Patterns playing for early childhood education: Mathematics learning for early childhood education

Abstract

Mathematics learning for children should be conducted through playing because children's interests are highly on games and playing is one of the main ways how children learn. Thus, games should be creatively designed to develop children's potential. This research focused on developing mathematics learning models to improve children's competencies in creating patterns. This study aimed to develop patterns playing model for five to six years old learners. The research was conducted for a year at one of the kindergartens in Aceh Besar, Indonesia. The study carried out in this phase was to develop the models conceptually. The findings of this study showed that patterns playing model for learners of the ages of five to six were the patterns of shapes, colors, sizes and numbers. The proposed activities were arranging objects, coloring, sticking, and making beaded bracelets. The types of the patterns playing that were developed included repetitive patterns, growing patterns and symmetrical patterns. The developed model of patterns playing can be used in learning to develop children's cognitive aspect, namely the ability to create patterns.