Dominoes are rectangular blocks of wood or other material that are stacked on end to form long lines. When one domino is tipped over, it causes the others to tip in a chain reaction that continues until the entire stack topples. This chain of events is known as the domino effect, and it’s a great way to show kids how energy can flow from one source to another and cause effects that are much larger than the original action.

Although most people use dominoes for games, they can also be used for other creative projects such as making art or building structures such as towers and pyramids. Creating these structures can require quite a bit of planning, especially when it comes to laying out the dominoes. Using a large piece of paper, children can plan out their domino tracks and then transfer their design to the dominoes themselves by drawing arrows that indicate the direction they want them to fall. This allows the kids to visualize their track and determine how many dominoes they will need to create their masterpiece.

A traditional domino has markings on each side that can be arranged in different ways to represent the numbers from zero to six, or the results of throwing two dice. The numbered markings are called pips, and the most common version of the domino has eight pips on each end and is therefore referred to as a double-six set. The most common extended sets increase the number of possible pips on each end by three, and thus have more than 28 unique pieces.

There are many different types of domino games that can be played, including positional games in which the players place their tiles edge to edge to form some specified total. In these games, each player must empty their hand before the next player can play a tile. Blocking games are also popular, such as bergen and muggins, in which players must block each other’s moves. Many of these games are great for teaching math and number recognition skills to kids, and they’re fun to play with friends or family members.

Domino art is a type of visual art that can be created by arranging dominoes in curved or straight lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, or 3D structures such as towers and pyramids. Some of the most elaborate domino art designs are made by professional artists, and they’re often exhibited in galleries or sold as kits for people to try at home.

When writing a novel, the concept of the domino effect can be useful when developing a plot. Each scene domino can represent a piece of action or information, and it’s important that each domino connect with the ones that come before it to advance the story. By considering how each scene will influence the next, writers can write a compelling story that keeps the reader guessing about what will happen next. Whether composing the manuscript off the cuff or following a careful outline, this simple principle can help writers make their work more exciting and believable.