A schema is essentially just a fancy word for "urges," and a play schema refers to the urges children have while they play. Think about that kid that just can't resist throwing dirt or climbing on top of the table-- they're experiencing specific schemas that are influencing how they want to engage with the materials and the world around them.
Cluing into the types of schemas your children are having can help you plan and extend their play in really meaningful ways. It also can help you avoid those frustrating situations where it feels like a child refuses to listen despite knowing they're not supposed to use a toy that way. If you can identify the urge they're having you can provide a safe situation for them to fulfill it in (ie: going outside to climb a tree rather than climb on the coffee table, or providing them with a soft scarf they can shake through the air, rather than a block).
Scroll through the various schemas to familiarize yourself with them, and maybe be inspired by a few new ways to implement them in your program.
Orientation is all about changing your point of view.
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Positioning is all about arranging things in a specific way.
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Connecting is all about joining materials together and taking them apart.
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Trajectory is all about moving objects around.
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Enclosure/Container is all about filling space with objects or materials.
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Transporting is all about the urge to carry many things from one place to another, whether in your hands or in a bucket.
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Enveloping is all about wrapping yourself or others up in paper, fabric, or something else.
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Rotation is about anything that goes around in a circle-- wheels, knobs, tops, etc.
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Transformation is all about watching how things change and testing out cause and effect.
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