Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Repeating Patterns: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 1
- ForYear 1
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Repeating Patterns is a free printable worksheet for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6). Children look at rows of colours and shapes, say the pattern rule out loud and write what comes next. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children meet rows of colours and shapes that repeat. Some rows use letters that stand for colours. Others use shapes such as circle, square, triangle, star and heart. For each row, they say the pattern out loud as a chant, find the part that keeps repeating, and write what comes next in the blank space. The rows use different kinds of repeat, so children cannot just copy the last item.
- R B R B R B ___
- B B R B B R B B ___
- circle square circle square ___
- triangle circle circle triangle circle circle ___
- G R B G R B ___
- star heart star heart ___
- R R B R R B ___
- square triangle square triangle ___
A worked example
apple apple pear plum apple apple pear plum apple apple ___
This example uses fruit and a different pattern from the sheet. It shows one way to think about a repeating row.
Method 1: find the part that repeats- Read the row aloud: apple, apple, pear, plum, apple, apple, pear, plum.
- Spot where the same group starts again. Here, the group is apple, apple, pear, plum.
- Look at the end of the row. The last two items are apple, apple, which is the start of the group.
- Say the group in order. After apple, apple comes the next item in the group.
- Chant the whole row from the start, tapping each item.
- Keep chanting the group in your head as you reach the blank.
- Check by reading the full row again with your answer in place. The group should sound the same every time.
Ways to build a pattern before writing it
Use objects first
Lay out pencils, blocks, buttons or spoons in a row. Build the pattern with real things, then write it down. Touching the items makes the rule easier to see.
Colour it in
Give your child two or three coloured pencils. They colour a row of circles to copy a pattern, then carry it on past the end.
Walk it out
Use movements instead of items. Try jump, jump, clap, then repeat. Children feel the rule in their bodies before they see it on paper.
Swap and check
One person builds a short pattern with blocks. The other adds the next items. Then they chant it together to check that it sounds right.
Why patterns matter in early maths
A repeating pattern is a row where the same group of items comes round again and again. Spotting that group is the first step to saying what comes next. Children use the same thinking when they notice a rule in a number sequence, a timetable or a rhyme. Patterns teach them to look closely, predict and then check.
Young children often see patterns long before they name them. They notice stripes on clothes, tiles on a floor or the order of the days of the week. Saying a pattern out loud helps because the rhythm of the chant shows where it repeats. Talking about the rule gives children the words they need to explain their thinking.
Patterns around us
- The days of the week come round in the same order every week.
- The seasons repeat in the same order every year.
- A beat in music can repeat, so you can clap a pattern.
- Brick walls and tiled floors often use repeating patterns.
- Many fabrics have repeating designs printed on them.
Skills and curriculum link
- Spotting a repeat
- Saying a pattern rule
- Continuing a pattern
- Colours and shapes
- Reasoning
- Careful looking
What children will be able to do
- I can spot a pattern that repeats.
- I can say what comes next in a pattern.
- I can carry on a pattern for myself.
Helping children see the rule
- Chant itSay each item in a steady beat. The rhythm often shows where the group starts again.
- Find the groupAsk which part keeps coming back. Point to the start of each group with a finger.
- Look at the endCheck the last items before the blank. They show where you are in the group.
- Check by readingOnce the answer is written, read the whole row again from the start. It should sound smooth.
Key words
- PatternA row of shapes, colours or objects that follows a rule.
- RepeatTo happen again, in the same order.
- RuleThe way a pattern is built. It tells you what comes next.
- NextThe one that comes straight after.
- ChantSaying words in a steady rhythm, like a rhyme.
- ShapeThe form of something, such as a circle or a square.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Look at the first row together. Say the pattern out loud as a chant.
- Ask which part repeats. Then let your child write what comes next in the blank space.
- Work through the sheet together the first time. Talk about each choice, then let your child try alone.
- Check against page 2. Ask, "How do you know?" Come back another day to repeat a familiar sheet and build confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Build each pattern first with coloured pencils, blocks or counters. Lay the items in a row, then add the next one with your hands before writing it. Chant the pattern slowly and tap each item. Do a few rows, then take a break.
To stretch confident children
Make up your own pattern and let someone else continue it. Try a longer group that repeats, or use three different colours or shapes. Then ask your partner to explain the rule in their own words.
Make it a game
Clap and stamp a pattern for a partner to copy. Start with two sounds, such as clap, stamp. Then try a longer group. Swap roles so that each person has a turn to make up the rhythm.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child writes the same item as the one before it, without checking the rule.
Try thisChant the whole row aloud from the start and pause at the blank. Ask which part of the group should come next.
Watch forA child starts the chant in the wrong place and the group sounds muddled.
Try thisUse a finger to mark where the group begins. Then say the group again, slowly, and look for where it starts again.
Watch forA child changes the order of the items when carrying on the pattern.
Try thisBuild the group with blocks and keep it in view. Move along the blocks one at a time to see the order.
Talk about it
- How can you tell which part repeats?
- What comes next here, and how do you know?
- Can you say the pattern as a chant?
- Where does the group start again?
- Can you make a pattern of your own and explain it?
- Where have you seen a pattern like this at home or outside?
Take it off the page
Pattern snacks
Thread or lay out pieces of dry cereal, pasta shapes or fruit pieces in a pattern. An adult handles any cutting. Say the rule, then continue it.
Pattern walk
Look for patterns around the house or street, such as tiles, fences, curtains or bricks. Describe each one with the words the sheet uses.
Sound patterns
Use a pot and a spoon, or hands and feet, to make a rhythm. Say it as a chant, then let someone else copy it.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Say each pattern as a chant. Praise careful looking and clear thinking, not only correct answers. If they find it hard, build the row with objects first.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups. Listen to how children explain the rule.
Home educators
Use it alone or as part of a wider maths plan. It pairs well with building blocks, outdoor walks and everyday talk about what repeats. It is free to print again for brothers, sisters or revision later.
Where this fits
Before this sheet, children sort objects, copy short rows and notice what is the same and different. They also count objects and say numbers in order. These early skills help them see order and repeat.
After this, children can move on to harder patterns with longer groups and more items. They can also look for rules in number sequences and in shapes. Patterns link naturally to later work such as Faces, Edges and Vertices, where children look closely at the features of shapes.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How can you tell which part repeats?
- What comes next here, and how do you know?
- Can you make a pattern of your own and explain it?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Repeating Patterns for?
It is written for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Key Stage 1. It also suits confident children who are slightly younger and children a little older who want more practice spotting and continuing patterns.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or use it for revision at a later date.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Some rows use letters to stand for colours, so children do not need coloured ink to work through the sheet.
- What if it feels too hard?
Use coloured pencils or blocks to build each pattern first. Lay the items in a row, chant the pattern slowly and tap each item. Do a few rows at a time and come back to the rest later.
- Does the sheet include answers?
Yes. Page 2 is for the grown-up. It has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard, a stretch idea and the answers. Keep it away from your child until they have finished.
- Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and the support and stretch ideas help with mixed ability groups.
- Is this a screen free activity for home education?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or as part of a wider plan.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.