Una Isdell

Thinking inside the box. 📦 Yesterday I shared some holiday gift giving advice (see below), one piece of which resonated with many of you. It was a warning that your toddler may be just as interested in the box a toy comes in as the toy itself. And it’s true. Toddlers are particularly drawn to boxes. Today I thought I’d take a moment to talk about why. Young children’s behaviors can sometimes seem difficult to interpret, but - as I’ve shared before - often follow common patterns or “play schemas.” Researchers have identified 9 of them. And the more you understand them, the easier your toddler’s behaviors become to interpret. Which brings us to this little cutie, who is engaged in one: ENCLOSURE. As its name implies, enclosure play involves containing things (putting one item into another) - or placing borders around objects or themselves. It’s all about marking physical boundaries - which can contribute to a sense of security. And what could be better for the enclosure schema than a box? Depending on the play in question, boxes may also be associated with a related schema: ENVELOPING, which involves covering themselves or objects up entirely. (Imagine our hero attempting to hide herself completely within the box, closing it at the top.) Anyway, box play is neither a cause for alarm, nor an indication that your child doesn’t like their actual gifts. It’s just that they’re very drawn to enclosure play, developmentally. So before you go rushing to the recycling bin, keep an eye out for boxes you might let your toddler explore safely (whether the contents were originally intended for your little one or not). This sweet little adventurer was shared to TT by jillianpagefo.