These free printable summer pattern block mats are a fun, hands-on, activity for working on math concepts, fine motor skills and more, that kids will love!
These summer pattern block templates are ready to print and use, and they make quick and easy summer themed activity for preschoolers and kindergarten kids.
Your kids will love comparing and combining shapes to create these fun summer pictures. They are perfect for keeping the kids busy over summer, and for working on lots of different skills.
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Pattern blocks are a simple manipulative toy that come in standard sizes and shapes -yellow hexagons, orange squares, red trapezoids, blue parallelograms, white rhombuses, and green triangles. Children can use the pattern blocks to make all different pictures and patterns.
Pattern blocks are great for learning and reinforcing lots of important math skills, working on spatial reasoning and problem solving, as well encouraging creative thinking and fine motor skills. There are so many fun ways to use pattern blocks!
As a hands on maths activity, pattern blocks are great for helping kids learn shape recognition, symmetry, area and beginning geometry. Arranging each block to make a picture works on fine motor skills and eye hand co-ordination, and flipping and rotating blocks to make them fit is great for working on visual discrimination and spatial reasoning. Plus they are lots of fun!
Want the full set of Summer Pattern Block Mats?
Get the full set of 8 different summer themed pattern block mats that come in four different styles – full colour, black and white shape outlines, black and white picture outline, and full colour with counting blocks section. Plus a set of challenge cards that print four to a page!
Find the full set of summer pattern blocks in our shop for just $3
Summer Pattern Blocks
These Summer pattern block mats are great way to combine learning across multiple areas of development and a fun way to celebrate summer!
To use these summer pattern block printables simply print out the pattern block mats (scroll down for the printable links below) and grab a set of pattern blocks – this set from Melissa and Doug are great for at home, or this big container of pattern blocks is perfect for the classroom.
You can also get magnetic pattern blocks which are great as a travel activity, or just to ease the frustration of moving blocks. Simply put the printable pattern block mats over the magnetic base and build on top.
Now your kids are ready to copy the summer pattern block templates and build fun summer pictures, or perhaps they will be inspired to make their own summer themed pattern block images!
How to Use Summer Pattern Block Mats with Preschoolers
For preschoolers and young children who are just beginning with pattern blocks, choose the coloured pattern block mats.
These pattern block mats print to scale (see the printing instructions) so children can place the correct shape and colour of pattern block onto the mat to make the picture.
Encourage preschoolers and extend their learning by naming the colours and shapes of each pattern block and talking about how to ‘flip’ and ‘rotate’ shapes when needed.
You could also count together how many pattern blocks were used to make the picture, and count how many of each colour/shape were used.
You could also use the pattern block images to encourage a discussion about the summer, and what pictures make them think of summer. They could even have a try making their own summer pictures from the pattern blocks.
How to Use Summer Pattern Block Mats with Older Children.
Use these summer pattern block printables for kindergarten and older children for a fun, hands-on maths activity. They can use either the coloured pattern block mats, or the outline pattern blocks for an extra challenge.
The outline pattern block mats print to scale (see below for printing instructions) but they require a little extra thinking to decide which block fits the shape without the colours to prompt you, which is great for building spatial awareness. You may still need to encourage your child to ‘flip’ or ‘rotate’ shapes when needed.
Kindergarteners and older children can name the shapes they are using and count the number of each shape used to make the image. And they will love the challenge of coming up with their own summer pattern block designs.
Free Printable Summer Pattern Block Mats
There are four different summer pattern block templates – a fish, a sand castle, a sun, and a boat. Each one comes in a full colour version and a version that is just the outlines.
These Earth Day pattern block mats are made to scale, so the blocks printed on the templates are the same size as the real thing, this means children can build on top of the mats if they would like to.
They are ready to print and go, simply click on the blue link in the box below each pattern block mat image to download it.
Instructions for Printing Pattern Block Mats
These printable pattern block mats are all A4 sized pdf files, you will need a pdf reader such as adobe acrobat to open them. They will fit to print on US ‘letter sized’ paper.
Please choose ‘Actual Size’ from your printer settings. Do not select ‘fit’ or ‘shrink to fit’ from your printer settings regardless of what size paper you are using. If you get a message saying ‘image is larger than the paper’s printable area’ you can safely ignore this so that the pattern block mats print at the correct size.
Please remember that the printables at picklebums.com are for personal use only, you may not sell, share, or link directly to these files.
Sun Pattern Block Mat – Colour
This colored sun pattern block mat is a fun maths and fine motor activity for Summer.
Sun Pattern Block Mat – Outlines
This sun pattern block mat with just the outlines is a great challenge for older kids!
Sandcastle Pattern Block Mat – Colour
Build a sandcastle from pattern blocks with this fun summer themed printable pattern block template.
Sandcastle Pattern Block Mat – Outlines
Challenge your kids to make a sandcastle from pattern blocks with just the outlines to help.
Fish Pattern Block Mat – Colour
Make a fish swimming in the sea or the lake with this free printable fish pattern block mat in colour.
Fish Pattern Block Mat – Outlines
Use this outlines only pattern block mat to make a fish and then count how many shapes you used.
Boat Pattern Block Mat – Colour
This free printable boat pattern block mat is a fun maths and fine motor activity for Summer.
Boat Pattern Block Mat – Outlines
Work on visual discrimination and shape learning with this outlines only boat pattern block mat.
More Pattern Block Activities.
Get even more summer pattern block mats with the full set of 8 different summer themed pattern block mats that come in four different styles – full colour, black and white shape outlines, black and white picture outline, and full colour with counting blocks section. Plus a set of challenge cards that print four to a page!
Find the full set of summer pattern blocks in our shop for just $3
Playing with pattern blocks is a fun and easy maths and fine motor activity and there are so many fun ways to use them! Try one of these pattern block ideas: