schemas

A practical handbook
 STARCATCHERS IS SCOTLAND’S ARTS AND

EARLY YEARS ORGANISATION.

For almost 15 years Starcatchers has offered inspirational creative arts

experiences for the youngest children from birth to 5 and the grown-ups
who care for them. Alongside a range of beautiful productions and
immersive community work, Starcatchers’ professional development and
training programmes, Creative Skills and Playspace, focus on empowering
early years artists and practitioners to tap into and implement creativity
in their own settings and practice, ensuring the best developmental
outcomes for every child.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND IN Practical and creative ways to

explore schema-based play with
children from birth to 5.
THIS HANDBOOK

1. Trajectory
Starcatchers' Wee Inspirations
2. Rotation
are low-stress, accessible ways
3. Positioning
to enjoy creative, child-led play
4. Transforming
with very young children at
5. Enveloping
home or in your early years
6. Enclosure
setting. Each approach to
7. Orientation
schema-based play is a Wee
8. Transporting
Inspiration, all inspired by
9. Connection
Starcatchers' Associate Artists.

Three of Starcatchers' 5 Ways With... approaches

that gives you a whole week of ideas with one Discover more

resource! Find the 5 Ways With... play ideas at [Link]

the end of the booklet. /schema-resources

 Schemas are patterns of repeated

behaviours which children engage in.

They are a crucial part of

development and learning.

If your wee one loves putting things in boxes, or

throws their food on the floor - they're not being
'naughty', they may be exploring a schema. Here are
some ideas that can help channel their interests.
 TRAJECTORY

If your wee one...

Throws toys instead of playing with them

"properly"
Loves dropping things - spoons, food etc
Moves toys or objects in straight lines -
side to side, forward and back, up and
down
Is fascinated with running water Dropping Dropping items from different
Loves jumping off furniture heights is a common pattern and helps your
wee one understand gravity and weight. Why
They're exploring the
not drop soft toys from a height, build a pom-
trajectory schema
pom run, or take biodegradable confetti on
your next walk?

Water For a less messy way to explore water

moving, get outside! Grab a squirty bath toy or
clean medicine syringe and some water. Wee Throw something soft! If your wee one is really
ones can explore how far the water will fly into throwing things, why not move together?
whilst also drawing on dry ground (or watering Floaty scarves or feathers are a great way to
the plants!). throw things and move together without risking
breaking something!

Explore obstacles Whether you're at home or out

and about, find obstacles to explore. Encourage Get dramatic! Part of the trajectory schema is
your wee one to assess risk, e,g, chatting about also about moving up and down. Use some
how stable their footing is, how landing on imaginative play and drama to make jumping
grass/cushions is safer than concrete. Channeling and climbing more engaging and more
their need to climb and jump works so much better focussed!
than trying to stop them.
 ROTATION

If your wee one...

Loves spinning around on the spot

Is fascinated by spinning the wheels of toy
cars or toy steering wheels
Keeps twirling the taps to turn the water on
Makes swishy circles in their food, or paint,
or anything they can get their hands on
Spinning This is one of the most common ways
that wee ones engage in the rotating schema, but
why not take it a little further by involving some
They're exploring the

rotation schema
props? Scarves are great for encouraging
movement. Try: 5 Ways with... Scarves

Patterns Mandalas are circular patterns that

rotate outwards from a centre point. Gather
objects together and make it as small or large Water Floating plastic balls or bowls in water
as you like. If you leave space between the gives loads of opportunities for spinning! If you
layers your wee one may enjoy following the use metal bowls with a stick, this is also a great
different circles within the design, or they may way to explore making music and exploring
want to stand in the middle and spin. sound together. Explore this as part of bath time,
or if you're worried about your bathroom getting
splashed, take the fun outside.

Light Painting This works the same way as

trying to write your name with a sparkler on
bonfire night! Download a free light painting Slow down For babies, or wee ones who need
app on a smartphone and move around holding some quiet time, explore tracing circles and
torches to create amazing digital art. You can spirals on their back or tummies, and invite them
make twirling shapes or for older children try to do the same to you. This is a great way to
writing some letters. practice gentle touch.
 POSITIONING

If your wee one...

Places toys in neat rows instead of playing

with them "properly"
Has strong feelings about who sits where
Prefers food presented separately instead
of mixed together
Enjoys patterns and grouping similar
objects together Scavenger Hunts How many things in your
house can you find that are pink? Go on a
They're exploring the
scavenger hunt for objects that have
something in common, then let your wee one
positioning schema
position everything the way they want to. This
is a great way to chat together about shapes,
colours, numbers and size.

