Pattern block fine motor mats for spring that little hands can use all on their own! These Spring Fine Motor Mats give your early learners a fun way to build hand strength while they create flowers, bugs, birds and more with pattern blocks (the colorful wooden or plastic shape pieces found in many classrooms).

Fine motor skills help children learn to control the hand, fingers and thumb. These skills help children hold a crayon, write with a pencil and handle everyday tasks. By grabbing and placing the pattern blocks, children build strength in the index finger and thumb while they match colors, name 2D shapes, trace letters and practice beginning sounds.

With this spring pattern block activity, you get

• Spring picture mats for building with pattern blocks
• Color template and outline versions, so you can choose the right level
• Matching colors and 2D shape identification on every mat
• Pre-writing and beginning sound practice built right in
• An activity children can use independently

Print, set out a tub of pattern blocks and your spring fine motor center is ready!

What's Included

• 19 pages of spring pattern block mats
• Color template mats and outline mats
• Spring themes including flower, tulip, blossom, birdhouse, umbrella, bug, bee and bird
• Picture comparison and shape matching activities
• Practice with matching colors, 2D shape identification, pre-writing skills and beginning sounds

Why Teachers Love It

• Builds hand strength: Grabbing and placing each block works the index finger and thumb.
• Works independently: Children can complete the mats on their own, so they fit morning work and centers.
• More than fine motor: Each mat adds matching colors, one-to-one correspondence, tracing letters and identifying 2D shapes.
• Two levels in one: Color templates help children who are just starting, while outlines add a challenge.
• Spring fun all season: Flowers, bees, birds and umbrellas keep children excited to build.

Skills Students Practice

Primary Academic Skills

• Fine motor strength: Picking up and placing blocks builds control of the fingers and thumb.
• Color matching: Children match each block to the color shown on the template.
• 2D shape identification: Children find and name the shape that fits each space.
• One-to-one correspondence: Children place one block in each space on the mat.
• Pre-writing skills: Tracing letters builds pencil control for early writing.
• Beginning sounds: Children connect spring pictures with the sounds that start their names.
• Visual discrimination: Picture comparison and shape matching ask children to look closely.

Secondary Life & Learning Skills

• Working independently
• Following directions
• Maintaining attention
• Building confidence during group participation
• Communicating choices

How to Use It

Step 1: Print the mats. Laminate them or slide them into page protectors so they last.

Step 2: Set out the mats with a tub of pattern blocks. Model how to find the matching shape and color for one space.

Step 3: Let children build the picture block by block, then trace the letters and finish the matching activities.

Materials You'll Need

• Pattern blocks

Easy Differentiation

Young children come to fine motor work with very different hand strength and experience. These mats are easy to adjust for each child.

For Children Who Need More Support

• Start with the color template mats
• Hand children one shape at a time to place
• Name each shape and color together before building
• Work on a non-slip surface so blocks stay in place

For On-Level Practice

• Use the mats as written in centers or morning work
• Have children name each shape as they place it
• Trace the letters after the picture is built
• Complete the picture comparison and shape matching pages

For an Extra Challenge

• Move on to the outline mats
• Count how many of each shape the picture uses
• Ask children to build the picture again without looking at the mat
• Have children design their own spring picture with pattern blocks

For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support

• Use the mats for pincer grasp and hand strength goals in OT sessions
• Practice spring vocabulary such as bee, tulip and umbrella
• Practice target sounds with the beginning sound activities
• Use a sentence frame such as "I need a red ___."
• Give extra time and let children point when speaking is hard

Perfect For

• Morning work
• Fine motor activities
• Literacy centers
• Math centers
• Rainy day activities
• Small groups
• Occupational therapy
• ELL/ESL support
• Early finishers
• Homeschool

Standards

These spring 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 and the Virginia SOL (Math 2023, English 2024):

Common Core State Standards

• CCSS K.G.A.2: Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientation or size.
• CCSS K.G.B.6: Compose simple shapes to form larger shapes, such as a flower or a bird.
• CCSS RF.K.3.a: Connect consonants with their most common sounds.

Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.IX.B.1: Show control in tasks that take small-muscle strength, such as pinching and placing blocks.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.IX.B.2: Show growing eye-hand coordination while fitting each block in its space.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.V.C.1: Name and describe common 2D shapes.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.V.C.4: Recognize common shapes regardless of orientation and size.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.III.C.2: Recognize letter-sound correspondences during the beginning sound practice.

Texas TEKS

• TEKS Math K.6.A: Identify two-dimensional shapes, including triangles and squares.
• TEKS ELAR K.2.B.i: Identify and match the common sounds that letters represent.

Virginia Early Learning and Development Standards

• Virginia ELDS HPD3.1: Use eyes and hands together, matching each block to its place on the mat.
• Virginia ELDS HPD3.2: Develop small muscle control while picking up and placing blocks.
• Virginia ELDS CD3.3: Build geometric thinking and spatial reasoning by fitting shapes together.
• Virginia ELDS CLLD3.3: Handle writing tools while tracing letters.

Virginia SOL

• VA SOL Math K.MG.2: Identify and name triangles and squares regardless of their orientation.
• VA SOL English K.FFR.3.B: Identify common letter-sound correspondences.

Check out what other educators are saying:

★★★★★ Rebecca M. wrote, “Great opportunity to build fine motor skills, matching colors and one-to-one correspondence.”

★★★★★ Jennifer G. wrote, “A great addition to our homeschool materials.”

Add the Fine Motor Mats for Spring (Pattern Blocks) to your cart and add a perfect spring activity to your fine motor repertoire. Print the mats, pour out the pattern blocks and watch your little learners build strong hands one block at a time!

These mats are also included in the Fine Motor Mega Pack: Check out the Fine Motor Mega Pack here

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

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