FREE! - Repeating Patterns Worksheet | Foundation Stage - Free Printable

Let's solve this "Repeating Pattern" worksheet step by step.

The goal is to identify the repeating pattern in each row and determine which image comes next in the sequence. Then, you would paste the correct image from the bottom strip (which includes: purple car, red drum, pink elephant, blue bird with star, and sailboat).

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🔍 Step-by-step Analysis:

#### 1) First Row:
Sequence:
⛵️ → 🐦 → ⛵️ → 🐦 → ⛵️

Pattern: Boat, Bird, Boat, Bird, Boat

This alternates between boat and bird, starting with boat.

So next should be: 🐦 (Bird)

✔ Answer: Bird

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#### 2) Second Row:
Sequence:
🥁 → 🚗 → 🚗 → 🥁 → 🚗

Pattern: Drum, Car, Car, Drum, Car

Let’s look closely:
- Position 1: Drum
- Position 2: Car
- Position 3: Car
- Position 4: Drum
- Position 5: Car

So the pattern seems to be: Drum, Car, Car, Drum, Car — but we need to see if it repeats.

Wait — let’s group:
- Drum → Car → Car → Drum → Car

It looks like a repeating unit: Drum, Car, Car, then again Drum, Car

But that doesn't fit perfectly.

Wait — maybe it's:
- Drum, Car, Car → Drum, Car

No, that breaks the repetition.

Alternatively, could it be: Drum, Car, Car as a block?

Let’s check:
- Block 1: 🥁, 🚗, 🚗
- Block 2: 🥁, 🚗 → missing one?

No — only 5 items.

Wait — perhaps it's alternating or another logic.

Try writing it out:
1. 🥁
2. 🚗
3. 🚗
4. 🥁
5. 🚗

So: Drum, Car, Car, Drum, Car

Now what comes next?

If we assume the pattern is Drum, Car, Car, then after Drum at position 4, we expect Car, Car, but we already have one Car.

Wait — maybe the pattern is: Drum, Car, Car, and then repeats?

But after Drum at position 4, next should be Car, Car, so position 5 should be Car, which matches.

Then position 6 should be Car again? But we don’t have a 6th slot here — we're filling the blank after the 5th item.

Wait — the sequence ends at 5th item: 🥁, 🚗, 🚗, 🥁, 🚗

We are to find what comes after this.

So if the pattern is Drum, Car, Car, then:
- After Drum (pos 4), we had Car (pos 5), so next should be Car

But wait — that would make: Drum, Car, Car, Drum, Car, Car

So yes — the pattern is Drum, Car, Car repeating.

But let’s verify:
- Positions 1–3: 🥁, 🚗, 🚗 → ✔
- Positions 4–6: 🥁, 🚗, 🚗 → so pos 6 = 🚗

But in our case, pos 4 is 🥁, pos 5 is 🚗 — so pos 6 should be 🚗

✔ So next is Car

But wait — there's only one car in the options below? No — multiple copies can be used.

But let’s double-check.

Alternative idea: Could it be Drum, Car, Car repeated?

Yes — that fits.

So after 🥁, 🚗, 🚗, 🥁, 🚗 → next is 🚗

✔ Answer: Purple Car

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#### 3) Third Row:
Sequence:
🚗 → 🐘 → ⛵️ → 🚗 → 🐘

Pattern: Car, Elephant, Boat, Car, Elephant

So: Car → Elephant → Boat → Car → Elephant

Looks like: Car, Elephant, Boat, then Car, Elephant

Wait — not quite.

Let’s try grouping:
- 1: Car
- 2: Elephant
- 3: Boat
- 4: Car
- 5: Elephant

So: Car, Elephant, Boat, Car, Elephant

Hmm — maybe the pattern is: Car, Elephant, Boat, then repeats?

But then after Boat, we'd expect Car, but instead we get Car, then Elephant — so yes!

Wait: Let's write:
- Group 1: Car, Elephant, Boat
- Group 2: Car, Elephant → missing Boat?

No.

But positions:
1. Car
2. Elephant
3. Boat
4. Car
5. Elephant

So after Boat (pos 3), we have Car (pos 4), then Elephant (pos 5)

So it’s like: Car, Elephant, Boat, then Car, Elephant, so next should be Boat

Because the full cycle is Car → Elephant → Boat, and it repeats.

But after Boat (pos 3), next is Car (pos 4), then Elephant (pos 5), so next should be Boat

✔ So the pattern is: Car, Elephant, Boat repeating.

Thus, after Elephant (pos 5), next is Boat

✔ Answer: Sailboat

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#### 4) Fourth Row:
Sequence:
🐦 → 🐦 → 🥁 → 🐦 → 🐦 → 🥁

Pattern: Bird, Bird, Drum, Bird, Bird, Drum

So: Bird, Bird, Drum → Bird, Bird, Drum

Clearly repeating every 3: Bird, Bird, Drum

So next should be: Bird

✔ Answer: Bird

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#### 5) Fifth Row:
Sequence:
⛵️ → ⛵️ → 🥁 → 🥁 → 🐘

Pattern: Boat, Boat, Drum, Drum, Elephant

What’s the pattern?

Let’s look:
- Boat, Boat → two boats
- Drum, Drum → two drums
- Then Elephant

Is it: Boat, Boat, Drum, Drum, Elephant — and repeat?

But we only have one Elephant so far.

Maybe the pattern is Boat, Boat, Drum, Drum, Elephant, and then repeats.

So next after Elephant should be Boat

Because the full cycle is: Boat, Boat, Drum, Drum, Elephant → then back to Boat

So after Elephant → Boat

✔ Answer: Sailboat

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✔ Final Answers:

| Row | Next Item |
|-----|------------------|
| 1 | 🐦 (Bird) |
| 2 | 🚗 (Purple Car) |
| 3 | ⛵️ (Sailboat) |
| 4 | 🐦 (Bird) |
| 5 | ⛵️ (Sailboat) |

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📌 Summary of Patterns:

1. Boat, Bird → Alternating → Next: Bird
2. Drum, Car, Car → Repeats → After Drum, Car → Next: Car
3. Car, Elephant, Boat → Repeats → After Elephant → Next: Boat
4. Bird, Bird, Drum → Repeats → After Drum → Next: Bird
5. Boat, Boat, Drum, Drum, Elephant → Repeats → After Elephant → Next: Boat

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✔ Instructions for Student:

Cut out the graphics at the bottom:
- Purple car
- Red drum
- Pink elephant
- Blue bird with star
- Sailboat

Then paste:
1. Bird
2. Car
3. Sailboat
4. Bird
5. Sailboat

You may use the same image more than once.

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Let me know if you’d like a printable version or visual representation!