Boxi Math

Back to Stage 0 / Unit0E · Find the pattern

Game card for parents · 0E-1 · Ages 4–6 · 10 min

Pattern Necklace

Making a repeating pattern and saying what comes next is your child's first step towards spotting and describing rules.

S-5 Patterns can be put into wordsS-6 Mistakes are fine — try it

You need

  • dried tube pasta or large wooden beads in two colours
  • a shoelace or string
  • felt-tip pens to colour pasta (optional)

How to play

  1. Thread a pattern: red, blue, red, blue, red, blue.
  2. Ask what comes next, and let your child add it.
  3. Start a new pattern: red, blue, blue, red, blue, blue.
  4. Let your child carry on, then make up a pattern of their own.

Guess first

What do you think comes next? Say it, thread it, then let's say the whole pattern out loud to check.

Three things to ask

  1. How would you tell a friend the rule?
  2. What colour will the tenth one be?
  3. Is it always blue after red? Always?

Easier

Stick to red, blue, red, blue, and say the colours aloud as you go.

Harder

Try patterns like red, red, blue, yellow, or make a deliberate mistake for your child to find.

Watch for

Copying is easy; carrying on is harder; explaining the rule is hardest. Any of these steps is progress.

Safety

Pasta and beads are a choking hazard for children under 3. Stay with your child while they play, and don't let a necklace be worn while sleeping.

boxi-math.github.io · CC BY 4.0 · Boxi Yu