A fun and engaging way to teach number comparison with Greater Than / Less Than Dominoes. These cards help children practice identifying which number is larger or smaller in a game-like format. Discover activities that build number sense and reinforce the meaning of the < and > symbols in a hands-on way.

Activities for Greater Than / Less Than Dominoes

The following activities use the domino-style cards to teach and reinforce number comparison.

1. The Domino Chain

• Description: A classic dominoes game adapted for number comparison.
• Materials: Greater Than / Less Than Dominoes.
• Instruction: Have the children sit in a circle. The first child places a domino (e.g., 37 | >) on the table. The next child must play a card that fits the rule. Since the first card ends in `>“, the next card must have a number that is greater than 37. For example, they could play 92 | <. The chain continues until all the cards are used or no more moves are possible.
• Skills Developed: Number comparison, logical reasoning, and strategic thinking.

2. “Find the Partner”

• Description: A simple matching game to reinforce number comparison.
• Materials: Greater Than / Less Than Dominoes.
• Instruction: Spread out all the domino cards face up. Call out a number (e.g., “Find a card that is less than 50“). The child must find a card with the < symbol and a number that makes the statement true. You can also give them a card and ask them to find a card that matches the condition.
• Skills Developed: Number recognition, number comparison, and quick thinking.

3. True or False Dominoes

• Description: A critical thinking activity that helps children analyze a comparison.
• Materials: Greater Than / Less Than Dominoes.
• Instruction: Place two domino cards together to form a comparison (e.g., 45 | > and then 22 | <). Ask the child to read the comparison aloud (45 is greater than 22). Then ask, “Is that true or false?” The child should identify if the statement is correct.
• Skills Developed: Critical thinking, comparative reasoning, and logical analysis.

4. The Domino Tower

• Description: A building game that requires children to make a series of correct comparisons to build a tower.
• Materials: Greater Than / Less Than Dominoes.
• Instruction: The child starts with a base domino. To place the next domino on top, it must correctly follow the rule of the previous card. For example, if the base is 15 | >, the next domino must have a number greater than 15. The goal is to build the tallest tower possible.
• Skills Developed: Sequencing, number comparison, and fine motor skills.

5. Verbal Dominoes

• Description: A quick-fire verbal game to practice number comparison without the cards.
• Materials: Greater Than / Less Than Dominoes (used as a reference).
• Instruction: Pick up a domino card without showing it to the child. Describe the card verbally (e.g., “My card has a 45 on it and a greater than sign”). The child must then say a number that would continue the chain (e.g., “70”).
• Skills Developed: Verbal communication, mental math, and number comparison.

6. Sort by Comparison

• Description: A sorting activity that helps children categorize numbers based on a specific comparison rule.
• Materials: Greater Than / Less Than Dominoes.
• Instruction: Place one domino card on the table as a reference (e.g., 70 | <). Ask the child to go through the rest of the cards and place all the dominoes with a number less than 70 in a separate pile. You can then reverse the game by using a > card.
• Skills Developed: Number comparison, sorting, and number recognition.

7. Domino Chain Journal

• Description: This activity connects the hands-on game to a writing exercise, reinforcing the number sequence.
• Materials: Greater Than / Less Than Dominoes, and a notebook or whiteboard.
• Instruction: The child forms a full domino chain, just like in the classic game. Once the chain is complete, they must write down the entire sequence of comparisons in their notebook (e.g., 37 > 25 < 48 > 10).
• Skills Developed: Sequencing, number comparison, and writing skills.

8. Pair and Record

• Description: A simple activity to practice number comparison and record the results in a clear format.
• Materials: Greater Than / Less Than Dominoes, and a notebook or whiteboard.
• Instruction: The child picks up two domino cards (e.g., 82 | > and 59 | <). They then write the full comparison in their notebook, correctly placing the numbers and the symbol (e.g., 82 > 59).
• Skills Developed: Number comparison, writing skills, and logical reasoning.