What Is a Schema? A Parent’s Guide to Toddler Repetition, Learning and Play

Does your baby hide things? Perhaps in boxes or in cupboards? Does your toddler throw food, line up toys, group objects or repeat the same actions over and over again?

If you’ve ever asked yourself:

• “Why does my child line things up?”

• “Is it normal for my toddler to hide toys?”

• “Why does my child keep repeating the same action?”

The answer is simple…YES - it’s completely normal. And the reason behind it is something called a schema.

Let me explain.

What Is a Schema?

A schema is a repeated pattern of behaviour that helps children make links in their brain, shaping how they understand and make sense of the world. Schemas support exploration, early problem-solving and the development of ideas through play.

Schemas are the brain’s natural way of learning through repetition.

Every child develops differently. Some children show one schema very strongly, while others might show several at the same time. There is no ‘right amount’ - just different learning patterns.

When Do Schemas Happen?

Schemas can appear from as early as around 6-9 months, becoming most visible during the toddler years (roughly 18 months to 4 years). They don’t follow strict ages, but they tend to emerge when a child is developmentally ready to explore the world in a new way.

What’s important to know is this:

Schemas don’t stop. They evolve. They simply grow into more complex skills as children get older.

Types of Schema

Trajectory - Movement in straight or curved lines.

Childhood examples: throwing food, dropping toys, jumping, running, splashing in puddles.

Later life skills: Ball skills, handwriting fluency, understanding of physics concepts

Rotation - Exploring how things spin or turn.

Childhood Examples: spinning wheels, turning lids, rolling balls, riding bikes.

Later life skills: Cycling, using tools, understanding circular motion

Enclosing - Creating boundaries or closed spaces.

Childhood Examples: drawing circles, building fences, encircling objects with blocks.

Later life skills: Design, early maths, creating boundaries

Enveloping - Hiding or covering things.

Childhood Examples: hiding toys, wrapping objects, building dens, filling bags.

Later life skills: Packing, organising, spatial reasoning

Transporting - Moving objects from one place to another.

Childhood Examples: carrying items in buckets, pushing prams full of toys, filling pockets.

Later life skills: Planning, sequencing, responsibility

Connecting - Joining or linking items.

Childhood Examples: train tracks, tying things together, LEGO bricks, linking chains.

Later life skills: Engineering, construction, problem-solving

Positioning - Arranging objects in specific ways.

Childhood Examples: lining up cars, grouping pebbles, stacking objects.

Later life skills: Organisation, data sorting, attention to detail

Orientation - Viewing things from different angles.

Childhood Examples: looking upside down, climbing, peering under furniture.

Later life skills: Sports, map reading, spatial awareness

Transforming - Exploring how materials change.

Childhood Examples: mixing, melting, potion play, water and sand play.

Later life skills: Science, cooking, experimenting

Not only are schemas a vital part of healthy brain development...

but they also become the building blocks of STEM thinking, creativity and logical reasoning.

So when your child repeats an action again and again…they’re building the foundations for lifelong learning.

Schemas are one of the most fascinating and important parts of early childhood development. Understanding them helps you see your child’s behaviour in a new light - not as mischief, but as meaningful learning.

Hi, I’m Emma, Early Childhood Expert and founder of Everyday. My goal is simple: help parents understand their children better so every stage feels a little brighter. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about the extraordinary - it’s about the everyday.

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