Dominoes are small, flat rectangular blocks used as gaming objects. They have a pattern of dots, or pips, on one side and are blank or identically patterned on the other. The pips on dominoes are similar to those on a die, and the resulting arrangement of numbers allows for a variety of games.

In addition to being fun to play, domino is a great tool for teaching kids about cause and effect. When a domino is “pushed,” it causes other pieces to fall. These other pieces can create patterns and lines, and children can even use them to build 3D structures. When a child picks up a domino, it has potential energy because it is upright, but once it falls, much of that potential energy turns into kinetic energy, or the energy of motion.

Many games can be played with a standard double-six set of dominoes, which contains 28 tiles. Larger sets are also available; these include the double-twelve set (91 tiles) and the double-nine set (55 tiles). Most domino games are laid out on the table. Players take turns placing a tile on the table so that it touches the end of a domino chain already in place. A domino is said to be “stitched up” if it covers only one end of the chain; however, in some games, a player may wish to cover both ends in order to control all the pieces on the table.

There are two main types of domino games: blocking and scoring games. Blocking games are ones in which a player attempts to prevent his or her opponent from scoring by putting down matching pieces. In scoring games, a player wins by completing all the possible combinations of matching pieces before his or her opponents do.

Another popular activity with dominoes is creating art, such as straight or curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, or stacked walls. In some cases, the dominoes are arranged to represent specific people or events. One woman who specializes in domino art is Lily Hevesh, a professional artist who has worked on projects for movies and television shows and who once helped to set the Guinness World Record for the most dominoes toppled in a circular arrangement.

Hevesh credits her early experiences with her grandparents’ classic 28-tile domino set for her interest in domino art. She has a YouTube channel where she shares her impressive creations.

In business, it’s often important to identify “good dominoes,” or tasks that can be pushed together to create larger accomplishments. These may be difficult tasks that require a lot of time and focus to complete, but they can have a positive impact on a company’s bottom line.

The word “domino” is derived from the Latin dominium, meaning “a pile of bricks.” A domino is a small flat rectangular block that is used as a game piece, especially in board and card games. It is generally made of a material such as wood or bone and has an arrangement of spots, called pips, on one side and a blank or identically patterned surface on the other.