Pattern Recognition is one of our most important cognitive skills, yet it is surprisingly underrepresented in childhood education. This book was developed to fill that void using fun learning activities. The activities include: Finding and Coloring Hidden Numbers, Letters and Shapes Find the Difference Between Pictures Find the Shape that is Different from the Rest Color Matching Patterns Color Mirror Image Patterns Find Your Way Through the Maze Match Parts of an Image Connect the Dots to Trace the Shapes Reveal a Secret Picture by Counting and Coloring Color in Only the Matching Pieces Circle the Object that Completes the Sequence Find the Correct Objects and Write the Amount Tangrams - Cut out the Shapes and Arrange them into Art Circle the Matching Shape Why this book is important: Pattern Recognition is part of the cognitive toolset we use for problem solving in subjects like Math, Science and Language. It is used in conjunction with inductive reasoning to not only identify the patterns of a problem, but help us determine the most logical path toward a solution. Pattern recognition and inductive reasoning actually form the basis for scientific inquiry itself, so early exposure to these types of exercises are a critical foundation for all other learning. The exercises in this book were designed to not only help develop skills in pattern recognition, problem solving and analytical thinking, but to also help reinforce a child's natural fondness for discovery. This book is recommended for children ages 4 to 8. Each activity can be a little more or less challenging for a child depending on his or her individual experience level, so guiding the child through the exercises is encouraged. Whether you are homeschooling or simply looking for an addition to your summertime reading list, this book is worth a look. Stacy Otillio was born and raised in New Orleans and is the mother of two children. She enjoys homeschooling and writing about topics in science and math for children. Stacy received her degree in Mathematics from the University of New Orleans and has always loved tutoring and helping math and science students. Once her children reached school age, Stacy and her husband decided to homeschool and began to publish much of what they were teaching their children. Author Website: www.claymaze.com Frank Otillio was born in New Orleans in 1971. His lifelong love for math and science led him to receive a degree in mathematics from The University of New Orleans and pursue a career in technology. Frank always felt that there were too few science and math related resources available to actually prepare today's children for the world that lies ahead. This younger generation faces a fast-paced world dominated by technology and data and yet we are still teaching them based on standards developed 50 to 100 years ago. This void in children's resources became all too apparent when Frank and his wife Stacy began shopping for homeschooling books and materials for their own two young children - from that point forward they were committed to developing learning activities with a focus on problem solving and analytical skills. Author Website: www.claymaze.com