Domain: NC Foundations for Early Learning: Cognitive Development (CD)

Subdomain: Mathematical Thinking and Expression

Goal: Children compare, sort, group, organize and measure objects and create patterns in their everyday environment.

Skill Progression: Patterning

Age: 48-54 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 48-54 Months.

Have a dramatic play area for travel set up. Have a variety of different suitcases, clothing for different weather (coats, bathing suits, flip flops, boots, etc.). Have other travel materials as well (brush, comb, toothbrush, tooth paste, etc.). Plan for 3-4 children to play at a time. Have travel brochures and “tickets” to sell them. Have a set of clothing set out in a pattern that the children can replicate: underwear, shirt, shorts, underwear, shirt, etc. for example. Have blank paper with ink stamps for making the tickets.

Have the children set out a clothing sequence (to match the adult’s) for the three days they will be gone. Children can also create their own tickets. Give them a “ticket” with a simple pattern stamped on it (OXXO). They can take turns being TSA agents, stamping the passengers tickets with more of the pattern. Suggest they finish decorating the ticket with their own pattern so they can check in.

Children state that the clothing laid out is a pattern.

Help children see the patterns in their play (on dolls, in play foods, in block designs, etc.).