Loose parts patterns
Collect loose parts from nature or around the house and arrange them into repeating patterns. A playful way to explore creativity, maths, and order in everyday life.
Patterns are everywhere once you start noticing them - in tiles on the floor, stripes on clothing, or petals on a flower.
This activity invites you to make your own patterns using loose parts, either gathered from nature (leaves, flowers, sticks, stones) or everyday items around the home (toys, buttons, blocks, bottle tops).
As you line objects up in a sequence, you’re not just creating something beautiful - you’re also practising early math concepts like sequencing and prediction, along with fine motor skills and creative thinking.
You can start simple (e.g. leaf - flower - leaf - flower) and then move into more complex designs (red - blue - yellow, or small - big - big - small).
It’s open-ended, calming, and works indoors or outdoors with whatever materials you have on hand.
Materials
Prep
Step 1:
Gather a small collection of items from nature or around the home.
Step 2:
Lay them out on a flat surface, tray, or mat.
Play
Step 1:
Start a simple pattern (e.g., flower, leaf, flower, leaf).
Step 2:
If setting this up as a prompt for your child, invite them to continue the sequence.
Step 3:
Mix it up - try more complex patterns (e.g., rock, flower, stick, rock, flower, stick).
Step 4:
Encourage little ones to create their own patterns from scratch.
Extend
Nature Mandalas: Use natural objects to create circular patterns or .
Colour Sort: Make patterns based on colour families (all shades of green, all shades of red).
Number Challenge: Add counting (e.g. 1 stick, 2 stones, 3 leaves, repeat).
3D Patterns: Try stacking objects or using blocks to build vertical sequences.
Pattern Hunt: Look for repeating patterns in books, clothes, or the environment.
Rhythm Play: Tap out your pattern like a beat and turn it into sound.
