This may sound crazy, but toddlers and preschoolers thrive when things are orderly. They may not create order, but they certainly do need it (and unknowingly) love it! Eating lunch at the same time everyday, sleeping in the same bed at night, singing the same songs together…all of these things create a familiar routine, or PATTERN.
Being able to recognize the existence of a pattern early in life sets up a youngster for future skills in predictions and mathematics. And obviously, we want our children to be the best and the brightest, right? 🙂 So why not start now in the area of pattern recognition?
This particular game gives your child the satisfaction of creating his own little order by completing a simple pattern. You can make this game as simple or complex as you would like.
Complete the Pattern
What You Need:
- 1. An assortment of blocks in all shapes, colors, and sizes
Set-Up:
- 1. On a low table, or on the floor, create a very simple pattern using your blocks. When we first started this game, the pattern I made was: red block, yellow block, red block, yellow block, stop.
How to Play:
- Show your child the block pattern on the table. Have him name to you, in order, the color blocks that he sees.
Rudy is singing “Green, Red, Green, Red, Green…!!”
- It is important to establish the method of going from left to right when “reading” a pattern.
- In a sing-songy voice, go through the pattern again with him…”Red block, yellow block, red block, yellow block…” Clap in time, too!
- When you get to the last yellow block, ask him what block comes next. If he’s really new at this, you can even hold up an extra red and yellow block for him to choose from.
Red completes the pattern! Good job, Rudy!!
- Tons of praise and applause for getting it right! And nothing but encouragement and help from Mommy if they haven’t quite figured it out yet.
- If they are ready to move on to the next pattern, then go ahead and push aside the old pattern. Set out your next block pattern. I typically would make my second pattern like this: Red block, yellow block, blue block, red block, yellow block, stop.
And now we’ve upped the difficulty level by adding a third color!
- Go through the same motions, making sure that they notice the addition of another color.
- Once again, if you think they are ready, set out pattern number three. My third pattern is: red block, yellow block, yellow block, red block, yellow block, stop.
Level three is even more challenging!
- Help them “read” the pattern and decide on the block that comes next.
Eventually, your child will become very aware of patterns! After just a few months of playing this game with Rudy, he not only completes the pattern but also goes three or four blocks ahead into the pattern!
It is so rewarding to know that these little games reap so many benefits! Watching their confidence grow is absolutely precious…and to think, all it takes is a few minutes each day playing a fun game with them!
