Pasta Pattern Necklace
Here's What To Do
1
Gather your materials:
- Pasta that can be used as beads (like: penne, wagon wheels, macaroni, rigatoni).
- String or ribbon small enough to fit through the pasta
- 4 colors of paint (plus plastic sandwich bags), or 4 colors of markers
2
Color 5 pieces of pasta with each color (20 pieces total).
- Use markers to color the pasta
- OR, pour a small bit of paint into a plastic sandwich bag. Put 5 pieces of pasta into the bag, seal it, and smush it around to cover the pasta. Let dry.
3
Work with your child to thread the hollow ends of the pasta pieces onto the string in a 4-color pattern.
4
Once the paint is dry, tie the ends of the string together for your child to wear as a necklace.
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Do a short pause pattern- breathe in, breathe out, stretch up, stretch down, repeat!
E
Engage:
- "Which color do you want to start with for your necklace? Let's color 5 pieces of pasta that color."
- "Let's start our pattern by putting one of each color on the string. It goes red, blue, black, green. What color goes next in the pattern?"
E
Encourage:
- Your child may struggle with threading the pasta pieces on the string, support them by holding the string still.
- Patterns are tricky! Gently correct any mistakes, like "Hmmm, look at the other part of the necklace. What comes after green?"
R
Reflect:
- This activity has tricky pattern and motor skills. Did your child persist past any challenges?
Not quite ready?
Try the same activity with 3 colors of pasta instead of 4. Thread the pasta on the string for your child.
Ready for more?
Try a more complex pattern.
As your child masters this skill...
They will be able to extend a 4-item pattern correctly.