Domino Stones - Dominoes for Toddlers

Choosing an activity for the busy bag swap was not an easy task but I finally settled on domino stones- a twist on the classic game. These dominoes are perfect for toddlers as they are durable and the bold symbols are easy for little hands and eyes to match end to end.

I made 11 sets as was required for the busy bag swap which meant painting 264 little symbols. I believe this took me about 4 hours. I began by dividing 132 stones into 11 groups of 12. I was careful to choose stones that I thought looked nice together. Each stone has a symbol on either end making 24 symbols in a set; six birds, six snails, six cats and six fish. Finally, I sprayed them with a coat of clear gloss enamel. Phew, I was glad to be done.

Miss 2 (almost 3) and I tried them out this morning. I was pleasantly surprised to find that she was up to the challenge and enjoyed exercising her problem solving skills. We played by taking turns putting stones down but there are other ways to play. Just matching end to end is fun. They can play alone or with a friend making up their own rules. 

I'm already thinking of more games that could be made with stones. They are so lovely and tactile, making them a joy to handle. I think they'd make a beautiful, inexpensive gift too.