●▲●▲●▲ — what comes next? Most kids will quickly answer "●!" They can spot a repeating shape or color and tell what should come next.
In math, this is called finding a "pattern" or "rule." It might look like nothing special, but it's actually the beginning of an important kind of thinking.
Finding a pattern means spotting "the smallest chunk that keeps repeating." In ●▲●▲●▲, the repeating chunk is '●▲', two shapes long. Once you find that chunk, you can predict not just the next shape, but the one after that, and the one after that too.
Sometimes the chunk is 2 shapes long, like 'AB'. Sometimes it's 3 shapes long, like 'AAB' or 'ABC'. The longer the chunk, the harder it gets to spot. But the idea — "find what repeats" — stays exactly the same.
Practicing pattern-finding builds the foundation for many math ideas learned later. Even the multiplication table is really a pattern: "3, 6, 9, 12..." growing by a steady amount each time.
The days of the week are a pattern too — Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... keeps repeating forever. Kids who practice pattern-finding a lot early on tend to approach more complicated math with confidence later.
Patterns are hiding all around us in everyday life — in the stripes or polka dots on clothes, in the way sidewalk tiles are laid out, or in the beat of a song (boom-boom-clap, boom-boom-clap).
All of these are patterns — a rule that keeps repeating. Take a walk with your child and ask, "what rule do you think these sidewalk tiles follow?" Clapping along to the beat of a song is another great pattern game.
A great way to practice with your child is to have them make up their own rule. Use blocks or colored pencils to create a pattern, then ask, "guess what comes next!"
Guessing the pattern is fun, but making up a pattern yourself helps you understand patterns even more deeply. Start with an easy rule like AB, then move on to trickier ones like AAB or ABC as your child gets comfortable.
On our activity page, you can choose a difficulty level (AB · AAB · ABC). A row of repeating shapes appears, and you try to guess which shape belongs at the final "?" spot. Practice across different difficulty levels to build your sense for spotting the repeating chunk.