🧩 Thinking & feelings · Ages 4–5 · about 2 weeks

Patterns and Puzzles

Goal: Continue patterns of three (ABC) and growing patterns, and solve simple picture puzzles.

For parents: Patterns are the start of algebra: spotting a rule and using it to predict what comes next.

Do together

  1. Pattern snake

    You need: Bottle caps, buttons or coloured paper squares

    Make a pattern snake: red, blue, yellow, red, blue, yellow. Your child continues it. Then try AAB: red, red, blue.

  2. Growing tower

    You need: Blocks

    Build towers of 1, 2, 3 blocks. What comes next? How many blocks will the tenth tower need?

  3. Jigsaw time

    You need: A 12- to 24-piece jigsaw, or a picture cut into pieces

    Start with the corners and edges. Talk about how you choose where a piece goes.

Talk about it

  • What is the rule of this pattern?
  • What comes next? How do you know?
  • Can you make a pattern for me to finish?

Words to use

  • pattern
  • rule
  • repeat
  • next
  • puzzle

Play

  • Pattern Parade
    Patterns
  • Odd One Out
    Logic
  • Focus Farm
    Attention
  • What's Missing?
    Remembering what you saw
Play these games free

Every game is free for every family until 20 November 2026.

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