The work of play

There’s a fabulous buzzword out in the world of early childhood education called ‘schemas’. Simply put this means that kids tend to explore one aspect of the universe at a time. Most kids favoured activities can be filed under one schema or another. For instance: throwing. Think small boys and small blocks!!! Those kids who seem to hurl everything into the great beyond or the nearest window are exploring the principles of trajectory. Doesn’t make the broken stuff easier to clean up but explains they’re not a destructive maniac, just an amateur physicist. 

I had an ‘enveloper’ who spent many happy hours snuggled into the tiny cubby house I made for her in her wardrobe or wrapping all her toys up in paper. Some kids are into circularity, if it has a wheel or rolls they’re in. Transporters relocate everything and love to load up trolleys or baskets. 

It is an interesting exercise to observe your child’s chosen activities over a few days. Note how they play with things. If they’re working with playdough are they joining little bits together (connecting) or chopping things apart (disconnecting) carrying it round the house (transporting) throwing it onto the floor (trajectory) Getting the idea?

As a parent and educator I find it a tremendously useful starting point for guiding and supporting my children’s discoveries.

For example picture me baking muffins with Sarah (4) a child I was recently caring for:

First I poured flour into the bowl. "Can I touch it" asked Sarah. I said "yes you can" and she plunged her hands in, rubbed it up her arms and on her face. ‘This feel a-MA-zing’ she said "it’s so soft. And I’ve gone all white!!!". Then we added the sugar. "can I feel it now?" "sure thing Sarah" again the hands went into the bowl "ooh... now it feels different... like the sand" I mixed the wet ingredients together then we tipped them in. I could almost feel the excitement emanating from her in waves!!!! "wow, wow WOW" as we mixed it in "it’s totally different now!!!"  We put the muffins in the oven and started cleaning up, keeping a close eye on what was happening inside the oven. "They’re getting bigger!!!!!"

Textbook transformation child – she wasn’t interested in the way the beaters moved or tipping the ingredients from cup to bowl, rather she was excited to see it change state and used it to change herself. Likewise when this child read a book she transformed herself into one of the characters. When we painted, her paper transformed slightly but she became completely different!!!  In the time I looked after her we made baking soda and vinegar volcanoes, we baked things that produced lovely visible reactions, we made cornflour based fingerpaint because it let us see amazing changes of state, we re-enacted books, we played dress-ups.... I was able to extend the scope of her explorations within her chosen schema. And I learned lots about making mess. And we had fun!!!

I have heaps of ideas for providing play experiences in different schemas and over the next wee while I'll share with you what I've tried/ gleaned / read / have on file!