Making a pattern

The one math skill Kindergartens in our town are supposed to learn is pattern making. Seems to me this is one of those things you just magically pick up by living life as a curious 5 year old but in the spirit of doing the only thing the school things is important for this age, a few months ago I decided to try "teaching" patterns. I brought out blocks and started a pattern and asked them to continue it. Me: Red, blue, red, blue....
Them: red, green yellow, yellow green.

I tried to explain they were supposed to complete my pattern but they said "No, I like this pattern". I think the consistency of a pattern was a little boring to their active minds. I let them play and shelved the lesson until last month. They have been pointing out patterns in real life (funny how they manage to learn stuff that schools think needs to be stuffed into them) so I tried again. I brought out the colored blocks and started a pattern. They complied a little better for about 2 minutes, then asked to make their own patterns.

If I recall correctly, these are patterns of a horse, giraffe and house (I can't remember the last one). I give up. The lesson of creativity wins out over patterns.