12 Different Games to Play with One Set of Dominoes

Last spring when I travelled with my kids we didn’t bring many toys with us. But we found a box of dominoes in our rented apartment and had a lot of fun playing old games and making up new ones.

It’s amazing how many different games you can actually play with just one set. If you’re looking for a quick two-player game or a fun group activity, a simple set of dominoes can go a long way.

In this post, I’ll show you different ways to use your dominoes set. Simple games perfect for kids, popular games you might recognize, and some new creative ideas that are great for travel days when you’re short on options.

A Quick Introduction to Dominoes

Dominoes is a classic game with a rich history that goes back hundreds of years.

It’s believed to have started in China during the 1200s, eventually travelling to Europe and becoming a favourite traditional game in places like Italy and France during the 18th century. Today, it’s played all over the world.

There are different domino sets you might come across. A double-six set is the most common in Europe and includes tiles (sometimes called “bones”) that go from blank (zero) up to six on each side. You might also find larger sets like double-nine or double-twelve, which allow for more players and longer games.

Each tile has two ends, and some tiles are called double tiles. These have the same number of dots (or pips) on both sides (like a six-six or a three-three) and are often special pieces during gameplay.

Some games use a draw pile — extra dominoes that players pull from if they can’t make a move — while others involve using all the dominoes at once.

You’ll hear terms like draw dominoes (where you draw from the pile if you get stuck), block dominoes (where you try to block your opponent), and straight dominoes (a basic version where you match numbers in a line).

Player usually take turns in a clockwise direction, and the goal is often to be the first to use all your tiles or to end up with a higher score by playing smarter and faster.

So here are 14 different domino games you can try with just one domino set.

1. Classic Domino (Block Game)

Players: 2–4
Needed: A standard domino set (e.g. double-six, 28 tiles)

Setup:

Shuffle the tiles face-down.
2 players: each player draws 7 tiles.
3–4 players: each player draws 5 tiles.
The rest are left out of the game (no draw pile).
The player with the highest double (e.g., [6|6]) starts.

How to Play:

Start by placing the first domino in the middle of the table, then take turns adding new tiles to the end of the chain, matching numbers as you go.
Only matching numbers can be placed (e.g. 6 next to 6).
If you can’t play, you skip your turn. No drawing from a pile.

Goal:

If no one can play anymore, the player with the lowest total value of remaining tiles wins.

2. Draw Dominoes (Draw Game)

Players: 2–4
Needed: Standard domino set (28 tiles)

Setup:

Same as Block Game: shuffle and deal tiles (7 each for 2 players, 5 each for 3–4).
The remaining tiles form a draw pile (called the “boneyard”).

How to Play:

Same rules as Block Game, but:
If you can’t play, you must draw from the boneyard until you get a playable tile or the pile is empty.
If the pile is empty and you still can’t play, you skip your turn.

Goal:

When someone plays their last domino, or when no one can make another move, it’s the end of the game. Each player then adds up the dots on their remaining dominoes, and the one with the lowest score wins.

traditional game of dominoes: starting with a double tile

3. Domino Rally

Use your dominoes to set up an epic chain reaction. Arrange the tiles standing upright in a line or pattern, tip the first one, and watch them all fall.

It’s fun to experiment with curves, corners and crazy shapes. Even though it’s simple, this one still remains one of my son’s favourite domino games.

4. Building Towers and Structures

Use your set of dominoes to create towers, bridges, castles, or any structure you can dream up. It’s a fantastic way to turn your domino set into a creative building game, helping with balance, patience and imagination.

Challenge yourself (or each other) to build the tallest tower, the widest bridge, or the coolest-looking fortress. See who can balance the most dominoes before their structure collapses. A perfect activity for lazy or afternoons or waiting out rainy days.

5. Domino Memory

Lay all the dominoes face down and mix them up. Just like classic memory games, take turns flipping two dominoes to find matching numbers. If you find a pair, you keep them and get another turn. Whoever collects the most pairs wins. It’s a great way to sharpen observation skills while having much fun.

You could turn this into a maths game, too: Add up the numbers on your tile and see if you find a pair with the same sum. Or to make it even more challenging, try multiplying the two numbers.

6. Tactile Domino Challenge

Put five domino tiles in a cloth bag, a hat, or just cover them with a scarf.

Without looking, reach in and feel a domino. Can you guess its numbers just by touch? Whenever you get it right, you can keep the tile. If not the other person gets it. Who’s going to win?

7. Hide and Seek Dominoes

Get up and moving with this easy game: hide dominoes around the bed room, kitchen or living room. You can add extra rules like “find the highest double” or “build a train” with the tiles you find.

This is such a simple game, but younger kids love the feeling of going on a treasure hunt.

8. Domino Number Recall

Place 5, 7 or 10 dominoes face-up (it’s best to start with a lower number of tiles and then add more if it gets too easy).

Give the first player a few seconds to study them, then flip them over. They have to remember as many domino numbers as they can.

For every domino they recall correctly, they earn a point.

Now the second player has to remember as many domino numbers as possible. This game is simple but can get surprisingly competitive.

9. Longest Line Challenge

Divide up the dominoes between two players. Now each player tries to build the longest line of dominoes, but you can only add a tile if the matching numbers touch.

Before you start, guess how long your line will be. After you’re done, measure it with a string, a stick, or just by counting tiles. Whoever guesses closest to their final length wins. Or whoever manages to build the longest line. Your choice.

10. Domino Sudoku

Create a mini Sudoku-style puzzle using dominoes. Lay out a small grid (like 4×4 or 5×5) and fill it with domino tiles — but no number should repeat in a row or column and you have to get the same sum in every direction. It’s a bit of a brain-teaser and perfect for quiet moments when you want a solo challenge or a cooperative puzzle.

In the picture below you can see an example of a simple sudoku. The challenge was to get the sum of 8 vertically and horizontally. Try it for yourself. Choose a number, like 4, 9 or 11, and try to build a sudoku in the same shape.

domino sudoku is another great game to play

11. Domino Maths Races

Grab a handful of dominoes and race to add up the total number of dots on each tile. You can play it different ways:

Speed Round: Everyone picks the same number of dominoes and races to add up their totals as fast as possible. The first person to shout out the correct sum wins that round.
Closest to a Target: Choose a target number, such as 50 or 100, and take turns drawing dominoes to see who can get closest without going over. This version adds a bit of strategy. Do you risk drawing another domino for a higher score, or stop before you bust?
Biggest Sum Wins: Simply count up all the dots on your dominoes, and whoever ends up with the highest total takes the win. You can play several rounds and keep a running score to see who comes out on top after a few games.

These quick maths games are great for keeping minds sharp.

12. Domino Storytelling

Give each number a word, idea, or theme (like 1 = dragon, 2 = river, 3 = mountain, etc.). Then draw a domino (or more than one) and use the numbers to spark a mini story. You can tell silly adventures, make up fairy tales, or create wild journeys — perfect for long evenings or car rides.

The challenge could be to draw 3 dominoes and tell a story using the number words in the order of your numbers, even if they repeat.

playing dominoes can be as much fun as a playing with a deck of cards

As you can see, a simple box of dominoes can offer just as much fun as your favourite card games. Like many traditional games, dominoes are simple to learn but endlessly varied, depending on the number of players, the rules you follow, and what kind of fun you’re after.

I hope this collection of 14 dominoes games inspires you to play, experiment, and maybe even create a new favourite for your family or game night circle.