056 From Baubles to Tantrums: How Play Schemas Can Transform Your Christmas Day with Toddlers

Join us for the 2026 Family Preset from the 12-16th January. Jump on the waitlist here!

If you'd love a ready-to-go cheat sheet with all the schema explanations and ideas from today’s episode, you can download the free Christmas Play Schema Guide at playschemas.com/free.

Ever wondered why your child suddenly throws baubles across the room, moves everyone’s presents to the opposite corner, or mixes their entire Christmas lunch into one giant “experiment”?

In this episode, we take the stress, confusion, and guilt out of those big festive behaviours, and replace them with clarity, confidence, and a whole lot more calm.

Christmas is magical, but it’s also a time when emotions run high, routines shift, and little people are surrounded by stimulating new sights, sounds, and expectations. For many parents, this means asking (more than once!), “Why are you doing that?” From throwing wrapping paper into the air, to hiding objects, spinning ornaments, lining up cookies, or disappearing under the tree to see the lights from below, it can feel chaotic and sometimes embarrassing, especially in front of relatives.

But I'm here to reassure you that your child isn’t just being naughty... they’re learning.

Their Christmas behaviour is usually a direct expression of one of the 10 common play schemas: the repeated patterns of behaviour children use to understand how the world works. And once you know what to look for, everything starts to make sense.

In this special Christmas episode, I break down how each schema might show up on Christmas Day, from the trajectory schema making baubles fly, to the transporting schema moving gifts across the room, to the enveloping, connecting, disconnecting and transforming schemas that turn ordinary moments into adorable (and sometimes messy!) explorations of curiosity.

You’ll discover:

•  Why your child’s festive “chaos” is actually developmental gold
•  How to explain their behaviour to relatives without awkwardness or judgement
•  Simple redirections that meet their needs without shutting down their play
•  Ways to prevent meltdowns before big Christmas moments even begin
•  Practical scripts you can use with grandparents, visiting cousins, or even your partner
•  How to set up Christmas Day so your child feels supported, understood, and connected

Send us a text

Join us for the 2026 Family Preset from the 12-16th January 2026. Jump on the waitlist here!

If you’ve ever wished you had a group of parents who just get it — welcome to The Play Schemas Collective. It’s where you can ask questions without judgement, share those little wins only another parent would understand, and dive deeper into your child’s play with people who speak your language. Join us at playschemas.com/collective — we can’t wait to meet you.

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I would love to hear your playtime stories—whether you’re celebrating a win or trying to crack the mystery behind a new behaviour, I’m here for it. Reach out on social media or drop me a message.

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and if you are keen for a freebie... head to playschemas.com/free to see what there is for you!