Enveloping & containing
A child who has an enveloping schema is interested in enveloping itself and objects or a space. It is very closely related to containment.
A child with an enveloping schema may:
- Like to wrap themselves in material.
- Make parcels containing every day objects.
- Cover their hands and body with paint.
- Paint a picture and then cover it with a solid layer of paint.
If a child has an enveloping schema parents/carers may like to provide:
- Blankets to wrap dolls and themselves in.
- Dressing up clothes.
- Paper and newspaper to make parcels.
- Be allowed to paint themselves.
A child who has a containing schema loves to put one thing inside another.
A child with a containing schema may:
- Like putting things in bags and pots.
- Enjoy shape sorting toys.
- Climb into boxes.
- Love filing up buckets with sand.
- Draw or paint pictures then draw circles or boxes around them.
If a child has a containment schema parents/carers may like to provide:
- Pots with things they can fill them with.
- Containers to fill in the bath or sink.
- Dry play, e.g. pasta with pots to fill.
- Boxes and tents to go in.
