Pattern Blocks for Toddlers: A parent's review

Helps children:

* build visual-spatial skills
* increase pattern recognition
* practice shape recognition
* visualize how shapes work together to create new shapes
* master color recognition
* learn beginning math concepts
* practice creativity

Create color mats that match the pattern block colors. These can easily be made with pieces of fun foam or construction paper. Have the children sort the blocks by color. You don't have to do a color sort of all the colors at once. In fact, for very young children just starting this skill, having around three options for sorting is better.

Have children sort the blocks by shape. I folded a piece of paper and then traced a shape in each section. When sorting make sure to say the shape names (green triangles, orange squares, red trapezoids, blue rhombuses (or rhombi), tan parallelograms and yellow octagons.) Don't expect young children to know these names, but rather work on introducing the terminology to them.

Pattern blocks are perfect for pretend play. My little girls like to use them when they are playing in their kitchen. My son used to pretend they were obstacles for his cars to go over and through. Yes, allowing children to use the blocks in this free-play manner does result in some lost blocks, but it is worth seeing their imaginations in action.

One day we talked about honey bees and how they make honey combs. We were able to create our own honey comb using pattern blocks. Go on a nature hike and see if you can spot some patterns in nature. Talk about the shapes you see in those patterns. Then try to build them.

Have students practice tracing with pattern blocks.

Children love to build and stack with pattern blocks. They enjoy building towers and knocking them down.

My children also like to use pattern cards that have simple patterns to build. They feel such a sense of accomplishment when they are able to use the blocks to build an animal or flower. My three year old is just starting to experiment with making her own simple designs with help from my older kids. Pattern blocks willl grow with your children. My older children still love to use them and create intricate patterns and designs.

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