Believe it or not, these flimsy construction paper cut-outs have survived six or seven Halloweens.  They originally came to life when A and S were still small.  They have recently had a reinvented purpose wtih G, who merely knows the label “ghost,” but truly has no idea what it represents.

I discovered them buried in a drawer of the dining room hutch as I was digging for a tablecloth.  How fortuitous, given the season!  I thought they would be perfect for G to practice his patterns.

This was not a new concept for him.  We have periodically worked on patterns whenever we see them appear naturally.  Last year we used a fall theme to create an ABB pattern with pumpkins and pinecones.

Below, G has created an ABC pattern.  Recognizing and predicting patterns is an important skill for 3-5 year olds.  We encounter patterns in nature, music, mathematics, grammar, and in so many other areas.  This is slowly preparing G for some higher level thinking.  At least, I hope so.  Right now, we are just having fun.

I have been wanting to play with clothes pins lately, ever since this summer when G discovered them at Oma’s house.  They are such a great way to practice some fine motor skills.  Not only do they provide a challenge beyond the pincer grasp, but they are a solid pre-writing exercise.  Just the act of opening a clothes pin strengthens those hand muscles necessary for holding a pencil and writing.

A simple rope tied to two kitchen chairs, some construction paper shapes and clothes pins were all we needed.  Initially, I had intended for him to continue his AB patterns on the clothesline.  However, it was quite the challenge for him to hold the paper still with one hand while squeezing hard enough with the other, so I just let him have fun hanging them all up.

He made sure we kept them up for the rest of the day.