Noah is four. For a four year old he is pretty good at playing independently for fairly long periods of time, but sometimes he needs a little encouragement to get started.
Sometimes, when I really need to get some work done and he just can’t settle into playing with any of the toys we have on offer, I’ll set him up an’invitation to play’.
These invitations are always fairly simple, and they are always activities that he can manage without much supervision or input from me.
These activities won’t keep him engaged for hours, but they are enough to get him started with independent play and he seems to be able to pick up and run with his own ideas, once he is done with the activity I have set up.
Earlier this week I set up a very similar invitation to play with pattern blocks.
On this occasion I set out the pattern blocks and some printed letter pattern cards – one for each letter of Noah’s name, as he is working hard on writing his name correctly at the moment.
Pattern blocks come in standard colours, shapes and sizes and they are either wooden or plastic. If you don’t have a set of pattern blocks there are lots of options to print your own pattern blocks here.
Free Printable Pattern Block Cards
Use these pattern block cards to make pictures, or work on learning skills. The kids will have so much fun they won’t even notice they are practicing all kinds of maths skills along the way!
- Free Alphabet Pattern Block Printables from Confessions of a Homeschooler (also in black and white)
- Free 1-20 Pattern Block Cards from Confessions of a Homeschooler (also in black and white)
- Transportation Pattern Block Mats from PreKinders
- Animal Pattern Block Mats from PreKinders
- Preschool Pattern Block Activity Cards from Confessions of a Homeschooler.
- Jessica’s Pattern Block Shapes
- Snowflake Pattern Block Mats from PreKinders.
- Making Patterns with Pattern Blocks from Moms Have Questions Too
- Pattern Block Printables from Mama’s Learning Corner
- Bug Pattern Block printables from PreKinders
Pattern Block Ideas and Activities
- Giant Pattern Block Scenes from Mama Smiles
- Play dough and Pattern Blocks from Mama Smiles
- Suduko with pattern blocks – free printables from Kid Giddy.
- Using Pattern Blocks for Learning Symmetry from Teaching Tales Along the Yellow Brick Road
- Maths Sorting with Pattern Blocks – a free resource at Teachers Pay Teachers by Tiffani Mugurussa.
- Cool Maths for Kids Pattern Blocks – a free online pattern block game.
- Printing with pattern blocks from The Preschoool Toolbox Blog
- How to DIY your own pattern block cards from Preschool Inspirations
- Make giant felt pattern blocks from The Educators Spin on It.
Do you have a set of pattern blocks? What is your favourite way to play with them?
Below are some affiliate options for buying pattern blocks on Amazon. If you buy through one of these links I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Hi I am special needs teacher this will give children an opportunity to learn while working practically with using different medias in indoor set up .
I love this! I’m always looking for activities for my 4 yr old and 1 yr old that they can do together, and this looks perfect. Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing these printables!
I hv been looking for activities for a community school which can be done together and this looks perfect.
Thank you so much for posting all of these pattern block activities. This is just what I needed! :)
How do you make your own pattern block designs/templates.
You could set up the pattern blocks in the pattern you want then photograph them and print the photo full size. Or simply draw around the shapes and colour them in.
Wow,I have been an Early childhood Educator for over 40 yrs.It’s my passion .I know when I was 9yrs.old that I wanted to become a Teacher ,because I love children and after caring for my nephew’s and niece’s I was more convinced.I love teaching the children and introducing the different learning domains and “Math ” is one of them.I enjoy all the new and different pattern cards that’s available .