It might look like simple baby chatter, but this is serve and return in action. When I pause and wait for my baby to ‘reply’, I’m showing him that his sounds matter. This back-and-forth (serve and return) helps him learn that communication is a two-way exchange, the same foundation that later supports language, play, and social skills. Long before children start talking or pretending, they’re learning the rhythm of connection through these tiny moments of turn-taking. Language and play grow from

When your child spends ages building walls around their toys, it might look random or repetitive. But it’s actually the enclosure play schema in action. They’re learning about space, safety, and control. They’re experimenting with what’s inside and outside, what’s protected and what’s open. It’s how young children make sense of their world through play. So next time your preschooler fences in their toy horse, know that it’s not just play, it’s powerful learning happening right in front of you. W

CPD: Reflecting on Schemas (Handout)