Patterns are all around us, and there are lots of great fun ways to develop children’s awareness of patterns to help them build important early maths skills and apply rules.

You can notice patterns:

On clothing, wellington boots and the soles of your shoes 

On animals – “Tigers have stripes and leopards have spots.”

Go on a pattern hunt in your own and the wider environment 

“I can see a pattern on the tyres.”

You can hear them:

Make a sound pattern with instruments e.g. BANG, tap, tap, BANG, tap, tap.

Sing songs where the lines are repeated where there is a number pattern going up or down.

You can make them:

Provide opportunities for children to copy patterns and create their own as they play.

“I’ve drawn lots of stripy dogs and cats.”

Using loose parts!

Moving your body to make an action pattern e.g. hop, hop, clap!