When developing math skills in preschoolers, which preschool math skill do you think to start with? Here’s a hint: it’s not counting, addition, or subtraction. It’s patterning!
To improve math skills for preschoolers, teaching patterning skills should be your number one priority. I’ll explain why.
Preschoolers who fully grasp the rules of patterning have better math achievement in the later years. And by fully grasping, it’s not just completing the pattern (shown in the first photo above), which is still an excellent first step.
Children understand patterning when they can verbalize and label patterns (e.g., AB, ABB, AAB, ABC…) and can replicate the same design with other objects. Preschoolers can tackle more challenging math concepts in later years.
If you think about it, having pattern skills lead to all future mathematical concepts. We all know when we count, numbers have a fixed order (aka stable order principle) – that’s a pattern. Remember PEMDAS? There’s an order to solve algebraic expressions.
Taking it back to more practical examples, children’s daily routines are essentially patterns. When your child understands the preschool math skill of patterning and what comes next, it leads to fewer power struggles and manages expectations (disclosure: I can’t promise you will never have power struggles).
Teach Patterning Math Skill to Preschoolers Today
So, what math skills activities for preschoolers should you start with? The Brown Bear, Brown Bear learning kit, includes 10 patterning strips to expose your preschooler to different types of patterns. The kit also has 36 sorting cards are provided (6 different animals in 6 different colors) so you can have a party with sorting and patterning!
Now, what I described is only part of the math activities. Each learning kit covers activities across six subjects: math, literacy, science, social studies, physical, and brain boosters – so you will be able to cover a wide range of skills for preschoolers.
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Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?$7.95 – $35.95
To summarize, the pattern cards in the kit will enable children to:
- Learn various pattern combinations
- Help you help them label patterns (AB, ABB, AAB, ABC)
- Use the 36 sorting cards provided to replicate patterns AND eventually create their own patterns
- In addition to mastering patterns, be the champion of sorting and patterning by sorting all 36 cards by animal color and background color shown below.
Show us how you ready, set, LEARN! Follow @tigerkubz on Instagram and use #tigerkubz on your post with your little learner in action using the pattern cards! You’ll be entered for a special prize for sharing!
Not on Instragram? Email hello @ tigerkubz dot com with your picture and you’ll be entered!
Sheryll is the proud mom to 3 boys (1, 5, and 12-years-old) and wife to her better half. She is the founder and CEO of TigerKubz and is on a mission to empower parents with tools to easily engage their little learners. When Sheryll is not thinking of creative ways to make learning experiences of everyday life, changing diapers, or chasing after her kids, you may find her in the kitchen trying out new recipes, attempting to fish on a nice day, or jamming out to Disney singalongs with Alexa.