Sorting Items like pom poms are great for

sorting by colour, but you could find use any
other small object. Find them together and Stacking Creating piles or towers of objects can
sort them by shape, colour, pattern or material! be a great way to explore positioning too.
Try: 5 Ways with... Pom Poms Blocks or stacking cups are the most obvious
examples, but your wee one might enjoy the
challenge of natural objects like sticks or
stones when out and about. Or what about
stacking dishes in a dish rack?

Mandalas Mandalas are large circular patterns.

Gather items to make a piece of art - natural
materials like stones, leaves and sticks can be
Move together Positioning can also be learning
great for this. Start a centre and radiate
about how to move our bodies together - try
outwards in a circle - once your wee one gets
mirroring their movements, matching body
the idea you'll be amazed how often they start
parts and letting your wee one take the lead.
building their own.
 transforming

If your wee one...

Mixes all the colours of paint into brown

Tries to pour water onto their food (or put
food into their drink)
Loves mushing and mixing
Spends ages at the beach mixing sand and
water (or knocking down sandcastles!)
Dough Creating your own dough is great for
They're exploring the
sensory play, but it also helps wee one's
understand how mixing things can change
transforming schema
them into something new. Let them
experiment with the ingredients - the mixing
and testing may be more important to them
than creating the "perfect" dough model.

Magic Potions Wee ones love mixing together

their own potions. Using store cupboard
ingredients is great for wee ones who still like
exploring everything with their mouths, or Smashing! Chalk is a fantastic resource
once they're past that stage you can go because it can be turned from something solid
hunting for natural resources to mix together. into something else. Smash it, make your own
Food colouring is a great non-toxic way to putty, draw with water, or change it into dust
explore colours. with sandpaper! Try: 5 Ways with Chalk

Spa day Create your own (edible) face masks

using things like oats, bananas, avocado, Imaginatinative play Think about transforming
yoghurt and coconut oil. Let your wee one every day objects. What else could a cup be -
squish soft foods with their hands and chat a hat? a telephone? Act out some ideas and
about the way ingredients are transformed as make sound effects and faces together!
they mix together.
 enveloping

If your wee one...

Loves covering their face, head or body

Keeps hiding under blankets
Loves wrapping up objects or themselves
Covers the entire paper in paint
Uses mud, paint or whatever they can to
coat every bit of their hands

They're exploring the

Wrapping Use a light scarf or muslin cloth to wrap
up every day objects to be discovered. Using cloth
enveloping schema
makes it easier for wee ones to wrap or cover
objects themselves, so they can take ownership of
the game. Expect LOTS of repetition and ask “I
wonder what else we could wrap?” to keep their
imaginations working.

Hiding For an upgraded take on hide and seek,

take turns hiding toys around your home or
garden - you can take photographs of hiding
places to give each other clues. For wee ones
who aren't mobile, placing different objects on Covering Use blankets or scarves to cover or wrap
a tray and covering them with a cloth can be each other. This could be a calm activity to wind
fun too. down together where you "tuck" each other in. Or
you could create a game. Why not run around as
ghosts together? Or make your very own maypole?

Messy Play For wee ones that explore

everything with their mouths, messy play with
food can be great (custard, cornflour gloop,
cooked spaghetti) - have enough in the Visual Art Collage with stickers, paper, glue, paint,
tray/bowl so they can bury or coat their hands. anything that can be used to completely cover the
If you're stressed by mess, plan the activity just page is ideal. Or get outside and use leaves,
before bath time. Or try a tray of dry rice, stones, sticks and other natural objects to cover
lentils etc. the "canvas".
 enclosure

if your wee one...

Loves creating barriers or frames - this

could be with train tracks, blocks, or
even by pushing their food to the
edges of their plate
Puts everything in boxes or containers
Insists on standing inside any circle,
square or defined shape they see on
the ground Build a den Dens are great for building an
enclosed space together and escaping the
world - get under a table, use sofa cushions
They're exploring the
or create a den outside. Once your den is
enclosure schema
built, why not bring in some books, stories,
torches or sensory objects to explore?

