H is for patterns? H is for house and this month all the blog posts talk about how your house is a learning center for all kinds of kindergarten readiness learning. Patterning is today’s readiness for kindergarten skill.
Patterning is a basic skill that comes up in language, math, music, and more. Kids need lots of experiences with patterns and lots of repetition. The easiest pattern to learn is a simple AB, AB. For instance, when sorting the laundry into darks and lights, you can start the 2 piles and say dark-light, dark-light and ask your child to say it with you and maybe even help with the sorting. Changing from the washer to the dryer is another pattern; out of the washer, into the dryer, out of the washer, into the dryer. When matching the clean socks to put away, start a pattern such as big sock– little sock, big sock–little sock and see if your child can finish it. Some kids might be ready for an ABC, ABC pattern. Setting the table will work for that: fork– knife–
spoon, fork– knife–spoon for every place.
Patterning is such a fundamental skill. Just a quick look around the house will likely show all kinds of patterns: the bathroom tiles, the floor, an afghan on the chair, the dishes, towels, tablecloth, wallpaper,clothes, etc. Checking them out will set the pattern for learning while doing and help your little one, too.