Learning Baskets (or Bags or Boxes) are something I started when my oldest was a toddler!  Just recently, I’ve discovered a whole system called the Workbox System by Sue Patrick.  I still mainly use my Learning Baskets the way I originally did, but I’ve added some aspects of the Workbox approach. *Update:  I tried this for a while, but this approach didn’t work for me — so I just do learning baskets the way I’ve always done them!

A Learning Basket is simply a basket (or box or bag) with a learning activity in it!  I have acquired many various activities appropriate for preschoolers, so I rotate those through the baskets.  I generally have 4-6 different baskets available during the morning.  I let each girl pick whatever baskets she would like to do!

I also have a Book Basket on top of the bookshelves for each girl.  I usually put books about our weekly theme in the basket, and I also include easy readers (for my older daughter) or alphabet books (for my youngest daughters).

Some ideas for Learning Baskets include:

Puzzles

Melissa and Doug “See and Spell”

Shape Sorter

Coloring Books

Stacking cups

Cotton Balls in an Ice Cube Tray

Magformers

Clothespin Basket

Rice Bin

Craft Stick Puzzles

Lacing cards

Learning Pallette

Magnet Books

Sticker Books

Jigsaw Books

Pattern Blocks

Name Activities

This approach really works well for me, because it forces me to have activities planned for my preschoolers!  I try to sit down the weekend before, look through my master list of activities and ideas, and plan the baskets for each day of the next week.

Here is a sample planning sheet for the learning baskets, but I’m just using a teacher’s planner I found at Target for $1!!

Let me know if this is helpful for you and/or if you would like more details.  Please, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me!