The Pattern of Patterns

Look at my blocks, a pattern of spots

I love to spot patterns, and my palace has lots

Patterns on the wall

Patterns big and small

But what is a pattern? I'll tell you all!

Watch how these tiles change left to right

And as they rise up out of sight

White, then blue, then white, then blue

So what comes next?

It's white, blue, white, blue

White, blue too!

That's a pattern!

That's a pattern

Here's a row of dominoes

But can you spot the way it goes?

The next along you might have spied

Has one more spot on either side

That's a pattern!

(So anything can be a pattern?)

Not exactly

You can't just take a bunch of stuff

A random order is not enough

A pattern has a rule that checks

With every step what happens next?

If every step the rule's the same

You found a pattern

That's the game!

Where does it start?

What happens then?

Does the rule repeat

Again and again?

If the rule repeats

Then you know it meets

The pattern of patterns

A rule that repeats

(There are even more types of patterns than I thought)

I'm just getting started!

Let's raise our game, here's something new

Numbers can make patterns too!

The game's the same, you need to find

A rule to choose who's next in line

One

Then two

Then three

Then four!

Every time, that's one block more

That's our rule, you see? It's true!

Counting is a pattern too!

That's a pattern!

Let's have another!

This pattern here starts one, three, five

Get on your marks now

Two blocks wide

I've got two more blocks than you

And every step has two more too

That's a pattern

A pattern of odd numbers!

Numberblocks on the double!

Two

And four

And this is great

The next in line is number eight

I'm twice as tall, so that's the law

Each step is twice the one before

That's a pattern

A pattern of doubles!

Some patterns you'll spot easily

Others aren't so plain to see

But don't give up, just have a place

Step back and try another way

Give it time, and you may figure

Every time we're one step bigger!

(A pattern of step squads!)

(Hush, hush)

Where does it start?

What happens then?

Does the rule repeat

Again and again?

If the rule repeats

Then you know it meets

The pattern of patterns

A rule that repeats!

The world is full of patterns

Waiting to be found

Open your eyes, open your mind

Take a look around

Some are sat right there before you

Some are waiting to be known

Now you know what makes a pattern

You can make some of your own!

Patterns in the clouds

Patterns in a tree

Patterns in the flower bed, look and see

There's a pattern of spots on this colourful mug

There's a pattern of lines on the picnic rug!

Six, eight, ten on a Rekenrek

Can you solve my puzzle? What comes next?

This line of squares is a pattern indeed

But how many pennies will my next square need?

Ding then dong, then ding, then dong!

There are patterns of sound

There are patterns in a song!

Step to the left

Then right, then shake

A dance is a pattern for your body to make!

Where does it start?

What happens then?

Does the rule repeat

Again and again?

If the rule repeats

Then you know it meets

The pattern of patterns

A rule that repeats

The pattern of patterns

It's a rule that repeats!