Why do it?

Why do it? — He aha e mahi ai?

Noticing and creating different kinds of patterns is important so that tamariki can:

  • strengthen their observation skills
  • learn that the world is full of patterns, which helps them to understand more about their world
  • increase their awareness of the variety of patterns there are — some which are seen (visual patterns), and some which are heard (auditory patterns)
  • learn that some patterns are created by people and some occur within nature
  • follow a visual pattern from left to right, which is an important pre-reading skill.

How to do it

How to do it — Te tikanga mō tēnei mahi

  • Help tamariki notice the patterns around them — ‘Look at the “repeating” pattern on your striped top. It goes red, blue, red, blue, red, blue!’
  • Point out repeating patterns outside — ‘Look, there’s a pattern on the fence: wood, gap, wood, gap!’
  • Make patterns using household or natural items: buttons, flowers, leaves, shells, blocks, coins, sticks, stones or stickers.
  • Talk about ‘sound’ patterns around them — ‘I can hear a pattern in that haka: Stamp, stamp, slap, stamp, stamp, slap!’
  • Make sound patterns for them to copy: stomp, clap, stomp, stomp, clap, stomp.
  • Sing a pattern, clap a pattern or use musical instruments in a pattern.
  • To begin with, start with a pattern of two elements repeating, and then make the pattern sequence with three or four elements.
  • Draw or make patterns on cards for your child to read and copy. It could be a pattern of colours, or shapes, or sizes, or a combination of them.
  • Make patterns using things that can be threaded on string like beads, bottle tops or shells.
  • Create a pattern on paper for them to copy when threading.
  • Make sound patterns using voices, poi or rākau.

Using more reo Māori

Pattern

Tauira

Repeating pattern

Tauira tāruarua

First

Tuatahi

Second

Tuarua

Third

Tuatoru

Next

Muri atu

Before

Mua atu

Last

Mātāmuri

What’s first?

He aha te tuatahi?

The pāua shell

Ko te anga pāua

Second?

Te tuarua?

The pipi shell

Ko te anga pipi

What’s the last thing?

He aha te mea mātāmuri?

The mussel shell is last

Ko te anga kūtai te mea mātāmuri

Tell me about the pattern

Kōrero mai mō te tauira