 To help a child understand patterns, you can use natural materials. You can place the objects in front of the child in a repeating pattern, such as stick, leaf, stick, leaf, stick. Then you can ask, what comes next? And the child can place a leaf. Or you can try using different objects, such as leaf, rock, leaf, rock, leaf. Or rock, stick, rock, stick. Learning about patterns helps a child develop their ability to make predictions.