Quiet time baskets: Pirates and Doctors

I started putting together quiet time baskets back in June or July. Since then, the purpose of the quiet time baskets has changed, and so have the contents. I used to put learning activities in the baskets--things like workbooks, counting tools, writing practice, stuff like that. We used the quiet time baskets for structured learning time after lunch and before naptime for Juno/movie time for the big girls.
Well.... that lasted until Tempe started prechool in the fall. Now our quiet time baskets are just themed baskets that the girls can get out and play with whenever they want. They usually include a book or two and some pretend play props and costumes. I also have a sensory bin that I rotate once a month or so, but that's harder because most sensory bin items are not toddler friendly. I need more ideas of things that are safe for Juno to play with in the sensory bin!

Yesterday I put together a Pirate basket and a Doctor basket.

First Tempe and Helena had to help me make a treasure map. I cut a square from an old tablecloth pad and let them go at it with sharpies. Tempe had a whole storyline about palm trees dripping blood, and monkeys, and an ocean... she has a great imagination (which is a nice way of saying I have no idea what she was talking about).

After our treasure map was done, we took all the pillows off the couch and turned it into a pirate ship, complete with a crow's nest and a sail. Tempe and Helena played happily for quite a while with the contents of their pirate quiet time basket: a wooden sword, a cardboard tube for a spyglass, a treasure box, and a few books about pirates.
Our Doctor basket is kind of skimpy, but still fun. It has a toy doctor kit, a white felt Christmas stocking that is a leg cast, and two handmade arm casts that I made a while ago.

Oh, here's a picture!
The doctor stuff was buried at the bottom of our dress ups (which I purged today) and the pirate stuff was scattered around the house. I was happy to find it all so I could put it together and the girls could find a way to use it all. So while the purpose of quiet time baskets has changed quite a bit, I'm glad I still put them together. It gives purpose to previously unused toys!