The Magic of Schemas

Why Does My Child Keep Doing That?

Have you ever found yourself wondering…

“Why do they keep dropping things?” “Why are they carrying toys everywhere?” “Why do they do the same thing again and again?”

It might look confusing (and sometimes a little frustrating!), but here’s the reassuring truth:

This is how your child learns.

At Rosedene Nurseries, we recognise these repeated behaviours as schemas, and they are a really important part of your child’s development.

 What Are Schemas?

Schemas are simply patterns of repeated behaviour that children use to explore the world around them.

You might notice your child:

• Dropping objects again and again

• Carrying items from one place to another

• Climbing, spinning, or filling and emptying containers

  
  

In fact, the most common schema we see at Rosedene is transporting, our children love moving objects from one place to another .

It might look like “just play”… but there’s a lot more going on.

Why This Matters for Your Child’s Development

When children repeat actions, they’re not being “silly” or “naughty”, they’re learning.

Through schemas, children:

• Build confidence by mastering actions

• Develop independence and decision-making

• Strengthen physical skills like coordination

• Learn early maths concepts like size, space, and quantity

• Develop language through repetition (“again!”, “more!”, “go!”)

  
  

 Repetition is how children make sense of the world.

It’s also worth knowing that some children, including those with additional needs (SEN), may show more noticeable or intense schemas. This is completely natural. In fact, these repeated patterns can be an especially important way for them to explore, feel secure, and understand their environment. At Rosedene, we recognise this and tailor our support to meet each child where they are.

 How We Support Schemas at Rosedene

At Rosedene, we carefully observe each child to understand their interests and patterns of play. We then adapt our environments to support this.

For example:

• If children are interested in transporting, we might add baskets, bags, boxes, and loose parts so they can move items freely between areas

• We use open-ended resources that can be used in lots of different ways, encouraging creativity and exploration

  
  

Rather than stopping repetitive play, we embrace it and build on it.

Our approach is simple: “We follow the child’s lead. It’s their world, and we’re here to support it.”

What makes Rosedene special is that we focus on each individual child, shaping our environments around their unique way of learning.

Real-Life Example

A great example of a schema is something many parents have experienced…

A baby sitting in a high chair repeatedly dropping food onto the floor.

It can easily look like “bad behaviour” or testing boundaries, but actually, this is a schema.

Your child is exploring:

• Cause and effect (“What happens when I drop this?”)

• Movement and trajectory

• Reactions from adults

  
  

They’re learning every single time they do it.

We asked our Nursery Manager, Gemma, to give an example of a schema that can support a child in exploring other areas of learning:

“A child demonstrating a trajectory schema (an interest in throwing, dropping, or watching how things move) can have their learning extended into new areas by building on this fascination in purposeful ways. For example, practitioners might introduce balls, ramps, or water play, allowing children to explore how objects travel. This can then be linked to early maths and science by using language such as ‘fast,’ ‘slow,’ ‘far,’ and ‘near,’ or by encouraging children to predict where an object will land.

This same interest can also support language development through describing actions, and creative development by encouraging mark-making that reflects movement (such as lines and swirls). By following the child’s natural interest in movement, adults can extend the schema beyond physical play into communication, thinking, and early problem-solving skills, making learning more meaningful and engaging.”

 How We Work With Parents

We know that understanding your child’s behaviour makes a big difference.

That’s why at Rosedene:

• We talk about schemas during parent evenings

• We share your child’s play patterns and interests

• We help you understand what their behaviour means

  
  

This means you can:

• Recognise schemas at home

• Feel reassured about repetitive behaviours

• Support your child’s learning in a natural way

How You Can Support at Home

You don’t need lots of fancy toys, simple things work best!

Try:

• Letting your child repeat actions (even if it seems messy!)

• Talking about what they’re doing (“You’re carrying all the cars!”)

• Being patient, repetition is key to learning

  
  

At Rosedene, we celebrate schemas every day by creating environments where children can follow their interests, build their confidence, and learn in ways that are meaningful to them.