Christmas Pattern Block Mats and Templates for Kids

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Pattern blocks have always been one of my favorite teaching tools for young kids. We’ve used them for years around here! They’re colorful, easy to use, and such a fun way to introduce geometry without making it feel like a math lesson.

These Christmas Pattern Block Mats add a festive twist to one of our favorite activities. Kids can build Christmas trees, ornaments, reindeer, snowflakes, and more using their pattern blocks.

The printable set includes 30 pages with 10 different Christmas designs, each available in three styles. That means younger kids can follow the colored patterns, while older kids can challenge themselves to figure out which blocks will fill an outline.

 

What’s Included in the Christmas Pattern Block Mats?

This printable set includes 10 Christmas-themed designs:

• Two Christmas trees
• Two Christmas ornaments
• Reindeer
• Bell
• Santa Claus
• Santa hat
• Snowflake
• Holly berries

Each design comes in three different versions:

Full-color patterns: These show the colors and shapes of the blocks, making them especially helpful for beginners.

Black-and-white patterns: Children can see the individual shapes but must figure out which blocks to use without the color clues.

Outline-only templates: These are the most challenging! Kids have to work out which combinations of pattern blocks will fill the picture.

That’s 30 printable Christmas pattern block pages altogether.

I especially love the outline versions. They turn a simple pattern-building activity into a little geometry puzzle.

How to Use Christmas Pattern Block Templates

All you need are the printable mats and a set of standard pattern blocks.

If you don’t have any yet, here’s a pattern block set you can look at. Both wooden and plastic blocks work well.

1. Choose a Christmas Design

Let your child pick a picture to build.

Younger children might enjoy starting with a Christmas tree or ornament, while more experienced builders can try the snowflake or one of the other designs.

2. Match the Pattern Blocks

Place the pattern blocks directly onto the printed mat, matching the shapes in the picture.

Children can turn and rotate the blocks until they fit.

This is wonderful practice for recognizing shapes and understanding how they fit together.

3. Try a More Challenging Version

Once your child has mastered the colored pattern, offer the black-and-white version.

Then see if they can fill the outline without any clues about which shapes to use!

There may be more than one way to complete an outline. Encourage kids to experiment and explain how they solved it.

Why Use Pattern Blocks for Math?

Pattern blocks are a fantastic hands-on math tool because kids can see and touch the shapes they’re learning about.

They help children explore:

• Geometry: Recognizing triangles, squares, rhombuses, trapezoids, and hexagons
• Spatial reasoning: Rotating shapes and figuring out how they fit together
• Symmetry: Noticing when two sides of a design match
• Fractions: Exploring how smaller shapes can combine to make larger ones
• Problem-solving: Trying different combinations of blocks to complete a picture

One of my favorite things about pattern blocks is how easily you can adjust the challenge.

A preschooler might simply match colors and shapes, while an older child can use the same materials to investigate angles, fractions, and geometric relationships.

Christmas Pattern Block Math Challenges

Want to add a little more math to the activity? Try asking your kids a few questions as they work.

• Count the blocks. How many pattern blocks did you use to make your Christmas tree?
• Sort by shape. How many triangles did you use? How many rhombuses?
• Explore symmetry. Can you find a line of symmetry in your Christmas picture?
• Try a different solution. Can you fill the same outline using a different combination of blocks?
• Compare areas. How many green triangles would it take to cover the same space as one yellow hexagon?

That last question is a fun introduction to fractions and the relationships between pattern block shapes.

Tips for Printing and Reusing the Mats

I recommend printing these Christmas pattern block mats on cardstock, especially if you’ll use them in a classroom or math center.

You can also laminate them to make them last for years.

Before preparing a whole set, print one page and check that your pattern blocks fit the shapes at the printed size. Printer scaling and block dimensions can vary.

Once they’re ready, store the mats with your pattern blocks so they’re easy to pull out throughout December.

These work especially well for:

• Preschool and kindergarten math centers
• Homeschool geometry activities
• Christmas-themed morning work
• Small-group math lessons
• Quiet activities during the busy holiday season

Get the Christmas Pattern Block Mats

Ready to build some Christmas pictures?

My Christmas Pattern Block Mats printable includes all 10 holiday designs in color, black and white, and outline-only versions. That’s 30 printable pages you can use with a variety of ages and skill levels.

Get the Christmas Pattern Block Mats in My Shop

Just print the pages, grab your pattern blocks, and start building!

 

More Christmas Activities for Kids

Looking for more Christmas learning activities? Try these:

• Christmas Tree Counting
• Christmas Charades for Kids
• Christmas Tracing Pages
• Christmas Sweater Coloring Pages
• Build Your Own Nativity

Pattern blocks are such a simple way to make math feel like play. And with these Christmas designs, kids can practice geometry while building something festive!