Six levels of picture and number patterns for ages 5 to 8, from circle-square-circle up to 1, 2, 4, 7, 11. Adapts to your child, with a daily set of 5 and printable worksheets.
Pattern puzzles train one skill: seeing what repeats or changes, and using it to say what comes next. Children use the same skill to count in twos, to read a calendar and to learn that a sentence has a rhythm. Here every question shows a row of shapes, arrows, dots or numbers with one place left empty, and the child taps the one that fits. The pictures are made of plain shapes, so a child who cannot read yet can still play, and a speaker button reads each question aloud with your device's own voice. The same skill is tested in puzzles used in children's maths contests, which is why the top levels are written to be hard for a 6 or 7 year old. A first-grader who finishes level 6 has done work well past the usual worksheet.
Level 1, Starter, shows two shapes taking turns, such as circle, square, circle, square, and asks for the next one among 3 pictures. Level 2, Triples, uses patterns of 3 and 4 such as circle, circle, square or star, circle, star, diamond, with 4 pictures to choose from. Level 3, Two changes, moves two things at once: for example the shape swaps every time while the fill goes plain, striped, dotted on a cycle of 3, so the child has to follow each one on its own. Level 4, Spot the break, shows 8 or 9 pictures with a number under each and asks which one does not fit. Level 5, Turns and growth, mixes arrows that turn a quarter or an eighth of a turn each step with boxes of dots that grow by 1 to 4 each time, and the child counts the dots on a number pad. Level 6, Number riddles, shows 5 to 7 numbers and asks for the next one: 1, 2, 4, 7, 11 (the jumps grow by 1), 1, 10, 2, 20, 3, 30, 4 (two patterns taking turns), 2, 3, 5, 9, 17 (double and subtract 1) or 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 (add the last two).
Three right answers in a row, each on the first try, move the level up by one. Two wrong answers in a row move it down by one, and a puzzle counts as wrong only after two wrong taps on it. The first wrong tap shakes the picture gently and says Try again. The second shows the answer and a one-line reason, such as The jumps get bigger each time: plus 1, plus 2, plus 3. A puzzle solved on the second try earns a star but does not count toward moving up. Your child or you can pick any level from the level button, for example to practise level 3 again. The level, the stars and a short log of how many puzzles were done each day are saved in this browser only, so a different device or browser starts again at level 1.
Every puzzle is made by code from a random seed, which is shown under the puzzle as Puzzle number so you can find it again. For the picture levels the code checks each thing separately: the shape, the size and the fill each get a row of values, and a puzzle is kept only when every cycle that fits at least twice in the row points to the same next picture. The 3 wrong choices are always different pictures, often the right shape with the wrong fill or the other way round, so guessing is not free. For Spot the break, the code counts the places that fail to fit and keeps the puzzle only when there is exactly one. For the number levels it tries every rule the game uses (steady jumps, growing jumps, double or triple then add or subtract, add the last two, two patterns taking turns) and keeps a puzzle only when they all give the same next number. Each level was tested on 500 seeds. Nothing is read from a list of fixed questions.
Today's 5 gives five puzzles at your child's level that are the same for every child on that date, and it ends with a stars card and the line Come back tomorrow. Print makes a PDF of 4, 6 or 8 new puzzles on Letter or A4 paper, with a Name and Date line on top and an answer key on the last page. Pictures are drawn in black, white and grey, and shapes also differ by outline, fill pattern and size, so nothing depends on colour. Number puzzles have a box to write in, and the picture puzzles have a circle to mark under each choice. The worksheet is made in your browser and is not uploaded. The game has no timer, no sound effects, no ads in the play area and no account, and it does not rank your child against others. It is a practice game, not a test, and it does not give a score for school.
It is written for about 5 to 8. Level 1 is two shapes taking turns, which most 5 year olds can do on the first try. Levels 5 and 6 are meant to be hard for a 6 or 7 year old, so a bright child can still be challenged at 8.
No. Every question has a speaker button that reads it aloud, and the answers are pictures, a number pad or big numbers. Reading aloud uses your device's own voice, so it depends on the browser: a few browsers have none, and then the button is greyed out.
After 3 right answers in a row, each on the first try, it goes up one level. After 2 wrong answers in a row it goes down one. There are 6 levels, and you can pick one yourself with the level button at the top.
Tap Print, choose a level, 4, 6 or 8 puzzles and Letter or A4, then Make worksheet. You get a PDF with new puzzles each time and the answers on the last page. It prints well in black and white.
Stars, the level and a daily count are saved in this browser's local storage and nowhere else. The page counts visits like every page on this site, with no names and no answers. Clearing site data removes the progress.
Five puzzles that are the same for every child on that date, made from the date at the level your child had when starting. When the five are done the page shows the stars earned and Come back tomorrow, and a new set starts at midnight on your device.