Math Game Monday: Domino Match

Subitizing means recognizing how many items are in a set without having to count one-by-one. It’s a strong foundation for early number skills, and this game is a great way to practice it.

Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children. And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s play some math!

Domino Match

Math Concepts: counting to six, subitizing with dot patterns, visual memory, matching sets.

Players: two or more.

Equipment: one set of double-six dominoes, two six-sided dice.

How to Play

Set all domino tiles face up in the middle of the table.

On your turn, roll the two dice and claim the domino tile that matches the dot patterns on both dice, unless that tile has already been taken by another player.

With two players, the first to claim ten tiles wins the game. For three or more players, the goal is six tiles.

Variations

House Rule: How will you handle duplicate rolls? At our house, if your dice match a tile someone else has already claimed, you can “steal” that tile from the other player.

Domino Cover-Up: Each player needs a specific type or color of token. When there is no tile that matches both dice rolled, the player may put tokens on any two separate tiles, covering the matching numbers. On a future turn, the player may be able to claim one of these tiles by rolling the uncovered number.

History

Domino Cover-Up was created by Jean Carlton, lead teacher in the infant room at Old Dominion University Child Development Center, and shared by Alice P. Wakefield in Early Childhood Number Games: Teachers Reinvent Math Instruction.