See a Pattern Here?
When you teach kids how to play with patterns, you’re giving them the basics for reading, math and music skills too.

Patterning is the process of creating repetitions of symbols or objects. Wow—sounds complicated, doesn’t it? But this is one important skill that our youngsters have to learn for both future reading and math success.

So start simple and help them out. Use a collection of common objects (spoons, cups, jar lids or blocks), and help your child create a pattern. Begin with what’s called an AB pattern; spoon/block, spoon/block, spoon/block... Move on to harder ones using 3, then 4 or 5 objects to create patterns. You can start a pattern and let your child complete it, or encourage them to invent patterns on their own.

Be aware of patterns around you, and help your child to see them too. For example, boy/girl, boy/girl around your dinner table is a pattern. Make a LEGO creation by repeating blue, white and red blocks. Lay out a pattern at the breakfast table using cheerios/blueberries/nuts, etc. How does the pattern change when you eat up all the berries?

Beyond visual patterns, kids love to play with music, sound and movement. Go on a pattern walk: walk/hop/turn around, walk/hop/turn around, etc. Or get them up and moving to a favorite song. Kids can stomp or clap (or both!) with each beat of their favorite nursery rhyme to develop recognition skills, following your lead at first. Then they can get creative and march to their own beat. (A simple example might sound like: slow/slow/fast-fast-fast, slow/slow/fast-fast-fast, slow/slow/fast-fast-fast…)

Patterns are essential for children to learn about, but they’re not difficult to grasp when you make them fun!