Pattern Activities for Preschool

How to Teach Patterning Skills in Preschool

Looking for some fun ways to teach patterning skills in your Preschool or Pre-K classroom? Learning about patterns is a basic math skill that will help your kids develop more advanced math concepts later.

But how do you teach patterning skills to young children? You’re in luck! Here are some fun, hands-on activities you can use in your preschool classroom to introduce and practice those important patterning skills to your little learners.

How to Teach Pattern Skills in Preschool

Pattern Activities for Preschool

When it comes to providing your kids with pattern activities, hands-on is the way to go!

Kids learn best by doing – touching and manipulating 3-D objects helps them retain information and concepts more easily.

Bead Patterning Mats
But before you go out and empty your wallet, here’s a list of items you may already have on hand that can be used to make patterns.

  • Teddy Bear Counters
  • Snap Cubes
  • Unifix Cubes
  • Mini Erasers
  • Rocks
  • Sticks
  • Wooden Blocks
  • Pom-Poms
  • Keys
  • Feathers
  • Golf Tees
  • Play Dough
  • Paint
  • Colored Clothespins
  • Bingo Dot Markers
  • Stickers
  • Cups

Bear Pattern Activity for Preschool

Why are patterns important?

When children have solid patterning skills in place, they’re able to predict what will come next. Clear patterns can be found in our daily routines, music, words, and even in nature.

The pattern mats featured on this page are available in the Patterns Unit for Preschool.

Cube Patterning Cards for Preschool

Developmental Sequence of Patterning Skills

There are many different levels to teaching and learning pattern skills, here’s the developmental sequence for teaching patterning skills to your Preschool or Pre-K students.

  • Stage 1: Recognize a pattern
  • Stage 2: Describe a pattern
  • Stage 3: Copy a pattern
  • Stage 4: Extend a pattern
  • Stage 5: Create a pattern

The most basic patterns include two items and are commonly referred to as AB patterns. More complex patterns include ABC, ABC; AABB,AABB; AAB,AAB; ABB, ABB.

Clothespin Pattern Activity for Preschool
It can take months or even an entire school year for preschoolers to achieve mastery of patterning. For this reason, it’s important to provide your students with plenty of patterning practice all year long.

The Patterns Unit for Preschool can help you accomplish the goal of providing your little learners with opportunities to practice their patterning skills all year long.

Bead Patterning Mats for Preschool

Ways to make patterns

  • Sound/Rhythm
  • Movement
  • Concrete Objects
  • Color
  • Shape
  • Size

Pom Pom Patterning in Preschool

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    Pattern Activities

    There are so many different ways to make patterns, you’re really only limited by your imagination! Here are a few more ideas to get your creativity flowing.

    How to Teach Patterns in Preschool with Stickers
    You can find inexpensive mini erasers at Target, Party City, or Oriental Trading to match just about any theme. Your kids can use the mini erasers to make patterns on paper.

    Making Patterns with Stickers in Preschool
    You can often find stickers at the dollar store. Give your kids some inexpensive stickers and invite them to make patterns – this will make their day!

    Printable Pattern Mats for Preschool
    Cubes are a staple in most early childhood classrooms. Invite your students to use these cubes to make patterns.

    Pattern Activity Mats for Preschool

    Books about Patterns


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    Teaching Positional Words to Preschoolers
    How to Teach Shapes with road mats
    How to teach sequencing skills
    Preschool Pattern Block Activities
    Learning Shapes with Geoboards
    Measurement Activities for Preschool

    7 thoughts on “Pattern Activities for Preschool”

    1. Pingback: 15 simple ways to teach patterns to preschoolers - The Measured Mom

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    3. Pingback: Your Kids Will Love the Skittles Science Experiment - Modern Mom Life

    4. Hello! I totally love your pattern unit and want to know where do I purchase the buttons. I have a pack I bought from Walmart about 3 years ago, but there were just a few of the buttons I did not have. I wondered where exactly did you purchase yours. You know that the kids are going to want to match the buttons perfectly to the picture and color!

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