A really simple idea to encourage or extend schema play is to provide schema baskets. Creating these baskets is effective because they take up little space in your environment, can be easily changed and reignites children’s curiosity as resources are displayed and arranged in new ways.

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Schema baskets are similar to treasure baskets in that you provide young children with a basket filled with open-ended materials, however, instead of focusing on the sensory element (although this still plays a part) you focus on the behaviour, in this case that might be items that allow young children to explore rotating, connecting, enclosing and so on. Here are some of the baskets I have provided using just felt balls and a few enhancements.

Adding egg cartons alongside the felt balls is great for developing fine motor skills and mathematical thinking. Children with positioning, enveloping and enclosing schemas will engage in placing and hiding the balls. You can use this opportunity to encourage sorting, size ordering and positional language. 

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 Tweezers are another great resource to develop fine motor skills; an essential skill needed for future writing. Children can explore connecting, enveloping, enclosing and positioning with this open-ended experience. For younger children you can swap out the tweezers for spoons, scoops or nets.

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Adding a wooden rainbow to your felt balls is another great resource that can extend children’s thoughts around positioning and sorting, furthermore it’s great for exploring rotation and trajectory as children can push the balls along the rainbow.

Containers with lids are a great way to build mathematical thinking whilst also exploring enveloping, enclosing, connecting and disconnecting. Try adding both opaque and transparent containers to create further curiosity. 

Tissue boxes and felt balls are a match made in heaven, children love to post objects so instead of losing everything behind radiator covers or inside cable reels try this schema basket. Again, transparent and opaque tissue boxes allow deeper exploration and this experience is great for children exploring containing and enveloping.

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