Kindergarten Preschool Toddler
PrintablesMathHolidays
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Everyone loves a good matching game, but when you can swap out those matching games on a regular basis and include some for upcoming holidays, they get even better!
And this set of shamrock pattern matching cards is a fantastic one to add to your collection!
It not only gives you an easy way to celebrate the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day holiday in your classroom, but it also allows your preschoolers to work on a number of different skills and concepts while they’re playing.
Matching Game Skills
Matching games like this shamrock pattern matching set are so incredibly beneficial to children.
They’ll work on basic math skills like matching, of course, but the learning actually extends far beyond that!
In fact, when playing a matching game, students are developing or increasing their:
- Language skills
- Vocabulary
- Concentration
- Ability to take turns
- Working memory (short term memory)
- Social cues/body language
- Sportsmanship
- Visual acuity
- Strategy
- Problem solving
Matching Shamrocks
Since it’s March and the season of shamrocks, we put together a fun shamrock pattern matching card game that your students are going to love!
All you need to do is print the cards on cardstock, glue to another color/patterned paper if you’d like to use this as a memory matching game (pro tip: use stick glue so that you won’t have lines from the white glue come through the paper), and then laminate.
Have your students mix the cards up and lay them all face down. They can then use these cards on their own to work on their matching and visual discrimination skills or with a friend as a memory game.
Make sure you set ground rules – some kids play that you get an extra turn when you make a match and some kids play that your turn is over when you make a match. I have found that with preschoolers it’s typically easier to have them just take turns even when they make a match, but you know your students the best.
New Ideas for an Old Favorite
Have you ever tried hiding one set of the cards around your room and then having your child hunt for the match?
Another idea is to give them a set of blank cards that are the same size and have them try to draw the matching shamrock pattern card.
Have you introduced ABC patterns yet? You could even practice patterns using these shamrock cards. Don’t forget that you can always print more than one set!
Want to make it more interactive and to get your kiddos moving? Have your students spread out in the classroom and then pass out the cards to each student. Then you can have your students find their classmate with their match.
Make it even more physical by giving them a motion or movement to do while finding their partner: walk like a leprechaun, float like a cloud, jump like they just found a pot of gold; even let them come up with some movement ideas. You can even take it outside for some fresh spring air!
Shamrock Fun Facts
Since you’ve already got shamrocks on the brain, why not teach your students a few fun facts about these little green plants to really up your St. Patrick’s Day game!
- Shamrocks are plants that have three heart shaped leaves.
- Shamrocks always have three leaves, but a clover can sometimes have four.
- If you find one that has four leaves, you found a lucky 4-leaf clover!
- Shamrock is a type of a clover plant, but not all clovers are shamrocks.
- Shamrocks are traditionally known symbols for the country Ireland.
- In Ireland, it is traditionally believed that the shamrock leaves stand for faith, hope and love.
