Dominoes are small rectangular tiles used for a variety of games. They are normally twice as long as they are wide, and can have either a single value (or “end”) or many values on each face. The most common set has 28 dominoes, but many games can be played with fewer than this number. Dominoes can be stacked on end to form long lines, or they can be placed side by side in 2D grids that form pictures and 3D structures such as towers and pyramids. Children often play with dominoes, but adults also use them to learn about math and to develop dexterity.
In some games, dominoes are used to make chains or shapes that build until a certain condition is met. This is a great way for children to explore patterns and relationships between numbers, as well as color. For example, if one domino has all six of its spots on it, the next domino must have exactly six matching spots to match it up. Likewise, two dominoes that have all of the same colors can connect with each other to create a line of identical rectangles.
Other domino games involve emptying one’s hand while blocking the opponent’s play, such as bergen and muggins. There are even dominoes that duplicate card games, such as poker and blackjack, which help students practice counting cards and identifying the value of individual cards.
When a domino is tipped over, it loses its potential energy and becomes kinetic energy—the energy of motion. That kinetic energy is then transmitted to the next domino in the line, providing the push needed to cause it to fall. This continues until all of the dominoes in the line have fallen.
Some people like to create art using dominoes. They can make straight or curved lines, grids that form pictures, or stacked walls and pyramids. When completed, this type of domino art is mesmerizing to watch.
Another type of art involves using dominoes to create designs on a piece of paper. Some people enjoy making domino art that includes their names, or other words and phrases. This is a fun activity for family and friends to do together, and can be an excellent way to express creativity.
A domino effect is the cumulative impact of a series of similar events, or a chain reaction. The term may be used literally to refer to a series of actual events that lead to a collapsed row of dominoes, or metaphorically to describe a series of related events in other areas such as global finance and politics. The concept of the domino effect is also a useful tool for understanding how compensatory skills can impact student learning, preventing students from mastering the fundamental skills that they need to be successful. For example, when a student starts to compensate for an academic challenge by taking on additional tasks that they are capable of doing, they can begin to build a “domino” of extraneous skills that can prevent them from developing the core competence they need.