Grade 1 Number Patterns Worksheets — Free Printable PDF
First graders meet patterns as counting made visible: sequences that count on in 1s, 2s and 3s with the last numbers left blank, and — at the top level — runs that skip-count in 5s and 10s. Each problem on these sheets asks the same quiet question — what changes each time? — which is the seed of all later algebra. Grade 1 has four skills, each on its own page with its own three levels: Continue the Sequence, Find the Missing Term, Repeating Patterns and Name the Rule. Adjust the settings below and the worksheet updates instantly; the link reproduces the exact same sheet whenever you need it again.
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Number Patterns · Grade 1
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Grade 1 · 2 pages · A4More Grade 1 number patterns skills
Each one generates a different kind of question, with its own three levels and answer key.
- Continue the SequenceWork out the rule from the terms shown, then write the ones that come next.
- Find the Missing TermThe gap is inside the sequence, so the rule has to be read from both sides of it.
- Repeating PatternsColour and shape patterns that repeat — say which one comes next.
- Name the RuleRead a sequence and write, in words, what its rule does at every step.
What each level generates
Grade 1 continue the sequence — the exact skill behind each difficulty setting, straight from the generator.
- Level 1Count on in equal steps
- Level 2Count back in equal steps
- Level 3Count on in fives and tens
Grade levels follow the progression common to most English-language curricula — not one specific national curriculum. Every level shows exactly what it generates, so you can check the fit with your own program. See the full scope & sequence →
What Grade 1 number patterns should cover
Most Grade 1 curricula expect children to continue simple counting sequences forwards and backwards, typically within 100 by year-end, and to count in multiples of 2s, 5s and 10s. Steps of +1, +2 and +3 are the right size to start: big enough to feel like a pattern, small enough to check by counting on fingers or a number line.
Continue the Sequence is the page to stay on for most of the year. Its first level counts on in equal steps, its second counts back — the harder half of the Grade 1 expectation — and its third moves up to fives and tens, leaving three numbers blank instead of two, so the rule has to hold for three jumps rather than one lucky guess. Nothing here asks for a sequence whose jump keeps changing; that is secondary-school work, whatever the sequence looks like. A realistic benchmark is filling every blank in an 8-problem sheet correctly with only occasional counting aloud — speed does not matter yet, but the child should start saying the rule before filling the blanks.
How to use these worksheets at home
Keep sheets short — 6 to 8 problems via the question-count stepper — and make saying the rule the routine: point at the sequence and ask what changes each time before any writing happens. Type your child's name in the name field and it prints on the sheet (it never leaves your device), which makes the page feel like theirs.
Watch for two common slips: filling blanks by copying a nearby number instead of applying the rule, and losing the pattern when a sequence counts backwards. If backwards sequences cause trouble, have your child read the sequence aloud right-to-left first. Repeating Patterns is the one non-numeric skill at this grade — red, blue, red, blue — and it makes a good warm-up on a tired day. Press Shuffle for a fresh set at the same settings tomorrow.
Frequently asked questions
▸Are number patterns taught in Grade 1?
Yes. Most curricula include continuing simple counting sequences — forwards and backwards, usually in steps of 1 or 2, then counting in 5s and 10s — as part of Grade 1 number work. It builds directly on counting fluency. Sequences whose jump changes from step to step (1, 2, 4, 7, 11) are not Grade 1 anywhere, so you will not find them on these sheets.
▸How many pattern problems should a 6-year-old do?
6–8 per sitting is plenty. Each problem has one to three blanks, so an 8-problem sheet is 8 to 24 answers. Use the stepper to keep sessions short and frequent.
▸What does the difficulty slider change?
How hard one skill is, not which skill you get — you choose that from the skill row, or by opening its own page. On Continue the Sequence, for example, Level 1 is Count on in equal steps, Level 2 is Count back in equal steps, and Level 3 is Count on in fives and tens.
▸Can my child's name appear on the worksheet?
Yes — type it in the name field and it prints at the top of the sheet. The name is used only to render the page in your browser and never leaves your device.
▸Do I need an account to print these?
No. Everything is free with no sign-up: set the options, download the PDF, and print. The web address itself stores your exact worksheet.