Discovery basket ideas

I frequently get low on discovery basket ideas for Otis.  I don't want to purchase any new items so typically I am looking around the house for something interesting. While sometimes I put together a basket of random items I usually like to keep items to a specific category or theme. 

Here are a few baskets that Otis has been enjoying recently. 

1. A ball basket. He has the puzzle ball, a leather juggling ball, a couple of knitted balls and a plastic bouncy ball. These are a lot of fun because once out of the basket they can be chased all around the house. 

2. Kitchen utensils. This is an easy one. So many kitchen items can be used as they are usually safe to be mouthed by babies. It is really easy to put together especially if you are already working in the kitchen. 

3. Brushes. I love the textures of these brushes. Some bristles are hard and scratchy, others are soft and delicate. I love to use this with him and lightly brush his hand or foot.  

4. Farm animals. I once met a ten month old baby who could make the sounds of farm animals. Unbelievable. While Otis is no where near this he enjoys playing with them. This is one of Caspar's favourites as he likes to show Otis each animal and tells him all about them. 

5. Rattle/shaker basket. This is a nice way of rotating the various rattles and other small in hand materials we have. These get rotated often and if we are going out it is easy for me to grab one or two rattles to take with us. 

6. Finger puppets. These were a lovely Christmas gift from a friend. Caspar loves finger play and finger puppets add a new dimension to this. This is another basket that Caspar likes to use with Otis. 

Safety is important when considering items to include in a discovery basket. Some of these baskets I only give to Otis when he is supervised.

Hmm... what to try next?