Chalk Walk Take some chalk for a walk and

draw around things you find, chatting as you
go. On rainy days you can even draw round the Frame it! Next time you're outside, or during
edges of puddles! Chalk shapes like circles or your walk, collect sticks to create a frame and
squares big enough to stand inside and see use stones, flowers, leaves and anything else
how your wee one decides to play with them - you can find to lay out in your own piece of
I wonder what could they be? transient art! Remember and ask your wee one
if you can take a photo of their work - it shows
you value what they've made.

Jail Break For older children, find a way to "trap"

an item that lets children explore how to get it
out. A great way to do this is use rubber bands Tidying Up Put a large box, basket or hula
around a bowl filled with small items. They hoop in the middle of the room, and pretend
might then want to see which items they can get it's a hungry monster - that love of enclosure
back inside the bowl again. might just get your house tidy!
 ORIENTATION

If your wee one...

Hangs upside down at every opportunity

Loves climbing as high as possible
Randomly lays their head down (or even
fully lies down) even when they're not tired
Wants you to dangle or flip them upside
down Upside down! Being upside down is actually a
crucial part of developing the vestibular system
(our sense that tells us where we are in space).
They're exploring the Explore being upside down together through
orientation schema making tunnels with your bodies - lean against a
wall or let them crawl through your legs if
you're not ready for handstands!

Use the weather! Wind changes how objects move,

offering wee ones opportunities to see objects in Mirrors For babies, mirrors are a great form of
different ways, move them around and learn from sensory play that help them understand
touch. Lie down underneath washing that's drying themselves from different angles. They're also
on the line, or run or crawl under a rug or scarf great for learning (and playing with) facial
that someone is flapping. expressions. Hang mirrors at their height, hold a
handheld mirror above them, or peek at yourself
in the mirror between your legs.

Get down Getting down to your wee one's level

is a great way to explore perspective, whether Empathy Orientation can lead us into
that's crawling, rolling or just lowering yourself conversations about point of view, and how we
to their height, you'll learn a lot about how they all see things differently. Use movement,
move and see the world! They may also love photography and imagination to explore how an
sitting on your back - another chance for a new ant, an eagle or another animal might see the
perspective! world.
 TRANSPORTING

If your wee one...

Loves prams, wheelbarrows or dumper

trucks
Fills bags or boxes with objects and insists
on carrying them around
Always wants to pick up fistfuls of stones,
food or whatever they can grab, and doesn't
want to let them go Mini Worlds Next time you're out for a walk, let
your wee one pack a bag of small toys, and stop
They're exploring the
along the way to find new places for the toys to
transporting schema explore. Even grass becomes a jungle when you're
tiny! Or encourage them to gather natural objects
to explore once you're home again.

Water Play around with how to transport water

around in different containers: bowls, cups, sieves. Delivering Once wee ones are on the move, they
Take it outside to explore what patterns the often really enjoy taking objects from one side
splashing water makes on different surfaces, or ask of the room to the other, or handing them to
your wee one to carry water to different plants, or someone else. Use your imaginations - they
to "clean" different bits of the ground. could be delivering letters, giving out presents
or even finding and sharing treasure!

Confetti Walks Give your wee one a bag of

biodegradable confetti or bird seed to scatter Stories Take a story for a wander by bringing
along their way when out for a walk or in the some props in a bag with you. Let your wee
garden. Or gather small seeds, petals, bits of grass one carry the bag and pull out each item as it
and other small natural objects as you walk along pops up in the story - this is great for wee ones
to create your own nature confetti. who don't like to sit still!
 CONNECTION

If your wee one...

Loves Lego, jigsaws or toys that fit

together
Uses tape, glue or string to stick all kinds
of things to each other
Wants to stick all the different coloured
playdough into one big lump
Bungee Balloons Using rubber bands and some
knots you can turn a balloon into a bouncy ball,
They're exploring the
or hang them so babies can play with them whilst
connection schema
lying on their back. Try: 5 Ways with... Rubber
Bands

Fancy Sticks You can decorate a stick by

wrapping, gluing or taping ribbons, wool,
lengths of paper or fabric around it - this could Connecting Bodies Suggesting different ways your
be a magic wand and inspire some imaginative bodies can connect can be a fun game- arm
play. Or tie on materials and find ways to move touching arm, head touching head, knee touching
with the loose ends flapping and swirling in the shoulder! Really tune in to your wee one and use
air. this as a chance to practice gentle touch.

