While within a geometric repeating pattern, there is an identifiable core which is made up of objects that repeat in a predictable manner, a geometric growing pattern (also called visual or pictorial growing patterns in other curricula) "is a pattern that is made from a sequence of figures [or objects] that change from one term to the next in a predictable way" (Billings, Tiedt & Slater, 2007, p. 303). In this article, the authors explore several examples of ways to use geometrical growing patterns to develop students' algebraic thinking. Examples are situated within interesting contexts to elicit algebraic generalisations by working through a five-phase analysis process.