Schemas in the Early Years

Posted on 24 November 2022

Schemas are a pattern of repeated behaviours demonstrated during play. They reflect how young children explore and learn about the world around them. Schemas are initiated by the child and often reflect the child’s interests. The most common schemas seen in the Early Years setting are described below.

Common Schemas

Trajectory Schema

Dropping, rolling, throwing, jumping and moving things in lines may all be signs of a child in the trajectory schema. Common behaviours include moving objects, jumping from one place to another or repeatedly throwing things! It’s not surprising that this schema can be misinterpreted as negative behaviour. As practitioners, we should think about how we can enable children to explore this schema in a safe and positive way.

Transporting Schema

This schema is about a child’s urge to physically move something from one place to another. This could involve rolling, pushing, pulling or carrying an item.

Positioning Schema

Putting things in piles or arranging things in a particular order are some of the things you may see a child repeatedly doing in their play; this is known as the positioning schema. This is where the child is interested in placing objects in different positions in relation to one another.

Enveloping Schema

Some of the things you may observe a child doing in the enveloping schema are wrapping, covering, layering and folding. Whether a child is bandaging a doll, repeatedly covering their paper with paint or layering themselves in clothing, this schema focuses on the covering and enveloping of an object.

Connecting Schema

The connecting schema involves the child showing an interest in connecting and disconnecting items (sticking, fixing, tying and joining). The fascination and urge to disconnect may lead to children wanting to dismantle other children’s constructions – this is where children going through the schema may be seen as behaving badly.

Rotating Schema

Rolling, twisting, spiralling or turning – the rotating schema involves the child’s interest in exploring how things go round. It includes showing an interest in running around, spinning in circles, exploring objects that rotate or creating circles in mark making and painting.

Transforming Schema

Crushing mixtures, mixing colours and moulding shapes is just some of play you may observe in the transforming schema. This schema is essentially about exploring the changing states of materials.

Orienteering Schema

Upside down, backwards, forwards and side by side – the orienteering schema occurs when children explore the world from different views and positions. It is about children showing an interest in positioning themselves or objects in different places.

Understanding schemas will help you understand the behaviour of young children; remember that a child’s exploration of their natural urges is developmentally appropriate and should not be misinterpreted as ‘naughty’. Familiarity with the Characteristics of Effective Learning will further support your understanding of the different types of skills and learning that occur when a child is going through a schema.

For more information on schemas and to find out how you encourage children to practise them, check out the Schemas in the Early Years Setting article by education expert Lorelli Mojica.