Math and the Homeschool Preschool: Teaching Kids to Identify and Copy Patterns

When it comes to preschoolers and math, many homeschooling parents might think there isn't much to be taught aside from helping small children to recognize numbers and count to ten. The truth is though, that there are several other important math concepts that a preschooler can be taught in your homeschool.

One of the first math concepts that you may want to help your homeschooling preschooler to learn is that of identifying and copying patterns. Working with patterns helps preschoolers to master a basic concept that they will build upon later when working with more advanced math. Helping your homeschooling preschooler to identify and copy patterns is fun, and often fairly easy. The most effective way to teach the preschoolers in your homeschool to identify and copy patterns is to provide various hands on activities that reinforce the concept.

Head to your local school supply store - Your local educational supply store is often a great place to find simple manipulatives with which to teach pattern recognition to the preschoolers in your homeschool. Here you will find tubs of plastic bears, flat color chips, and even dinosaurs, all in an assortment of primary colors. These are great to use in a variety of math activities. Use these manipulatives to demonstrate simple patterns at first. For example, set four plastic bears on the table in a red-green-red-green pattern, and ask the child to name the colors in order with you. Then ask which color would come next if you wanted to make the rest of the line of bears look the same as the first part. Continue with simple patterns until your homeschooling preschooler has a strong understanding of the how to identify and complete patterns in this way.

At the educational supply store, you will also find Learning Links. Learning Links are plastic pieces that fit together to form chains, and like many other manipulatives, they come in primary colors. In addition to being fun to work with, Learning Links are an effective tool because Learning Links pattern cards can be purchased separately to enhance this math activity. Each pattern card displays a photo of a chain of Learning Links assembled in a distinctive pattern. The preschooler in your home can use these to identify the pattern on each card, and then recreate it by hand using the Learning Links.

For a less expensive alternative, use materials you already have at home - Educational supply stores can be pricey, and it's tough sometimes to find a real bargain even when searching for these materials online. If you want to start teaching the preschooler in your homeschool how to work with patterns without shelling out a lot of money upfront, consider the items you have at home that may be able to be used. Lego and Duplo building blocks could be used, as could poker chips. For extra fun, practice patterning with M&M candies!