Children's Lively Minds: Schema Theory Made Visible

Teachers often see repetitive behaviors in toddler and preschool classrooms, such as building and knocking down block towers or dumping out toys. When children do these actions over and over it can be frustrating to teachers and parents, but viewing these actions through the lens of schema theory helps us understand what’s really going on in children’s brains when they display these repetitive behaviors. Children’s Lively Minds is filled with stories about real children exploring schema, followed by reflection and questions about what children might be learning. Understanding schema theory and intentionally supporting it can help families and teachers see the competence in young children’s repetitive behavior and allow adults to better understand and support brain development.