L27 – WWW – Create Repeated Patterns

Working Without Worksheets – Reception Maths: Creating Repeating Patterns Give your Reception pupils the opportunity to design and explore their own repeating patterns in this Working Without Worksheets lesson. Building on earlier pattern work, children identify repeating rules and then create their own using beads, blocks, paint, natural objects, and toys. The lesson begins with a starter activity: Show children a range of patterned objects (e.g. fabrics, tiles, beads) on the slides. Ask: “What do you notice about these objects?” Emphasise that a pattern is something that repeats again and again. In the main input, introduce the penguin’s pattern game: Use teaching slide animations to reveal Penguin’s pattern one object at a time. Ask: “Can you work out Penguin’s pattern rule?” Encourage children to describe the unit of repeat aloud (e.g. red, blue, red, blue ). Confirm the pattern rule together before showing more examples. For the independent activity, set up practical areas where children can create their own patterns: Beads and Threading – use beads or pasta to design bead-string patterns. Building Blocks – create colour or size-based block patterns. Natural Materials – arrange leaves, stones, and sticks in repeating paths. Finger Painting – stamp repeating colour patterns onto paper. Toy Animals or Cars – line up toys in AB, ABB, or AAB patterns. Encourage children to describe their patterns using full sentences such as: “Red, blue, red, blue” “Big, small, big, small” “Dog, cat, dog, cat” They should also extend their patterns by adding more repeats. The plenary brings the group together: Share examples of children’s creations. Reinforce the concept of the unit of repeat and how it forms the rule of the pattern. What’s Included in the Pack? ✔ Full teacher planning with objectives, vocabulary, and plenary guidance ✔ Starter: explore patterned objects and define what a pattern is ✔ Teacher modelling: Penguin’s pattern rule game using animations ✔ Vocabular