Singing repetitive songs help children recognize and make patterns. Traditional songs and nursery rhymes such as "Row, Row Row Your Boat" and "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round" use the same lyrics over and over in patterns. Group the children together into a circle and sing these types of songs. Ask children what should be sung next in traditional songs like "There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" or "Cat Goes Fiddle-I-fee" so they will make patterns.
Games are hands-on activities where children do not realize they are really learning. Play "I Spy" with kindergartners to work on their observation skills in recognizing patterns. Take the children outside and start the game by saying, "I spy with my little eye, something that is..." Choose patterns that are easy to observe, such as leaf patterns or brick patterns, and the children will guess. Another game for pattern-making is a to clap a sound pattern. The children should imitate your clapped pattern and create their own for others to repeat.
Children can use colored blocks to create patterns in the colors. Blocks may be wooden, magnetic or plastic. They can stack the blocks into patterns or place them together flat. Using pattern blocks with different shapes and colors, children copy patterns from pattern charts or create their own. You can limit the type and colors of pattern blocks and have the children design their own shapes with the blocks. For example, ask the children to use five squares, two rhombus, four trapezoids and two triangles to make a bird.
Kindergartners can use crafts to learn pattern-making. One craft is to use rubber stamps and ink to make patterns. Children can make their own patterns or copy a pattern. Another craft idea to is create a drawing on half a piece of paper and have the children repeat the pattern on the other side of the paper. A simple craft with crayons is to use a long strip of paper. Children can color patterns on one side and have another child repeat the pattern on the same strip of paper.