Grade 3 Number Patterns Worksheets — Bigger Steps and Doubling
In Grade 3 the steps get bigger and the rules get more interesting: sequences jumping by 3s, 4s, 6s and 8s sit alongside the first doubling patterns, where each number is twice the last. Doubling and Halving is the new skill this year, joining Continue the Sequence, Find the Missing Term and Name the Rule — each its own page with its own three levels. Leaving two blanks keeps students honest: guessing one number is easy, but holding the rule for two is the real skill. Change any setting below and the sheet updates instantly; the link always brings back the identical worksheet.
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Number Patterns · Grade 3
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Grade 3 · 2 pages · A4More Grade 3 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.
- Name the RuleRead a sequence and write, in words, what its rule does at every step.
- Doubling and HalvingRuns that double at every step, and the same runs read backwards.
What each level generates
Grade 3 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 3Steps that grow
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 3 number patterns should cover
Most Grade 3 curricula extend patterns in two directions at once: larger additive steps — these sheets count in 3s, 4s, 6s and 8s — and the first multiplicative rules, usually doubling. Doubling sequences like 3, 6, 12, 24 are a genuine shift — the step itself changes each time, which surprises children trained on constant jumps.
Continue the Sequence is the natural working page here, with Doubling and Halving introduced once additive sequences feel routine. A reasonable benchmark is a 10-problem sheet from each completed accurately in about ten minutes, with the student able to say whether the rule adds or multiplies.
Teaching the rule-finding habit
The most useful question at this level is: is the jump the same every time? Have students compute the difference between the first two pairs before touching the blanks. Same difference means an adding rule; a growing difference points to doubling. Writing the rule above each sequence should be non-negotiable on these sheets.
Expect two error patterns: applying an adding rule to a doubling sequence (writing 3, 6, 9 instead of 3, 6, 12), and arithmetic slips on the bigger steps as a run crosses a ten, like 76, 84, 92. Shuffle produces endless fresh sets for reteaching, and the answer key on its own page lets students self-check without seeing answers mid-task.
Frequently asked questions
▸What kind of number patterns do Grade 3 students learn?
Typically two kinds: additive sequences with larger steps and early multiplicative patterns such as doubling. Continue the Sequence and Find the Missing Term cover the additive half — Grade 3 counts in 3s, 4s, 6s and 8s — and Doubling and Halving covers the other.
▸Why do most of the sequences have two missing numbers?
One blank at the end can often be guessed from a neighbour. Two blanks force the student to identify the rule and apply it twice, which is the actual Grade 3 skill. Where a sheet leaves a single gap it is never an easy one: Find the Missing Term puts it inside the run, or takes away the first term altogether.
▸How is a doubling pattern different from skip counting?
Skip counting adds the same amount each time (4, 8, 12). Doubling multiplies by 2 each time (4, 8, 16), so the jumps grow. Comparing the two on one sheet is a great Grade 3 discussion.
▸Can I reuse a sheet that my student found hard?
Yes — the link reproduces that exact worksheet, problems and answer key included. Bookmark it, reteach, and re-test on the identical page a week later.
▸Is there a font option for students who struggle with dense pages?
Yes. Choose the easy-read font in the controls for clearer letterforms and more open spacing — useful for students who lose their place in number sequences.