Making your magnetic tile pattern board

1. On your paper create a picture using your magnetic tiles. I used Google images and Pinterest to give me some ideas.
2. Using your marker trace around each magnetic shape that makes up your final picture. I found removing the tile I just traced around, made it that little bit easier to trace around the next shape.
3. Laminate your pattern board for longer life and wear. This is optional but recommended if you have the resources at home.

Make one board, try making a few- I like to make a few to allow choice and to provide opportunities for my son to revisit and extend the experiences as well as, consolidate his learning and challenge himself.

How to play:

1. Encourage your child to choose a pattern board. You might like to demonstrate how to play or your child might like to just go ahead and start.
2. Now encourage your child to find the matching magnetic tiles and match them to the board. I’d use this moment to introduce shapes. You can name the shapes, talk about how many sides they have, talk about the points on shapes. Chat to your child as they play- what do they notice? And don’t forget to acknowledge their efforts, for example “Good try, that did look a bit similar”, “I really love the way you are concentrating on finding the piece”.
3. Now look at your final construction- what did you create? Perhaps you would like to encourage your child to make their own design and pattern. The options are endless!

Variation ideas:

• Create your boards with coloured markers, adding an extra learning component of colour recognition and matching.
• Try boards that only have a silhouette- can your child work out what shapes are needed to construct the final product?

Have fun inventing, designing, and creating and leave a comment below showing us your designs-we’d love to see them!