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: 4-6 Months

Click here to go to all skills for ages 4-6 Months.

Ball, cup or bottle.

Place the familiar but different items on the floor around the child and observe what the child does with them.

The infant will pick up, explore, and use the novel but familiar items in the same way as his familiar toys. This indicates the infant’s understanding of shape pattern.

Parents often do not know that the simple things they see their child doing, like lifting an unfamiliar cup to their mouth, demonstrates learning. Explain that noticing different kinds of patterns, whether they are physical, tactile, visual, or mental helps us organize the world in a meaningful way. “I do this with things that look like a ball, and something different with an object with a different shape.” As infant’s move from mouthing everything, encourage parents to notice the child’s growing ability to understand different patterns.