Art · Colouring and counting worksheet
Repeating Patterns with 2D Shapes: Free KS1 Worksheet
A repeating pattern is one of the very first kinds of pattern children meet, and it sits neatly at the meeting point of art and early maths. On this free, printable worksheet your child colours a row of 2D shapes — circle, square, triangle, rectangle — that repeats across the page, then counts how many of each shape appear.
Designed for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, the sheet prints to a single A4 page. Colouring to a simple key helps children see the repeating unit, while the counting task quietly reinforces shape names and one-to-one counting.
Pattern with 2D Shapes
Free Art worksheet · Ages 5 to 7
Activity 1
Colour the repeating pattern. Use the colour key so that every matching shape is the same colour. Say the pattern out loud as you colour: circle, square, triangle, rectangle.
- Colour every circle red
- Colour every square blue
- Colour every triangle green
- Colour every rectangle yellow
Activity 2
Now count the shapes in the whole row. Write your answer in each box.
- How many circles are there?
- How many squares are there?
- How many triangles are there?
- How many rectangles are there?
- How many shapes are there altogether?
Pattern with 2D Shapesowee.worldAnswer key
- How many circles are there? — 2
- How many squares are there? — 2
- How many triangles are there? — 2
- How many rectangles are there? — 2
- How many shapes are there altogether? — 8
What is a repeating pattern?
A repeating pattern is made of a small group of items — the repeating unit — that is copied over and over in the same order. On this sheet the unit is four shapes: circle, square, triangle, rectangle. When children can spot where the unit ends and begins again, they have grasped the core idea, and they can use it to predict and continue the pattern. This skill underpins later work on number patterns, sequences and even musical rhythm, so it is well worth taking time over in the early years.
Naming the four shapes
The pattern uses four common 2D shapes that KS1 children are expected to recognise and name: the circle (round, no corners), the square (four equal sides, four corners), the triangle (three straight sides) and the rectangle (four sides with two long and two short). It helps to talk about the properties as you point — counting sides and corners turns naming into reasoning. A gentle note for adults: a square is a special kind of rectangle, but at this age treating them as separate named shapes is entirely appropriate.
How to use this worksheet
Start by reading the colour key together and agreeing which colour belongs to each shape, then let your child colour every matching shape the same way along the row. Encourage them to say the pattern aloud — "circle, square, triangle, rectangle" — as they work, because hearing the rhythm reinforces the repeating unit. When the colouring is done, move on to the counting task: counting each shape type one by one builds careful, accurate counting and links the picture back to numbers.
Extending the learning at home
Once the sheet is finished, hunt for repeating patterns around the house — tiles, brickwork, stripes on a jumper, a row of fence posts. Ask your child to invent their own pattern using buttons, pasta shapes or building blocks, then challenge a grown-up to continue it. Inventing and continuing patterns with real objects deepens understanding far more than worksheets alone, and keeps the idea playful.
Frequently asked questions
What age is this repeating patterns worksheet for?
It is designed for children aged 5 to 7 (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2), which is Key Stage 1 in England. Younger children can colour the shapes with help, while older children can also continue the pattern and complete the counting task independently.
Is the worksheet free to print?
Yes. The worksheet is completely free to download and print. It is designed to fit neatly onto a single A4 page in black and white, so it is easy to print at home or in the classroom.
Which 2D shapes does the pattern use?
The repeating pattern uses four common 2D shapes: a circle, a square, a triangle and a rectangle. These are the shapes KS1 children are expected to recognise and name, making the sheet useful for both art and early maths.
How do I explain a repeating pattern to my child?
Show them the small group of shapes that keeps coming back in the same order — this is the repeating unit. Saying the shapes aloud, such as "circle, square, triangle, rectangle", helps children hear the rhythm and predict what comes next.
Does this support the National Curriculum?
Yes. It links to Art and Design KS1 work on pattern, shape and colour, and complements Mathematics KS1 objectives on naming common 2D shapes and continuing simple repeating patterns with shapes and objects.
Curriculum links
- Art and Design (KS1): to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products, and to develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture, line, shape, form and space.
- Mathematics (KS1, Year 1 Geometry – properties of shapes): recognise and name common 2-D shapes, including rectangles (including squares), circles and triangles.
- Mathematics (KS1, Year 1 – number and patterns): sequence events and identify, continue and create simple repeating patterns with objects and shapes (as introduced in Early Years and reinforced in Year 1).
- Mathematics (KS1, Year 1 Number – number and place value): count, read and write numbers, and count objects reliably using one-to-one correspondence.
Made by The Owee education team. Updated 02/06/2026. Free to print and share.
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