Butterfly Match

I bought two packages of butterfly party favors so the children can play a matching game. C also likes to sort them by color and line them up in patterns.

Pony Bead Patterning

Pipe cleaners make a great "string" to pattern on. It stands steady when pony beads are pushed on, unlike string which can be frustrating to little fingers holding and pushing beads on all at once. Bend one end so beads don't come cascading off. Encourage pattern making and then finish by turning the final product into wearable bracelets, or rings if they don't extend the pattern that far!

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

**As part of the bedtime routine, you can teach this time concept that will later make calendar skills easier. Talk about what happened yesterday, what you did today, and what to expect tomorrow.**

Patternpillars

Pattern + caterpillars= patternpillars! Glue pom poms to a craft stick in a pattern. C's pattern was A B C A B C. Add wiggly ears and antennae if you'd like. The kids made so many of these today it was like a visit to the butterfly gardens, well before butterfly season.

*Variation: Glue on beans or buttons.

*Extension: For a chrysallis you can slip the caterpillars into a sock, and before the kids see them next, you slip in and add some wings of cellephane, tissue paper, or gift wrap so when they pull out their caterpillar it is no longer. Suprise, beautiful butterflies!

Pattern Pocket

Materials: Stickers, construction paper, computer paper

Fold a sheet of construction paper in half, tape the edge opposite the fold. Next, cut some sheets of plain white paper (computer paper is good) so they fit easily through your construction paper pocket. Make patterns on these sheets with stickers.

Now you can slide a pattern sheet out one sticker at a time so your child can guess what comes next!

Patterns to try: A B A B, A A B B , A A B A A B, A B C A B C, etc.

*Extension: Your child can make a pattern with stickers.