PLAY SCHEMAS | What they are, why they matter, and how to spot them | create best toddler activities

Does your toddler throw EVERYTHING? Do you constantly find things in weird places because your toddler moved them? Have you noticed your toddler loves hanging upside down?

All of these could possibly be explained by play schemas! In child development play schemas are patterns of behavior seen in play. There are 9 play schemas: transportation, trajectory, rotation, positioning, connection, enclosure, enveloping, transforming, and orientation. This video goes through why play schemas are helpful in understanding your child's behavior and how to spot them. It also includes activities for each of the play schemas.

This video will help you identify what your child is interested in and prepare an environment and activities to support their current development. It also discusses what play schemas have to do with Montessori (hint, they actually aren't Montessori but they are well aligned!)

USEFUL LINKS- more links available on my blog homeandontheway.com/blog/play-schemas-in-toddlers
(includes affiliate links):

Transporting Schema
Push wagon https://amzn.to/3LHEmxn
Wheelbarrow https://amzn.to/3HQYFav

Trajectory Schema
Bowling set https://amzn.to/3AYwaUF
Our favorite ball run https://lovevery.pxf.io/15dMDd

Rotation Schema
Spin stacker: https://amzn.to/41dG3IJ
Salad spinner https://amzn.to/41eYjS2
Spinners: https://amzn.to/42282vK

Positioning Schema
Stacker https://amzn.to/42peYn2
Dot stickers https://amzn.to/3B2KDPe
Montessori pink tower https://amzn.to/41D4ro5
Color sorting https://amzn.to/42d7uDA

Connection Schema
Puzzles (our favorite) https://www.skillmaticsworld.com?snow...
Progressive puzzles https://amzn.to/3nAfbEU
Montessori dressing frames https://amzn.to/3nf2lMk

Enclosure Schema
Shape sorter https://amzn.to/3n9lWNK
Coin drop box https://amzn.to/3NmBtVk

Enveloping Schema
Play silks https://www.sarahssilks.com/ontheway
Nesting dolls https://amzn.to/41LfBqZ

Orientation Schema
Pikler Triangle https://radchildrensfurniture.com/pro...

If you're looking for one purchase, this set has toys perfect for the connection, trajectory, positioning, and enclosure schemas: https://lovevery.pxf.io/15dMDd

I hope this video was helpful in understanding play schemas! You can also check out my website at homeandontheway.com and find me on Instagram and Facebook ‪@HomeandontheWay‬

#childdevelopment #montessoritoddler #montessoriathome