A guide to schematic play patterns.

Ugh. I am about to use the words patience, composure and staying calm. But bear with me.

Because like any other parent, it’s a struggle to hold onto composure when your child keeps running off instead of staying put, it’s a struggle to stay patient when there is more food on the ground than in their plate and it’s definitely a struggle to remain calm when you find your shoes lined up on top of the bed instead of the shoe rack.

But behind all such repeated actions is a child exploring schematic play patterns. And as a parent, one of the best things about having an understanding of such schemas is that we are able to recognize and support them in our children as soon as we see them. Starting even before their first birthday, certain patterns of behavior will begin to emerge that

Montessori learning categorizes under:

Trajectory — exploring movement of an object or their own body
Enveloping — examining how things can be wrapped or hidden
Rotation — observing movement in circles
Orientation — learning how different angles provide a different perspective
Positioning — understanding how placement works
Connection — realizing how certain things come together or fall apart
Transformation — exploring how things can be molded or altered
Enclosure — inspecting how things can be contained but still not hidden
Transportation — learning that items can be carried from one place to another

So the next time you notice your child repeatedly doing something, perhaps indulge him just a little because this obsession will soon lead to mastery.