Supporting Schemas with Triclimb

Image Credit: Capture the Rainbow Photography

What are Schemas?

Have you ever noticed your child wanting to do the same things over and over? Do they roll balls or cars back and forth with you all day long, or love to throw things? Well these repetitive behaviours are what is known as a schema. It describes an urge to play in a certain way that is natural, uncontrollable and should be nurtured to aid natural development. Schemas are part of cognitive development, and by going through them in a natural process children are equipping themselves with the skills they need for life, from writing to driving a car. There is no right or wrong and every child will be different, some may focus on a schema for a short time, whilst others could last for longer periods.

It is important to recognise these patterns of behaviour as a natural part of development, and they are skills that can be supported and encouraged. By watching your child and noticing the patterns in their play, you can match activities and toys to their current schema. You may find this will help to hold their interest in a particular activity.

If the behaviour seems unsafe or dangerous (throwing hard balls at their siblings), you can encourage them with a similar alternative activity, whilst supporting the development process. 

What is Triclimb?

Emma Pikler devoted her life to understanding child development, and mapped out the natural way in which children’s motor skills develop. She believed in supporting children’s development though kindness and respect, often now referred to as ‘attachment’.  A major observation around ‘accident statistics’ found that children who have freedom to run, climb, jump and roam were more physically capable and alert. They were able to fall without hurting themselves, in comparison to ‘over-protected’ children who lacked understanding of their capability and limitations, and were more likely to sustain injury.

The Pikler triangle was developed to encourage curiosity, confidence and independence in children as young as nine months.

About 18 months ago after searching high and low for a suitable Pikler style triangle to stock at Babipur, we decided enough was enough and we were going to start our own brand. We wanted it to be strong and made from sustainable materials and were lucky to find an experienced carpenter, Christine, here in the UK, well in fact Wales(!) to make it for us.

The Triclimb triangle encourages children to climb and discover through their own experience, developing gross motor skills, strength and confidence.

We are overwhelmed with the support we have had since we launched Triclimb at Babipur and it has proved hugely popular. You can read more about the team behind Triclimb here.

Schemas and Triclimb

There are several schemas that cover a whole range of behaviours. Triclimb is particularly helpful in supporting the following patterns of play.

Orientation

This describes the urge to view the world from different perspectives and angles. It could be hanging upside down or standing on a table. As adults we don’t need to hang upside to know how it feels and how it connects us to the world around us, but a child has to experience this for themselves.

Triclimb gives your child a play resource to experience the orientation schema, and an opportunity to take risks. They can climb to the top and stand as tall as the room, or hang upside-down with their legs dangling free. New and fun experiences that are connecting them to the outside world in ways they want to explore.

Image Credit: Capture the Rainbow Photography

Trajectory 

This schema is often associated with the urge to throw, drop, move and roll objects. In fact, our bodies are actually part of the trajectory schema. The desire to climb and jump is a natural process of recognising how these behaviour’s feel, and how they connect us to our environment. It supports our understanding of proprioception, in other words, our appreciation of our own body and strength in relation to the world around us.

Your child can climb to the top of Triclimb and jump off the other side, giving opportunity to experience this urge for themselves. They may want to sit on the bars and propel themselves onto the sofa or a set of cushions!

Image credit: Emma Turp

Enclosure

This schema often describes the urge to hide, wrap and fill. Perhaps your child loves to repeatedly fill cups of water and pour them out or climb into cardboard boxes. They may also love to hide under things or cover themselves in blankets.

Triclimb is perfect to support the enclosure schema. Your child can hide themselves away under the arch, covered in blankets to make a secret den. They can create a space to hide and collect things and will have hours of fun bringing and taking objects away as they please.

Triclimb is designed to support your child’s development, and of course it is lots of fun too! We are really excited to announce that Peter and Jolene our founders, have officially teamed up with designer and carpenter, Christine, to create our own business, Triclimb Ltd!! We have lots of amazing ideas in development to support child learning and mobility, so keep your eyes peeled for updates!

You can find Triclimb on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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Do you have a Triclimb? Comment below and let us know your favourite play ideas…