About Greater Than, Less Than
The greater-than and less-than symbols are arbitrary marks that children are usually asked to memorise, often with a story about a crocodile's mouth. This game builds the idea underneath them first: count both groups, decide which has more, and only then choose the symbol. Getting the comparison right matters more than getting the symbol right, and doing them in that order makes the symbol stick.
What this game teaches
- Counting two sets accurately
- Deciding which of two quantities is larger
- Matching the comparison to the correct symbol
- Recognising when two quantities are equal
- Comparing written numbers without counting, as confidence grows
How to play
- Two groups of objects appear side by side.
- Count each group.
- Choose the symbol that makes the statement true.
- Ten rounds complete a level, across thirty levels.
Before you start
A child needs to be able to count to ten or so. They do not need to know the symbols beforehand.
For teachers
Ask children to say the sentence out loud - 'six is greater than four' - rather than only tapping. The verbal form is what carries over to written work. Children who get the comparison right and the symbol wrong need symbol practice, not counting practice, and separating those two is the useful diagnosis here.
For parents
Use it at snack time: who has more biscuits, and how do you know? A child who can compare two real piles will handle the screen version easily, and the reverse is not reliably true.
Related games
- Bead Counting — Class 1-2
- Time Recognition Game — Class 2-5
- Cross Addition Puzzle — Class 3-6