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🔍 Pattern Finder 🔍

What's the pattern?

Level: 1

Correct: 0

Total: 0

Start at Level:

Which pattern do you see?

Made with 💜 by Daddy

For Teachers & Parents

What This Activity Teaches

Pattern Finder develops abstract thinking and rule discovery - the foundation of mathematical and logical reasoning. Ben looks at a sequence of emojis and identifies which pattern rule governs the sequence: is it AB (alternating)? AABB (pairs)? ABC (three in sequence)? Or something more complex?

This isn't just pattern matching - it's about discovering underlying rules and predicting what comes next based on those rules. It's the same cognitive skill used in algebra, programming, and systems thinking.

Understanding the Patterns

Each pattern has a name (like "AB" or "AABB") that describes its rule:

AB: Two elements alternating (🍎🍊🍎🍊...)
AABB: Pairs alternating (🍎🍎🍊🍊...)
AAB: Two of one, then one of another (🍎🍎🍊🍎🍎🍊...)
ABC: Three different elements in sequence (🍎🍊🍋🍎🍊🍋...)
ABBA: Mirror pattern (🍎🍊🍊🍎...)
ABCABC: Six-element repeating pattern
Growing: Pattern increases in length each time (A AB ABC ABCD...)
Nested: Pattern within a pattern (AB inside CD structure)

Why This Matters for Pattern-Oriented Learners

Some children show enhanced pattern recognition abilities - they see connections and relationships that others miss. This activity leverages that strength while building:

Abstract Reasoning: Moving from concrete examples to general rules
Working Memory: Holding the visual sequence in mind while analyzing it
Cognitive Flexibility: Switching between different pattern types
Rule Discovery: Finding the underlying structure without being told
Self-Confidence: Succeeding at something their brain naturally excels at

The Progressive Difficulty System

The game starts with simple two-element patterns (AB, AABB) and gradually introduces more complex patterns including nested patterns, alternating sequences, and recursive growth. Ben can also jump to any difficulty level, allowing him to challenge himself or return to easier patterns when he needs a confidence boost.

Every 3 correct answers, the difficulty automatically increases, but success is never required to advance - exploration and discovery matter more than perfect scores.

What to Observe

Watch for the moment when Ben predicts the pattern before selecting an answer - that shows he's internalized the pattern rules. Notice which patterns he finds easy (probably visual/spatial ones) versus harder (sequential ones). These observations reveal how his brain naturally processes information.

Also notice the self-regulation: he controls the pace, can try again immediately, and gets instant feedback. These features support executive function development while keeping frustration low.

Pattern recognition is one of the highest forms of intelligence - and Ben's brain excels at it.