Making Patterns with Loose Parts Activity
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Working on pattern recognition is an important area to practice with your Kindergartner. The ability to recognize, follow, and predict patterns are important early math skills. It will go a long way to help prepare your child for the more complex mathematical work ahead of them. Add this Making Patterns with Loose Parts activity to your math centers or use it for extra practice at home! Your child can have fun while also strengthening skills!
*Pair with our Pattern Centers & Activities for Pre-K/Kindergarten!
Making Patterns with Loose Parts Activity
The term loose parts relates to any object which can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart and put back together. Playing with loose parts is a popular activity in preschools to help children develop their skills in creativity, flexibility, and independence. Their naturally inquisitive young minds can’t help but be drawn to explore loose items placed in front of them.
I help out in my daughter’s Kindergarten class once a week. One recent activity was to make and follow patterns by threading beads onto a string. My daughter was just starting to grasp the concept when we had to finish up. So to help reinforce these skills, I came up with this fun activity to continue making patterns at home!
Suggested Supplies to Make Patterns
You can create patterns from any loose parts from around your home or classroom. Here are the items that we had on hand:
Let’s Get Started
We sat down together to play and it wasn’t long before Bella’s big brother appeared to see what we were doing. I explained that we were working on making patterns together and he was keen to help out. Bella adores her big brother so I let him start off a few patterns for his little sister to follow.
She got off to a great start and worked really well with her brother as he made each subsequent pattern a little harder. We then encouraged her to have a go at starting off some patterns of her own. She had fun picking out her favorite objects from the tray to use.
Big brother then returned to his own tasks and left Bella using her loose parts to build some cool constructions. We may have strayed away from the original activity of making patterns, but this didn’t mean that her learning had ended. The beautiful thing about playing with loose parts is that the activity can go off in many different directions.
So what began as a simple math activity, grew into an engineering experiment that was filled with laughter and imaginative play.
We can’t wait to play with loose parts again soon! I know your kids will love the freedom of creating their own patterns with their favorite loose parts!
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