Wawanesa Wee Care Inc. |
Visit two- schema play
Our second visit was all about Schema's! What is a schema, you ask? When children are exploring schemas, they are growing brain connections as they build understandings of abstract ideas, patterns, and concepts. Once you start looking, you will see them everywhere in children’s play. Here are the list of schema's that we were observing (and you will recognize in your child's play!!) Don't forget, these are good for brain development, as well as so many other things. They are necessary, even if some of them may drive you crazy! In the words of Brigitte...how can you say YES! You certainly don't have to allow everything, but once you see a need they have, how can you provide that opportunity. For example, trajectory included throwing. We are not allowed to throw rocks, but we can throw a ball. Wait...can we throw rocks into the river, or a puddle? Hmmmmm....many opportunities to say YES!
Transporting: Picking things up, dumping, moving things (Having hands full of objects, full pockets, filling and dumping, dump trucks, bags, shopping carts, wheelbarrows
Transforming: Using materials to investigate changes in shape, color, consistency…(Makeovers, body paint, fashion dolls, fantasy, mermaids, robots, shape shifters, werewolves, costumes, mixing media, decorating, drawing on oneself, weather and sky, cooking, intentional mess making
Trajectory: Exploring the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal movement of things and oneself. Making things fly and moving body in these ways. (Airplanes, car crashes, balls, sharks, birds, Superman, throwing toys, throwing food, jumping off things, knocking things down, expressive art, basketball, bubbles, explosions)
Rotation and Circulation: Exploring things that turn, such as wheels and balls, investigating curved lines and circles. (Putting trucks upside down, turning knobs on stereo and appliances, planets, baseball, racetracks, CD's, launching toys that roll, spinning in circles, washing machines)
Enclosing and Enveloping: Surrounding objects or self with other things. Putting oneself inside a defined space such as a box, blocks, etc. Hiding, covering or wrapping self and things. (Forts, hide and seek, putting toys to bed, burying items in sand, wrapping presents, eggs and nests, hats, being inside cupboards, painting entire canvas, Lego enclosures)
Connecting: Joining things together and tying things up. (Train sets, buckles, Lego, harnesses, fridge magnets, stickers, marker caps, shoes)
Disconnecting: Taking things apart, scattering pieces and parts. (Cutting with scissors, knocking towers down, making play dough into small segments, tearing pages from books, taking apart electronics or devices, destroying objects, removing couch cushions, cutting hair)
Transporting: Picking things up, dumping, moving things (Having hands full of objects, full pockets, filling and dumping, dump trucks, bags, shopping carts, wheelbarrows
Transforming: Using materials to investigate changes in shape, color, consistency…(Makeovers, body paint, fashion dolls, fantasy, mermaids, robots, shape shifters, werewolves, costumes, mixing media, decorating, drawing on oneself, weather and sky, cooking, intentional mess making
Trajectory: Exploring the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal movement of things and oneself. Making things fly and moving body in these ways. (Airplanes, car crashes, balls, sharks, birds, Superman, throwing toys, throwing food, jumping off things, knocking things down, expressive art, basketball, bubbles, explosions)
Rotation and Circulation: Exploring things that turn, such as wheels and balls, investigating curved lines and circles. (Putting trucks upside down, turning knobs on stereo and appliances, planets, baseball, racetracks, CD's, launching toys that roll, spinning in circles, washing machines)
Enclosing and Enveloping: Surrounding objects or self with other things. Putting oneself inside a defined space such as a box, blocks, etc. Hiding, covering or wrapping self and things. (Forts, hide and seek, putting toys to bed, burying items in sand, wrapping presents, eggs and nests, hats, being inside cupboards, painting entire canvas, Lego enclosures)
Connecting: Joining things together and tying things up. (Train sets, buckles, Lego, harnesses, fridge magnets, stickers, marker caps, shoes)
Disconnecting: Taking things apart, scattering pieces and parts. (Cutting with scissors, knocking towers down, making play dough into small segments, tearing pages from books, taking apart electronics or devices, destroying objects, removing couch cushions, cutting hair)