The truth is that teaching patterns as a mathematical concept in early childhood classrooms is not always thought of as a math concept.

Art teachers use it for pattern making and printmaking all of the time but in reality pattern is the underlying theme of math.

Learning the skill of pattern recognition helps the children solve problems and helps with the basic development of his/ her mathematical understanding. That is why I am beginning with patterns.

There are many different pattern activities that I am going to give you that you can do with your children will be ones that you can do visually with actual materials,  in auditory  form and physically with their bodies.

Children will learn to analyze, copy and extend patterns.They will then learn to verbalize their experiences. This all makes for much greater interest.

I am going to break up these posts into manageable activities and you can pick and choose which activities you will do with the children.

Clapping rhythmically:

You can start introducing children to patterns by sitting with them wither during circle time or any relaxed moment with an individual child.

Begin by clapping a pattern and have the children follow.

It can be a clap, clap, snap, snap or it can be a clap, clap, clap, snap, snap

Do a combination of these activities having the children follow them.

After a few tries, have the children think up some of their own ideas. they can incorporate, stamping, moving their heads, or any other movement that the children can think of.

Do not single out anyone that is having difficulty with this, if they are not understanding than they will get it after a series of pattern activity’s.

The Dot Chart

The second activity uses visual and written symbols.

Cut out a long rectangular pieces of cardboard and create s dot and dash pattern on it. It could be    ….–….–   or it could be    ..—..—

You can then have children come up to the large piece of cardboard and finish the pattern for you.

You can create a few of these and you can use any number of symbols aside  from dots and dashes as long as they are very simple to create.

Once the children get the hang of this, you can give them their own smaller rectangular pieces of paper and have them do their own smaller pattern repeats.

The first series you give the children should be prepared by you.

After they have mastered those. See which children are ready to create their own patterns from scratch.