Matching Dominos
Here's What To Do
1
Place the dominos faced down on a table or counter.
2
Flip a domino over, show it to your child and say “Look at the dots on this side of the domino. How many dots are there? Can you tell without counting?” Confirm that the number is correct.
3
Next have your child find another domino with the same number of dots on one side and pair them together.
4
Repeat until all the dominos have pairs.
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Facing your child, take three long deep breaths together.
E
Engage:
- Flip another domino and say “I see that you are looking for another domino with three dots. How many dots does this domino have?”
- Show a domino with five dots and say, “How many dots did you see? Can you show me with your fingers?”
E
Encourage:
- “You’re doing a great job figuring out how many dots are on the domino. When you get the number wrong, touch each dot and recount.”
- If your child is struggling, say, “You’re working so hard! Let’s try one more together and I will help you count.”
R
Reflect:
- “Which number was easiest to match? Why?”
Not quite ready?
Choose dominos with smaller quantities (0–3 dots) to start the activity.
Ready for more?
Flash the domino and ask your child to shout out the number without counting.
As your child masters this skill...
Will start recognizing groups of one to five without counting.