Have you ever been mystified by a child passionately repeating a particular theme in their play? Have you ever wondered why children do "odd" things like filling containers with bits and pieces or always needing to take armfuls of toys when leaving the house? Maybe you know children who throw almost anything they can get their hands on, or apply more paint to themselves than the paper you have put ready? If these scenarios sound familitiar you have probably been noticing a schema, or maybe a cluster of schemas. This book is a user friendly "first taste" of schemas, but also has enough theoretical substance to give readers a solid foundation of understanding. In this book you will learn about what schemas are, how to spot them, and thenhow to use them to enhance teaching and learning. You will also learn how schemas support the delivery of Te Whariki and the developmwnt of children's learning dispositions and working theories.