Picture Dominoes

About Picture Dominoes

A domino sits on the table, and its right-hand end shows a picture. Three more tiles wait below — only one of them begins with that same picture. Find it and the line grows. Matching by picture is the step children take before matching by number, and it's the same skill real dominoes needs.

Picture Dominoes is one of our memory & attention games for kids. This one plays in the iPhone and iPad app rather than in the browser, but 33 of our games are free to play right here — browse the full library to find them. It is also in our classic games for kids and games for toddlers and preschoolers collections.

How to Play

• Look at the picture on the right end of the tile on the table.
• Find the tile below that starts with the same picture.
• Tap it, and a new tile appears.

Tips & Tricks

• Only the ends matter — ignore the other half.
• Say the name of the picture you're looking for.
• The joining picture is shown in the question too, if you lose track.

What It Practises

Picture Dominoes teaches the rule at the heart of every domino game: the ends that touch must match. Here they match by picture rather than by dots, which is the step children take before they can match numbers. To find the right tile a child looks at the open end, holds that picture in mind and compares it with each tile below.

Following a rule like this, and checking each option against it, is early logical thinking. It also builds visual discrimination, because some of the pictures look alike and a quick glance isn't enough.

• Matching like with like
• Following a rule: only the open ends count

What Age Is Picture Dominoes For?

Made for ages 3 to 5. Three-year-olds can play with help naming the pictures; four- and five-year-olds usually play alone. Once matching pictures is easy, children are ready for real dot dominoes, where they have to count or recognise the number of dots.

Tips for Parents

Name the picture on the open end together each turn: "We need a sun." Saying the rule aloud helps a young child stick to it.

Point out that only the end matters, not the picture on the other half of the tile. That is the part young children find tricky.

Try It Without a Screen

• Play real dominoes and match the number of dots instead of pictures.
• Make picture dominoes from card: draw two simple pictures on each rectangle.
• Play a matching game with socks or toys: find the one that goes with this one.

Picture Dominoes — Frequently Asked Questions