Teaching Repeating Patterns in Year 1: Practical Ideas and Free Pattern Strips
Repeating patterns give Year 1 children a chance to notice what changes, what stays the same and what repeats. A useful next step is helping them explain the repeating unit, not simply guess which colour comes next.
Coloured cubes make that thinking visible. Children can build a pattern, say the rule aloud, then use the rule to fill a gap or check a partner’s idea.
A simple routine for pattern work
- Look: Ask children to scan the whole row before choosing a cube.
- Find the repeating part: Point to the shortest group that repeats.
- Say it aloud: For example, “red, blue, red, blue.”
- Build and check: Place the cubes, then read the completed pattern from the beginning.
If a gap is near the start or several spaces are empty, encourage children to use the colours they can see further along the row. They can compare matching positions in another repeat and work backwards.
Start with a clear pattern, then vary the gaps
Begin with a pattern children can already build confidently. Once they can say what repeats, change the position of the missing spaces. Ask: “What do you know from the part you can see?” and “How can you check your answer?” This keeps the focus on the rule rather than trial and error.
An actual Level 1 card from the collection. Each A3 card has six separate pattern tasks.
Four levels of repeating patterns
- Level 1: A gentle starting point for spotting simple repeats and completing missing spaces.
- Level 2: Builds through AAB and ABB patterns, adds ABC and AABB repeats, and varies where the gaps appear.
- Level 3: Introduces four- and five-cube repeating units, with more colours and mixed missing spaces.
- Level 4: Extends to five- and six-position units, more colours and trickier gaps across the row.
Use the levels to choose a suitable starting point, revisit a pattern in a new way or offer a further challenge. Children can work with a full card, or you can cut out one strip for a short adult-led group or an independent maths station.
A classroom-style example of using the cards with Multilink cubes.
An actual Level 3 card, with longer repeating units and more varied gaps.
Make it practical and easy to revisit
Put out a small basket of mixed Multilink cubes and let children choose a row to solve. Invite them to explain their reasoning to a partner, then read the finished pattern aloud to check that the repeating unit still works. If children need support, begin with one row and fewer choices; if they are ready, ask them to create a pattern for somebody else to solve.
The complete free collection contains 80 A3 pattern cards across four levels, with six tasks on each card, plus 80 cut-out strips and teacher answers and guidance. Print the cards and strips at A3 landscape, actual size (100%) so the coloured squares stay close to Multilink cube size.
Download the free Year 1 pattern strips
Get the free Multilink Pattern Strips – Levels 1–4 here. The printable PDF is free to download and ready to use for practical Year 1 maths.
For more no-cost classroom materials, browse our free EYFS and KS1 teaching resources.
Choose the level and support that fit your children, and use their explanations to decide what to revisit next.