Schemas

How Children Learn Through Repeated Play

“A schema is a pattern of repeated actions. Clusters of schemas develop into later concepts.”

Chris Athey (2007)

Schemas are often described as children’s fascinations. You might notice your child doing the same type of play again and again — this is not random. It is how they are making sense of the world.

Sometimes these behaviours can seem unusual or even frustrating, but they are an important and necessary part of development.

Every child is different. Some may show several schemas at once, while others may not show any obvious patterns.

By observing schemas, you can better understand:

What your child is interested in
How they think and learn
How to support their development through play

Common Play Schemas

Transporting

Children move objects from one place to another.

You might see:

Carrying toys in bags or baskets
Filling and emptying containers
Using wheelbarrows or pushchairs

Enclosing

Children create boundaries or surround objects.

You might see:

Building fences for animals
Drawing circles or borders
Putting objects inside defined spaces

Enveloping

Children cover or hide objects (or themselves).

You might see:

Wrapping toys in fabric or paper
Hiding under blankets
Filling containers completely

Connecting

Children join objects together.

You might see:

Building with Lego or blocks
Using tape, glue, or clips
Making train tracks or completing puzzles

Transforming

Children explore how things change.

You might see:

Mixing materials (sand, water, paint)
Moulding playdough or clay
Exploring melting, freezing, or cooking

Positioning

Children arrange objects in specific ways.

You might see:

Lining up toys
Sorting into groups
Creating patterns or pictures

Trajectory

Children explore movement through space.

You might see:

Throwing or dropping objects
Climbing and jumping
Pouring or watching things fall

Rotating

Children are interested in things that turn or spin.

You might see:

Spinning wheels or objects
Running in circles
Enjoying being swung or twirled

Orienteering

Children explore position and orientation.

You might see:

Being upside down or sideways
Climbing and hanging
Exploring different body positions

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