Parent Guide: Schemas

You might have heard the term schemas used by nursery practitioners when talking about your child’s development. But what does it actually mean—and why is it important for you as a parent?

In this guide, we’ll break it down simply and show you how recognising schemas can help you better understand (and support) your little one’s learning at home.

What are schemas?

Schemas are repeated patterns of behaviour that children use to explore and make sense of the world around them.

This idea comes from early childhood development research, particularly the work of developmental psychologist Jean Piaget, who described how children build knowledge through repeated actions and experiences.

Rather than random behaviour, schemas are purposeful learning in action. When your child repeats something again and again, they’re testing ideas, building connections, and developing important skills.

For example, dropping food from a highchair might feel frustrating—but it’s often part of a trajectory schema. Your child is exploring gravity, movement, and cause and effect.

By recognising these patterns, you can respond with understanding—and even extend their learning through play.

Why schemas matter

Supporting schemas helps children to:

• Develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills

• Build physical coordination and spatial awareness

• Strengthen concentration and independence

• Feel understood and supported in their play

Instead of stopping a behaviour, you can often redirect it safely - turning everyday moments into meaningful learning opportunities.

Types of schemas (and how to support them at home)

Children may explore several schemas at once or move between them over time. Here are some of the most common:

Trajectory

What it looks like: Throwing, dropping, kicking, pouring, climbing, or watching how things move through the air or along the ground.

What they’re learning: Cause and effect, movement, spatial awareness, early physics concepts.

Try this at home:

• Blow and chase bubbles (great for tracking movement)

• Set up a safe throwing station with soft balls and targets

• Roll cars or balls down ramps of different heights

• Paint by rolling balls through trays of paint for mark-making

• Use water play (pouring, tipping, splashing)

Rotation

What it looks like: Spinning objects (or themselves), turning taps, twisting lids, watching wheels.

What they’re learning: Balance, coordination, and how things move in circular motions.

Try this at home:

• Provide toys with wheels, cogs, or gears

• Mix ingredients when baking or cooking together

• Use windmills or spinning toys outdoors

• Explore spinning scarves or ribbons in dance play

Enveloping & Containing

What it looks like: Wrapping objects, hiding items, filling and emptying containers, dressing up.

What they’re learning: Object permanence, size, space, and early mathematical concepts.

Try this at home:

• Wrap toys or objects in fabric or paper and ‘unwrap surprises’

• Offer baskets, boxes, and bags for filling and emptying

• Play dressing up with layers (hats, scarves, coats)

• Hide objects in sand, rice, or sensory trays

Transporting

What it looks like: Moving items from place to place—often repeatedly!

What they’re learning: Organisation, coordination, and purpose in movement.

Try this at home:

• Collect natural objects like leaves or stones in the park

• Provide bags, play wheelbarrows, or baskets for carrying

• Encourage helping tasks like tidying or “delivering” items

• Use toy trucks in imaginative play

Connecting

What it looks like: Joining items together—building, tying, linking.

What they’re learning: Problem-solving, fine motor skills, and early engineering concepts.

Try this at home:

• Build with blocks, magnetic tiles, or construction toys

• Make paper chains or pasta jewellery

• Use tape, glue, or string in creative projects

• Explore simple weaving with natural materials

Enclosing

What it looks like: Building boarders, creating boundaries, hiding in enclosed spaces.

What they’re learning: Understanding space, security, and structure.

Try this at home:

• Build dens with blankets and cushions

• Create small worlds using boxes or trays

• Use blocks to build enclosures for toys

• Play hide and seek

Transforming

What it looks like: Mixing, changing, combining materials—especially messy play!

What they’re learning: Cause and effect, creativity, and early scientific thinking.

Try this at home:

• Make playdough together

• Mix colours with paint or water

• Explore sand and water play

• Try cornflour and water (a fascinating texture experience)

• Cook or bake simple recipes together

Positioning

What it looks like: Lining objects up, organising by colour/size, placing things ‘just right’.

What they’re learning: Patterns, order, early maths, and classification.

Try this at home:

• Provide loose parts (buttons, sticks, stones – use bigger items to avoid choking risks) for sorting

• Encourage lining up toys or creating patterns

• Stack and arrange objects in different ways

• Offer puzzles and matching games

A reminder

Schemas come and go. Your child might focus deeply on one pattern for a while, then move on to another—or revisit it later.

What matters most is observing, supporting, and following their lead.

If you’re ever unsure, speak to your child’s key person at nursery—they can share insights into what they’re seeing and suggest simple ways to continue the learning at home.

Final thoughts

What might look like messy, repetitive, or even challenging behaviour is often something much more meaningful.

Schemas give you a window into how your child is thinking, exploring, and growing.

By understanding them, you’re not just managing behaviour—you’re supporting their development!

Additional Resources

Pacey - Spotlight on schemas

Famly - Identify schemas, interview with education professor

Famly - Play schemas and why they matter

Youtube - The Hidden Gem - Why you need to know about schemas

Nursery World - EYFS guidance to practitioners supporting schemas in nurseries

Reach for Montessori - Schemas explained and activity ideas