Kindergarten Pattern Activities

Teaching pattern: 1 2 3

Pattern blocks Teach children to recognize, create, copy and extend patterns using games and activities.

On this page:

Teaching pattern activities with pattern blocks
5 minute patterning activities
Easy math games
More Teacher Tips

Pattern Blocks

Pattern blocks are a wonderful math resource for the classroom. They come in 6 colors and shapes - yellow hexagons, green triangles, blue diamond shaped rhombus, red trapezoids, orange squares and a smaller beige rhombus.

Using pattern blocks when teaching math not only develops math vocabulary but also helps children understand many other math concepts such as symmetry, order, counting, number operations, data collection, and estimation.

Children reflect on their hands on experiences as they record their thinking. Pattern block stickersare helpful in this process. Wooden magnetic pattern blocksare easy to use, especially for the child with less developed fine motor skills.

Fun Ideas for 5 minute patterning activities

clap patterns - fast, fast, slow, fast, fast, slow
actions - hop, hop, clap, clap, hop, hop, clap, clap
drama activities - swirl arms like the wind, arms out like the sunshine as you say windy, windy, sunshine; windy, windy, sunshine
line up at the door in patterns - boy, girl, boy, girl
create color patterns with materials - red crayon, blue crayon, red crayon, blue crayon
put pattern blocks in the pocket chart and read -hexagon, hexagon, triangle, hexagon, hexagon, triangle...
diagrams - e.g. draw big apple, big apple, small apple; repeat
letters and words - put letters or words in the pocket chart and read them. AA BB, AA BB or cat, cat, dog; cat, cat, dog
link to poetry e.g. Jack be Nimble - act out or draw on chalkboard -tall candle, short candle, short candle, tall candle, short candle...

Teach pattern games to kindergarten

"Can you make it?" - teach pattern block vocabulary
Materials:
Lots of pattern blocks
A work surface for each child (plastic mats, piece of cardboard; blank are best as there is less to distract the children).

pattern games How to play: Teacher demonstrates and says slowly - e.g. "Choose 2 hexagons, 4 trapezoids, 2 triangles, 5 squares, 1 blue rhombus, 3 beige rhombus (begin with just a few shapes). Put them on your mat.

Then, "I'm thinking of a bird. Can you make it?" Children make a bird using only the patterns blocks chosen above. Then different students can take turns saying what pattern blocks to choose and what to make.

recording patterns Extend the kindergarten pattern activities to the connecting level. Ask the children to count and record how many of each block they used to make the bird, then how many blocks did they use all together.

"Copycat"
Materials: Adding machine tape strip of paper for every two children (thin strips of mat board work well too and don't need taping) Pattern blocks for each child
How to play:
Demonstrate first. This kindergarten pattern activity starts with one child making a repeating pattern until half the adding machine tape is covered, then the second child finishes it. Children trade places and the other takes a turn creating the repeat pattern and the first child finishes it.

"What's Hiding"
Materials:
Adding machine tape strip for each child (as described above) Pattern blocks for each child Playing card or similar shaped card
How to play:
Demonstrate first.
One child creates a repeating pattern on a strip of adding machine tape and covers a small portion of it by holding a playing card over it.
The other child tries to guess what blocks are under the card.

More Teacher Tips When Playing Math Games

1. It is easy to keep track of who has had a turn and who hasn't by keeping a stack of children's names close by. Every time someone has a turn, put their name on the bottom of the pile. Start at the next name when another game is played or on the following day.

2. Call any math activity a "game" and you have the children's attention.

3. Always give the children 3 - 4 minutes to create something of their own with the game materials, quickly have a look around the circle to appreciate what everyone has made, then start the game.

4. Demonstrate games first. Then demonstrate again as children play.

5. Keep games open ended so that all children are able to practice skills. If one child can only master counting to five, let him/her work with five blocks while another child works with seven.

Go from "Kindergarten pattern activities 2 " to previous pattern page.

Visit Sites for Teachers for more great teaching ideas

Math table of contents:

Teaching kindergarten & preschool math - how to teach kindergarten and preschool math concepts, sample step-by-step teach measurement, activities and games
Teaching with math manipulatives - how to teach with math manipulatives to help children understand math concepts
Ten steps to teaching with math manipulatives
Best math manipulatives - choose materials that are useful for more than one math concept
Teaching math vocabulary - learn how to teach math vocabulary
Attribute blocks - how to use these math manipulatives for different features: shape, color, size and thickness to help promote logical thinking
Graphing 1 - how to teach graphing to preschool and kindergarten children, includes collecting data and organizing it in a variety of ways
Graphing 2 - more graphing ideas for young children
Measurement - how to find measurement to young children, find opportunities for students to order objects by size, color, shape...
Number Activities - how to provide experiences that build number sense
Number Games - how to improve children's number sense with easy games
Number Skills - what number skills do children need to know?
Pattern 1- how to teach children pattern concepts
Pattern 2 - ideas and games to teach children to recognize, create, copy and extend patterns
Pattern 3 - teach patterning skills to early childhood and preschool students
Sorting and classifying- how to teach children the important skills of sorting, comparing and classifying objects
Symmetry - teach symmetry with games and activities
Classification games to reinforce math vocabulary
Math & Literature Connections - how to combine math and literature, learn how to promote math skills as you share good literature
            Ten Apples Up on Top - open-ended math activity with Dr. Suess
            10 Little Rubber Ducks - ideas to promote math with this wonderful Eric Carle story
            1, 2, 3 to the Zoo - another great Eric Carle book, practice counting, making number sets, ordinal numbers and more

Teach money 1 - skills & activities
Teach money 2 - with games
Teach money 3 - with fundraising projects