- Age:3+
- Time:15 min
- Difficulty:Easy
- Mess level:None
- Supervision:No
🧩 Try it online
✂️ Free printable
Pattern starter pack
2 pages · 243 KB
Two pages: pattern rows to complete by hand, plus a sheet of shapes to cut out and arrange on blank strips.
What Is a Pattern
As we said, one of the popular definitions of math is that it is the science of patterns. Patterns of shapes, numbers, structures or even ideas are really at the heart of math. Their basic characteristic is that they repeat according to some rule (color, shape, size, category).
That means they are predictable - we can (easily or not!) continue a pattern just by observing part of the sequence. Learning that we can predict certain outcomes based on our observations is a powerful concept. It helps children develop logical skills and improve their perception and understanding of the world around them. Nature is full of patterns. Famous examples include crystals and snowflakes, but there are also many from the animal kingdom, like a zebra’s stripes.
One of the most interesting kinds of pattern is the fractal - an infinitely repeating pattern across different scales. This type of symmetry is called expanding or unfolding because the same (or a very similar) pattern repeats at a smaller and smaller scale. Fractals can be found in images, sounds, structures and nature, and are considered prime examples of mathematical beauty.
Fractals: the same pattern repeats at smaller and smaller scales.
The Four Kinds of Repeating Patterns
Most patterns young children meet are built from a short repeating unit - a small group of items that repeats over and over. Once your child learns to spot that unit, they can continue almost any pattern. Here are the four you will use most, from easiest to hardest:
The four basic pattern types. Each row repeats a rule - can your child name the shape hidden under the ?
- AB - two items that simply take turns: circle, square, circle, square…
- ABB - one item, then a pair: circle, square, square, circle, square, square…
- ABC - three different items in a row before it repeats: circle, square, triangle, circle, square, triangle…
- AABB - matching pairs: circle, circle, square, square, circle, circle…
The trick is always the same: find the part that repeats, then keep going.
In the pattern circle, square, circle, square, circle… what comes next?
Make your prediction, then tap an answer to check!
Want to try more? Play with the pattern maker below - complete the pattern, switch between shapes, colors, letters, numbers or pictures, or tap Build your own to make one from scratch:
Variant
Pattern
Tap the tile that comes next
Why Should You Explore Patterns With Your Child
Every child loves to match and sort things! Grouping similar objects comes naturally and very early - it’s one of our basic psychological tendencies. Blue blocks go here, red blocks go there. Those are the simplest patterns. It’s good to talk to your child about the differences you both notice, but also the similarities.
“Oh, yes, I see! They are not the same color, but what is similar about them? How many sides do they have? Let’s compare these blocks with the balls!”
This helps them think critically, be less impulsive, and pay attention to different characteristics of things (and people!).
Sorting and matching are the foundation of mathematical reasoning. I know most of you think math and fun can’t possibly go together, but these activities are both beneficial and fun! What are we developing? Visual perception, motor coordination, logical thinking - all the important stuff.
The great thing about these activities is that you don’t actually need anything fancy - use materials you already have, or do them “in your head.” That way your child also practices their working memory and attention.
Materials for Pattern Matching Activities
As we just said, most of these materials are optional! You can put shapes on any surface and ask your child to continue the pattern. We used felt shapes, but you can use any material (for example, cut them from paper or cardboard and color them).
Felt shapes in different colors are enough for endless pattern games.
- Paper
- Scissors
- Ordinary and colored pencils
- Ruler
- Shapes of different colors and sizes
Instructions for the Activities
Watch the video at the top of the article to see a complete guide to a pattern matching activity, or continue reading the description below.
For each activity, take a piece of A4 paper and divide it into boxes (each box should be big enough to hold one shape, and the number of boxes will be the length of the pattern).
Activity 1: One Repeated Element
Let’s start with something simple - a pattern of “one repeated element.” Put an element of the same shape, size and color into the first three boxes. Give your child several elements (of which one is correct) and ask them to continue the pattern. You can vary the difficulty by offering fewer or more elements. It’s easier if the offered elements differ in only one property - for example, color.
Activity 2: Two Alternating Elements (Color)
A “two repeating elements” (AB) pattern with variation in color. As an added twist, color the first few boxes according to the pattern - first and third in one color, second and fourth in another. We used circles in blue and yellow. Ask the child to put a shape on the matching color and continue the pattern.
Activity 3: Two Elements (Shape and Color)
Similar to the second activity, “two repeating elements,” but this time the variation is in both shape and color. We used red circles and green squares. Again, start the pattern and ask the child to continue it.
Activity 4: Three or More Elements
Now we have a “three (or more) repeating elements” (ABC) pattern with variation in shape. As before, start the pattern and ask the child to finish it. To increase the difficulty, offer many different shapes, sizes and colors to continue with.
All of these activities are only examples - there are tons of possibilities. A great way to add some fine motor practice is to ask the child to use tweezers when placing the elements. You can also play some role-playing games, like this one: "Let’s pretend the table is an ocean and the shapes can’t swim. The only way to help them is to put them on little paper boats. But they want to be close to their best friends, so we must follow this pattern." Or something similar. It's way more fun when you jump in the story and play together! 😊 Another option to make a pattern is to use some yarn and make a clothes line. Make the pattern with clothespins of different colors and sizes.
What Patterns Teach
- Improved perception
- Improved logical and mathematical reasoning
- Can be paired with bonus skills, like color recognition or practicing the pincer grasp
Key takeaways
- A pattern is a sequence that repeats by a rule - color, shape, size or category - which makes it predictable.
- Simple patterns are built from a short repeating unit; the four to start with are AB, ABB, ABC and AABB.
- The core skill is finding the part that repeats - then a child can continue any pattern.
- Sorting and matching are the foundation of math reasoning and build visual perception, logic and fine motor skills.
- You need no special materials - shapes, blocks, snacks, even claps and stomps all work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pattern in math for kids?
A pattern is a sequence of things - shapes, colors, numbers or sounds - that repeats according to a rule. Because it repeats, it’s predictable: once a child spots the repeating part, they can say what comes next. Recognizing patterns is one of the earliest and most important math skills.
At what age can a child start learning patterns?
Very early. Toddlers around 2 to 3 already sort objects by color or size, which is the first step. Simple AB patterns (like red, blue, red, blue) usually click around ages 3 to 4, and more complex ABC or AABB patterns follow in preschool and early school years.
What are the different types of patterns?
The most common early ones are named by their repeating unit: AB (two items alternating), ABB (one item then a pair), ABC (three different items), and AABB (matching pairs). Patterns can also grow or change by a rule, such as counting by twos.
Why are patterns important for a child's development?
Patterns build the foundation for mathematical thinking - noticing structure, making predictions and reasoning logically. They also strengthen visual perception, attention, working memory and, when children place small objects, fine motor skills.
What are some easy pattern activities to do at home?
Thread colored beads in a repeating order, line up toys or blocks by color, clap-and-stomp a sound pattern, set the table in a fork-spoon-fork-spoon pattern, or arrange a snack as fruit-cracker-fruit-cracker. You can also use our free online pattern maker or printable worksheet.
Are patterns part of STEM?
Yes. Recognizing and extending patterns is core to math, and it underpins science and computer science too - from predicting sequences to spotting structure in data. Math is often literally defined as “the science of patterns.”
We hope you and your child enjoyed this activity. Soon, you’ll notice patterns all around you! If you want more brain-boosting activities, try to build and solve the Tower of Hanoi, or dive into cryptography (more patterns!) by making your own cipher wheel.
