.
- Pile up a mound of wool for crawlers to explore. They will soon notice how it hooks to their clothes and can get trapped around their hands and between their fingers. Observe their growing concentration as they attempt to unravel themselves.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST ...
As with all explorations of materials with babies, there are health and safety risks to consider:
- Ensure that babies are always supervised, as wool can be a choking or strangling hazard.
- Wash all donated wool before use.
- Change or wash the wool baskets and their contents regularly, as they will be visited and revisited by many small hands and mouths.
- Make sure your baskets have no sharp edges. Any rough edges can be overcome easily by inserting a cotton drawstring lining.
Emma Graham is proprietor of Busy Bears and Busy Bees Nursery, Durham. She spoke to Jean Evans
NEW NW POSTER SERIES: MATERIALS 
Sensory exploration is central to early learning and our new series of posters will explore materials that feature regularly in our daily lives but may pass largely unnoticed, such as plastic, wood and glass.
The series will focus on activities for children within the three to five age range, and will outline display ideas, suggestions for exploring the materials, tips on how to incorporate them into your continuous provision, and recommendations on resources and books.
Part 1, to be published with Nursery World on 13 January, will focus on wool.