It’s never too early to introduce the fun of treasure hunts and pirate play, even for toddlers who don’t understand the nuances of the make-believe. Here’s a way to let even a toddler dig for “gold”!

We have a collection of old foreign coins, which are perfect for pretend play like this. I clinked a few down in the bottom of a craft bin (making sure Veronika saw), and then buried them under “gold” crinkle paper. (Note: You can pick up the latter at any party store or craft supply store).

Veronika immediately began taking out big handfuls of the crinkly paper to find that treasure underneath. Not only does the crinkly paper make for fantastic tactile play, but it sounds neat, too!

Once she reached the bottom of the bin, I made a big deal about finding the treasure.

“Let’s hide it!” she said. She plinked the coins back in the bin, and this time we layered everything: some paper, a coin, some paper, a coin, and so on.

Time to dig it all up again!

My little pirate kept busy with this one for quite a while even after I stopped our joint play.