Have you ever noticed that most children’s books written for young readers follow specific patterns?
Patterns are everywhere in children’s lives, from the rhythm of nursery rhymes to the sequence of bedtime routines.
Because children thrive on predictability and repetition, patterns are one of the most powerful tools a children’s writer can use.
When carefully woven into stories, patterns make texts easier to understand, more memorable, and more fun for young readers.
Below, we’ll go over how patterns work in children’s writing, why they’re effective, how authors use them, and examples.
- Repetition Builds Confidence
Children love to know what’s coming next. Repetition creates a sense of security and skill, especially for emerging readers. By coming across the same phrases or structures over and over, children gain the confidence to join in, anticipate, or ‘read’ along.
Example: In Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle’s “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” each page follows the same question-and-answer format.
After a few pages, even preschoolers can predict the structure and participate:
• “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?”
• “I see a Red Bird looking at me.”
This simple pattern of repetition and variation makes the book interactive and empowering.
How to use it in your story: When writing for young children, repeat a key phrase or structure every few sentences, paragraphs, or pages, depending on the genre. It not only anchors and encourages the reader but also creates a satisfying rhythm.
- Predictable Sequences Support Memory
Patterns also come in the form of predictable sequences. These are events that happen in a regular order. This helps children remember what’s already happened and anticipate what’s coming next.
Example: In “Caps for Sale” by Esphyr Slobodkina, monkeys take a peddler’s hats. The peddler is angry and wants them back. He shakes his finger at the monkeys, yells at them, stomps his feet, and takes other actions. Each action the peddler takes, the monkeys mimic. This predictable cause-and-effect relationship allows the child to easily anticipate what the monkeys will do in response to each of the peddler’s actions.
Another Example: In “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, the caterpillar eats through a predictable list of foods, one more each day. Monday: one apple. Tuesday: two pears. Wednesday: three plums. The pattern of increasing numbers and days creates a structure children can follow and repeat.
How to use it in your story: Build a story around a repeated journey, an expanding list, or an accumulating problem. The predictability helps children feel clever when they anticipate the next step.
- Rhyming and Rhythm Makes Reading Easier
Sound patterns (rhyme, rhythm, and alliteration) are especially appealing to children. They make stories feel like songs, turning reading into a multisensory experience.
Example: Dr. Seuss was a master at using rhythmic, rhyming text in books like Green Eggs and Ham. The pattern of rhymes (“I do not like green eggs and ham / I do not like them, Sam-I-am”) keeps the language playful and forward-moving.
How to use it in your story: Give short, bouncy lines a shot. Use simple rhymes or repeating sounds to help the text stick in a child’s ear. Even in prose, sprinkling in alliteration (“big brown bear” and “silly snakes slither silently”) creates subtle patterns children notice.
- Rule of Three for Rising Tension
In storytelling, the “rule of three” is a classic pattern. Children’s stories often present three challenges, three characters, or three attempts at solving a problem. The first two challenges build anticipation, and the third delivers the payoff.
Example: “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is built entirely around threes: three bears, three bowls of porridge, three chairs, three beds. The pattern gives the story a satisfying symmetry and a built-in rhythm for increased conflict and resolution.
Another Example: “The Three Pigs” isn’t built entirely around threes, but it has three distinctive challenges. Two to build anticipation, and the third for the payoff.
How to use it in your story: When structuring a plot, consider giving your character three tries to solve a problem. It’s a natural pattern that provides momentum and helps young readers follow along.
- Cumulative Tales Encourage Participation
Cumulative stories repeat and add to earlier elements with each new scene. This type of pattern not only builds tension but also invites children to join in because they’re familiar with the previous parts.
Example: In “The Napping House” by Audrey Wood, a wakeful flea bites a sleeping mouse. The startled mouse wakes the sleeping cat, and a chain reaction ensues. Kids love the silliness and the growing chain of events.
Another Example: In “The House That Jack Built” (Golden Books), each new verse adds a new element while repeating the earlier ones. Children enjoy hearing and reciting the growing chain of events.
How to use it in your story: Create a story where each page or stanza adds a new character, item, or event while repeating the previous ones. This is especially effective for read-aloud sessions because children can chant along.
- Visual Patterns Reinforce Text
Children’s books aren’t just words; they’re pictures too. Visual patterns in illustrations reinforce narrative patterns. A repeated color scheme, a recurring character on each page, an additional element reflecting the text, or consistent page layouts help children feel oriented.
Example: In “Where’s Spot?” by Eric Hill, as the mother dog searches for her puppy, each page uses a flap and a repeated question such as “Is Spot under the bed?” The visual and story consistency are part of the book’s charm.
How to use it in your story: Work with your illustrator (or think visually as you draft) to maintain recognizable patterns in page layout, characters’ appearances, or objects in the background.
Summing It Up
The predictability of patterns allows writers to surprise children with small changes. Because the reader knows what to expect, any variation pops out as exciting or funny.
Patterns are more than a stylistic choice; they’re a necessity. Repetition, rhythm, sequences, and visual consistency help children feel competent, anticipate what’s next, and participate in the story. At the same time, patterns provide the writer with a solid structure to work within.
Whether you’re writing a picture book, an early reader, or a chapter book, think about where patterns could strengthen your story. Ask yourself:
• Is there a phrase I could repeat?
• Could a predictable sequence make my plot clearer?
• Could a visual or verbal pattern encourage participation?
By weaving patterns into your writing, you’re not just creating stories; you’re creating stories that children will have fun with, remember, and retell.
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