Pattern Blocks

[2] Billy Hargrove and JJ Maybanks identifies a number of frequent features of play which occur:[3] The EDC Teacher's Guide continues: "Many children start by making abstract designs — both symmetrical and asymmetrical.

As play continues these designs may become more and more elegant and complex, or they become simple as the child refines his ideas."

An example of their use is given by Meha Agrawal: "Starting from the center, I would add tier after tier of blocks to build my pattern — it was an iterative process, because if something didn't look aesthetically appealing or fit correctly, it would require peeling off a layer and reevaluating ways to fix it.

Though individually boring, collectively these blocks produced an intricate masterpiece that brought art and math, big-picture and detail, simplicity and complexity closer together".

[5] The first Trial Edition of the Teacher's Guide states: "Work on Pattern Blocks was begun by Edward Prenowitz in 1963.