Get building! Dens are a great way to explore

Knots For wee ones, fabric is often an easier
multiple schemas at once - this could enveloping
way to start tying knots or connecting things
and enclosing as well as connection. They're also
together. Scarves or small cloths are great for
a great way for wee ones to explore connecting
making a long chain.
items together and solve problems - clothes pegs
can be a great way for wee hands to join different
bits of cloth.
5 ways with... a

week of ideas

with one

resource

5 ways with... POM POMS!

1 2

Sorting Can you sort the pom poms by colour? By Make it rain! Fill an umbrella, a bowl or cup and
size? Can you place, throw or roll them into scatter the pom-poms from above. How many
groups? This is a great sensory play experience can we catch? What does it feel like as they fall
that builds the foundations of numeracy and on us? What happens if we twirl as they rain
counting. down? A fun whole body creative experience
with lots of chances to chat.

3 4

Pom pom people Using clothes pegs to grab Pom pom run Cut toilet rolls, wrapping paper
some pom poms is great fine motor centres or long tubes in half and let your wee
exercise...and then you have your own pom-pom one tape them up on a wall. Explore which
people! Do different colours or sizes have angles are best for rolling pom poms down, build
different personalities or voices? Add faces if you tracks or use paper to create 'doors' at the end.
like, using stickers or pens.

5 And Remember...

Start with where your wee ones'

interests are and gradually move into
other, less familiar ways of exploring -
once they 'know' pom poms are fun,
they're more likely to stay engaged.
Get stuck in! Use some sticky back plastic or loop Rather than telling them what to do,
sticky tape to create a sticky 'canvas' to let wee
get stuck in yourself and pause
ones create their own pom-pom art! Windows,
curved surfaces or mirrors add extra challenge sometimes to wonder aloud, or ask for
and interest. help.
 5 ways with... CHALK!

1 2

Smashing! Wee ones are often fascinated by Chalk Putty Sweep up your smashed chalk
dropping chalk and watching it break - dust and mix it with water to make a chalk
embrace that curiosity and explore different putty you can shape like dough - another great
ways of smashing chalk! Hammers, kitchen sensory activity that's eco-friendly and can be
equipment, rocks, explore what works best. Is explored inside or outside. What happens if
it art or is it science? Who cares, it's fun! you leave it outside for the rain?

3 4

Chalk Walk Next time you go for a walk, take Water Prints Once you've got some chalky
some chalk with you. You can turn shapes on the ground you can play with water to make marks
pavement into faces or creatures, draw obstacle and patterns. Drop, scatter or use a wet
courses or just ask "I wonder what this could be?" paintbrush to make marks. Or you can try
It's a great way to combine imaginative play with printing with your hands, feet, natural materials
mark-making. or any objects lying around!

5 And Remember...

Photos are a great way of "keeping"

the temporary art your wee ones
make, but don't get lost behind the
camera! Be in the moment and be led
Super Chalk This is great for wee ones who may by what interests them. Saying "I love
struggle to use chalk on other surfaces. Tape
down sandpaper and use it as a super-scratchy
what you've done, can I take a photo?"
sensory canvas that makes chalk lines easier to at the end is a powerful statement to
make and more visible. Chat as you play, show you value their creativity.
comparing different surfaces.
 5 ways with... SCARVES!

Scarves are awesome!

Scarves are an amazing open

ended material that are fantastic 1
for encouraging movement. Have
you seen anyone pick up a scarf
and not want to give it a twirl?
Here are some ideas to get you Waving A scarf in the air is a great way to inspire
started playing with scarves, and movement - the focus is on the scarf, and your
body follows. Spinning, swooping, tracing shapes
check out the video online for or writing your name - you'll be amazed at how
even more ideas! easy it is to get moving.

2 3

Covering See through scarves are excellent for

Peek-a-boo - they're super light which makes it Catching Throw a scarf in the air and watch it
easy for babies and very young children to move float down - work on that whole body
them. Once you've both mastered taking the scarf coordination and try catching it on your hand,
on and off, try swapping or sharing - mini tent for or foot or head. Or can you throw your scarves
two heads, anyone? in the air and swap with someone else before
they land?

4 5

Imagining Your scarf can become a tail to turn you Cleaning Bundle your scarf up and use it to
into a horse, or wings for a bird, or even the spinning gently "clean" the floor, your own body, or even
blades of a helicopter! See where your imagination each other. This can be a great way to start
takes you and find all the different ways your bodies winding down and discuss different kinds of
can move when you start pretending to be something gentle touch (tapping, stroking etc) after a lot
or someone else of high energy movement.
[Link]

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