All Activities
Maths

Pattern Spotting

Overview

Children look for patterns in their environment and describe them.

Learning Objective
Children recognise and describe simple repeating patterns.

Resources needed

  • Everyday environment or objects

Lesson stages

0 / 7 done
  1. 1 Show a simple pattern (e.g. clap, tap, clap, tap).
  2. 2 Ask children to repeat it.
  3. 3 Ask: 'What comes next?'
  4. 4 Look for patterns in the room or outside.
  5. 5 Ask children to describe patterns they see.
  6. 6 Create new patterns together.
  7. 7 Encourage children to explain their thinking.

Tap a step to mark it as done.

Variations

  • Use sounds or actions
  • Use objects
  • Make longer patterns
More information

Point out patterns in everyday life (fabric, fences, tiles). Patterns are culturally universal and can be found in local crafts.

Start with body action patterns (clap-tap) before moving to objects.

Can children describe a pattern without copying one? Do they notice the repeating unit?

Body actions (clap, tap, stamp) require no resources. Patterns in the environment — brickwork, fabric weave, rows of crops — are free to observe.

Children sometimes see any repetition as a pattern, including non-repeating sequences. Help them identify the repeating unit specifically and check that it repeats more than once.

Activity details
Early Years Easy 10–15 minutes No prep Whole Class, Small Group Indoor & Outdoor
Topics
Patterns