Need a quick Christmas activity for your toddler or preschooler? I have the perfect activity for you! Create patterns on candy canes!

Here’s how to get started!

Gather your supplies.

On a sheet of white kraft paper draw the shape of a few candy canes. Make them large enough that your little one can stick several dot stickers on them.

Pattern Making

Use a dot marker to create a simple coloured pattern along the candy cane. Have your little one continue the pattern using the dot stickers.

For toddlers and preschoolers you can continue the pattern with the dot markers all along the candy cane. Have your toddler or preschool stick the dot stickers on top of the dot markers calling out the colours. This will help them recognize the pattern they are making. For kindergartners you can start the pattern using the dot markers and then have them continue it using the dot stickers.

Early Math Skills

Creating patterns is a key early math skill for preschoolers and kindergartners. But you don’t have to just create activities to introduce patterns to your little one.

Just like learning letters, numbers and colours, learning patterns should be incorporated into your child’s everyday life.

Point out patterns in everyday things like clothing or while on a walk.

You could point to your child’s shirt and say,

Look, your shirt has a white stripe and the a black, white stripe, black stripe. That’s a pattern!

Supplies

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• White paper
• Dot stickers
• Sharpie
• Dot markers

WILL YOU TRY CANDY CANE PATTERNS? PIN IT FOR LATER?