Are you familiar with the AB pattern?
It sounds like a funny name, doesn’t it? An AB pattern is just one of the many different patterns we can introduce to our preschoolers.
The first time I introduced patterns with my preschooler was around two years old. He was not ready.
How did I know he wasn’t ready?
He was not following me when I shared the AB pattern.
What did I do?
Put it away.
Remember, preschool is a time to introduce, not necessarily master. Run with the concepts that click. Return later to the concepts that need more time.
Now, at three years old, he is beginning to grasp the repetition of patterns. We began this AB pattern. An AB pattern repeats itself. For example, purple, red, purple, red, etc.
RELATED: Looking for simple activities to keep at home? Check out our activity cards!
Patterns can follow a few sequences:
- ABAB
- ABC
- AABB
- AAB
- ABB
RELATED: Did you know? Grasping small toys such as these also helps improve fine motor strength!
Why Work on Patterns with your Preschooler?
By Kindergarten, children will be asked to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them, along with being asked to attend to precision.
Practice with patterns in preschool will help your children with these concepts listed above down the road.
Supplies:
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Create boxes in horizontal rows and color in each box with your AB pattern.
Put the correct amount of Plus Plus pieces alongside each pattern.
PRO TIP: These dots were drawn to show my preschooler how to begin his pattern on the left and move to the right.
Allow Your Preschooler to:
- Begin and complete the pattern,
- As your preschooler put a matching color into the box, say aloud the color. This will help your preschooler begin to hear the AB repetition. “red, green, red, green…”
- Each time your preschooler grasps a small object, they are also strengthening small hand muscles and preparing their hands for pencil grip when ready to write.
Extending this AB pattern
Is your preschooler on a roll?
- Draw extra uncolored boxes to the end of the pattern’s row.
- Ask your preschooler, “Which color do you think should come next?”
Keeping kid activities at home simple and fun is the key to learning!
This is such a neat idea! I have been teaching a MOPS class this year, and I think this would make such a fun game for the kiddos. Thank you so much for sharing!
This is a great. I am always on the lookout for new ways to teach skills to my preschooler!
I like this lesson idea a lot. My daughter is very smart at only 2 (will be 3 in 2 months). She knows most of her shapes, numbers to 27, many colors… but she gets blue and green mixed up sometimes. Using this lesson to differentiate between blue and green would be a great start and then move on to the pattern work. Great post!