Easter pattern block mats are a hands-on way to build fine motor skills this spring! With the Fine Motor Mats for Easter | Pattern Blocks, preschool and kindergarten children grab and place pattern blocks to build a bunny, an egg, a chick, a basket and more.

Fine motor skills help children learn to control the hand, fingers and thumb. Activities like these help children develop the skills they need not only to hold a crayon and write with a pencil but to handle everyday tasks. Pattern blocks are colorful wooden or plastic shape pieces children fit together to make pictures. On each mat, children match colors to build the picture, find the image that is different and identify 2D (flat) shapes.

With these Easter pattern block mats, you get:

• 10 color templates and 10 outline templates
• Easter pictures such as a bunny, egg, chick and basket
• A picture comparison on each mat to find the image that is different
• Shape identification practice with every build

Print, laminate and set out the pattern blocks for an easy Easter center.

What's Included

• 10 color templates for matching pattern block colors
• 10 outline templates for an added challenge
• An activity on each mat to select the image that is different
• 2D shape identification on each mat

Why Teachers Love It

• Builds hand strength: Grabbing and placing pattern blocks strengthens the index finger and thumb.
• Two levels in one: Color templates give support and outline templates add a challenge.
• More than fine motor: Each mat adds color matching, visual discrimination and 2D shape identification.
• Seasonal and fun: Easter pictures keep children excited to finish each build.
• Flexible: Use the mats for morning work, centers, small groups, OT sessions or rainy day activities.

Skills Students Practice

Primary Academic Skills

• Fine motor strength: Picking up and placing pattern blocks builds the pincer grasp and pre-writing skills.
• Color matching: Children match each block to the color shown on the template.
• One-to-one correspondence: Children place one block in each space to build the picture.
• 2D shape identification: Children identify and name the shapes they use.
• Visual discrimination: Children select the image that is different from the others.
• Spatial reasoning: Outline templates ask children to fit shapes together to make a larger picture.

Secondary Life & Learning Skills

• Following directions
• Maintaining attention
• Working independently
• Using mathematical language
• Building confidence during group participation

How to Use It

Step 1: Print the Easter mats and laminate them for durability. Choose color templates or outline templates for each child.

Step 2: Set out pattern blocks and model how to match each block to its space on the mat.

Step 3: Children build the picture, then find the image that is different and name the 2D shapes they used.

Materials You'll Need

• Pattern blocks

Easy Differentiation

Children come to fine motor centers with different hand strength and shape knowledge. These mats are easy to adjust for each of them.

For Children Who Need More Support

• Start with the color templates so children can match colors
• Hand children one block at a time to place
• Name each shape together before placing it
• Work on one mat in a small group

For On-Level Practice

• Build each picture independently with the color templates
• Name each shape while placing the blocks
• Find the image that is different on each mat
• Count how many blocks of each shape a picture uses

For an Extra Challenge

• Use the outline templates so children choose the shapes
• Ask children to explain how the different image is not like the others
• Have children describe their shapes using words like sides and corners
• Invite children to build their own Easter picture with pattern blocks

For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support

• Use the mats in OT sessions for grasp and hand strength practice
• Practice shape and color words with a frame such as "I need a ___."
• Practice Easter vocabulary such as bunny, egg, chick and basket
• Offer larger blocks or tweezers to match each child's fine motor goals
• Give extra processing time before each block is placed

Perfect For

• Morning work
• Math and literacy centers
• Small groups
• OT sessions
• ELL and ESL support
• Homeschool learning
• Early finishers and rainy day activities

Standards

These Easter pattern block mats support the 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and Virginia's Early Learning and Development Standards (2021), and they build toward kindergarten skills in Common Core, the TEKS (Math, adopted 2012) and the Virginia Math SOL (2023):

• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.IX.B.1: Show control in tasks that take small-muscle strength, such as grabbing and placing pattern blocks.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.IX.B.2: Show growing control in tasks that need eye-hand coordination while fitting each block in its space.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.V.C.2: Create shapes and pictures using pattern blocks.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.V.E.1: Sort objects that are the same and different, such as finding the image that is different.
• Virginia ELDS HPD3.1: Use eyes and hands together to place each pattern block on the mat.
• Virginia ELDS HPD3.2: Develop small muscle control while picking up and placing small blocks.
• Virginia ELDS CD3.3: Build geometric thinking and spatial reasoning by fitting shapes together.
• CCSS K.G.A.2: Name shapes regardless of their size or orientation.
• CCSS K.G.B.6: Compose simple shapes to form larger shapes and pictures with pattern blocks.
• TEKS Math K.6.A: Identify two-dimensional shapes, including triangles and squares.
• TEKS Math K.6.F: Create two-dimensional shapes using a variety of materials.
• VA SOL Math K.MG.2: Identify, name and construct plane figures with a variety of materials.

Kids will love learning with the Easter Fine Motor Pattern Block Mats while they build fine motor skills and have a LOT of fun! Add them to your cart today and have your Easter centers ready in minutes.

Download Details

Please note: This is a digital download that will be available to you directly after purchase. Nothing will be mailed to you.

You will receive a link to the download in three places:

1. On the 'thank you' page after checkout
2. In your email
3. Login on the site here: https://lifeovercsstore.com/account