Play-based learning is at the heart of early education, giving children the freedom and autonomy to take ownership of their learning and development.
During Early Learning Matters Week, St Nicholas Early Education is celebrating the power of early education and its vital role in supporting children’s growth. In partnership with families, our educators work to reflect and extend learning from the centre into the home environment.
By recognising the different types of play, we can better support children by offering resources and experiences that align with their individual interests and developmental needs.
The schema play guide
St Nicholas’ Pedagogy Team has unpacked the well-known schema play concepts into a guide for parents. Here are the eight schema play concepts employed in our educational philosophy:
Connecting schema
This looks like a child joining or linking objects together.
Experiences that support this schema:
- Building blocks (Duplo, wooden blocks, Mega Bloks)
- Threading experiences
- Art and craft experiences that include connecting materials together with items such as glue or sticky tape
- Water play (pipes and funnels)
- Magnetic tiles
Orientation schema
This looks like a child repositioning objects or themselves to view the world from a different perspective, such as being upside down.
Experiences that support this schema:
- Using binoculars, magnifying glasses or using cardboard tubes
- Gross motor experiences which provide a different perspective such as spinning, yoga, or climbing to view from above
- Time in nature (observing, interacting and ‘being’ in nature)
Enveloping schema
This looks like a child hiding or covering items.
Experiences that support this schema:
- Covering their bodies with a blanket, scarf, parachute or box
- Filling and emptying bags with different materials
- Shape sorters
- Blankets to wrap themselves or paper to wrap objects in
- Group time songs and games (e.g. “Peekaboo” and “Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?”)
Enclosing schema
This looks like a child hiding or covering items.
Experiences that support this schema:
- Sorting objects in boxes
- Drawing circles around small pictures
- Wrapping dolls in blankets
- Wooden blocks surrounding animals
- Constructing partitions and barricades with blocks
Positioning schema
This looks like a child lining up objects in order, logic or symmetry.
Experiences that support this schema:
- Setting the table (dramatic play or mealtimes)
- Puzzles
- Ordering nature (size, colour, shape)
- Balancing stones
- Sorting and classifying objects into groups
Transitioning schema
This looks like a child carrying or moving things around.
Experiences that support this schema:
- Moving things in a wheelbarrow, pram, trucks, cart
- Carrying things in a bag, basket, bucket or backpack
- Playing in the kitchen space with movement of pots, pans, bowls
- Pouring water into jugs and bottles
Trajectory schema
This looks like a child exploring the way objects move through space (throwing food or objects, kicking).
Experiences that support this schema:
- Gross motor and experiences (throwing balls into buckets/boxes, roll balls to others, jumping in puddles)
- Water and sand play with a variety of cups, buckets, tubes and funnels
- Building towers and knock them down
- Making paper planes
Rotational schema
This looks like a child exploring things by spinning, twisting or rotating them.
Experiences that support this schema:
- Moving their body (spinning, rolling, turning, hula hoops)
- Group time (‘ring-o-rosie’, ‘wind the bobbin up’)
- Water play (whisks in bubbly water)
- Twisting or spinning objects such as lock and keys, pin wheels and spinning tops
- Ribbons, scarves and ropes
We’re here to help
St Nicholas Early Education is here to support with advice and guidance on supporting your child to get the most out of their play-based learning. For any questions or advice, please speak with your child’s centre team.
