Education

Teach Patterns to Preschoolers

by Yasha Kalani

If you looking for some fun ways to teach patterns to preschoolers, you are on the right page.

What are Patterns ?

Patterns are arrangements of things that repeat in a logical way.

Why do kids need to learn Patterns ?

Patterns help children to learn to sequence.

It helps kids to make predictions because they are getting to know what’s next.

Patterns help kids learn how to make logical associations and use skills of reasoning.

When children explore patterns and learn about them, we help them create valuable foundations for later work on numbers.

Types of Pattern

At this age, there are two types of patterns you can teach your child

Repeating patterns (like square- pentagon – triangle- square- pentagon – triangle )

shapes pattern

Growing patterns (like small, medium, large)

How to Begin Teaching Patterns to Preschoolers

I am a big believer in hands-on learning as it helps to retain information better and understand concepts more easily. We used items and toys that we already have to make different patterns.

There are so many ways to make patterns. Just explore your surroundings and imagination!  You can make patterns based on

  • Size (Big, Small, Big, Small)
  • Shape (Rectangle, Square, Rectangle, Square)
  • Animals ( Domestic Animals, Wild Animals, Domestic Animals, Wild Animals)
  • Texture (Soft, Hard, Soft, Hard )
  • Kitchen utensils ( Fork, Spoon, Fork, Spoon )
  • Fruits and Vegetables ( Fruit, Vegetable, Fruit, Vegetable )
  • Flavour (Sweet, Sour, Sweet, Sour )
  • Nature (Flower, Leaf, Flower, Leaf )

Here are some fun, hands-on activities you can use as inspiration to introduce and practice pattern skills to your little learners. This will take time and patience. And with time they will master it.

Here are a few ideas that we made.

Pattern with Shapes

Teach Shapes Pattern to Preschoolers

Pattern with Colors

Teach Color Patterns to Preschoolers

Growing Pattern

Growing Patterns to Preschoolers

Pattern with Cars ( Small to Big )

small to big pattern

Kitchen Utensils

Pattern with Kitchen utensils

Pattern with Animals ( Dinosaur, Sea Animals )

animal patterns

Additional ways to Teach Patterns to Preschoolers

Keep it simple in the beginning. You can start with the AB pattern. An AB pattern is a pattern repeating only two components. Later you can progress to the ABC pattern and so on.

Make a pattern and ask your child to identify a pattern.

Make a pattern and ask your child to copy the pattern.

Create a pattern and ask your child to have it extended.

Ask your child to make his/her own pattern.

Make a wrong pattern and ask your child to spot a mistake in the pattern and repair it.

YouTube Videos on Patterns

There are various videos available online which also teach Patterns to kids in a very simple way. I have listed my favorites below

The Patterns Practice Song by Scratch Garden

Pump up the Pattern by Jack Hartman

Patterns for Kids by Learning Time Fun 

Hope you find this post on how to teach patterns to preschoolers useful and try this hands-on activity. Please comment and let us know if you will try the same.

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