The hungry alligator has been teaching kids greater than and less than since before I was a kid, and it still works. My kids loved it.
We made foam alligator mouths and used them with cards and counters to compare numbers. It works for preschoolers with objects and for older kids with bigger numbers.
How to Play Alligator Math
0 to 10 Number Play Dough Mats
Get the printable2 sheets green craft foam
1 sheet white craft foam
Googly eyes
Glue and scissors
Number cards or dice
Counters like pom poms, Legos, cubes or counting bears
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Make the alligators
Cut a long V-shaped mouth from green foam, glue on white foam teeth and add a googly eye. Make at least two, one facing each way.
Make two piles
Draw two number cards, or build two piles of counters.
Feed the alligator
Kids place the alligator so its open mouth faces the bigger number.
Read it out loud
Read left to right: “7 is greater than 4.”
Try equal
When both sides match, close the mouth into an equals sign.
The Alligator Rule
The alligator is always starving, so he always eats the bigger number. His open mouth faces the bigger number, and the point faces the smaller one.
When both numbers are the same, he can’t decide which to eat, so he closes his mouth. That makes the equals sign.
Start with counters so kids can see which pile is bigger, then move to number cards and bigger numbers.
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Practice adding and taking away with our insect math mats.
The number mats include
- Play dough mats for numbers 0 to 10
- Instant PDF download, nothing is shipped
Perfect for
- Preschool and kindergarten math
- Math centers
- Fine motor practice
Alligator Math FAQ
Yes. The alligator’s open mouth always faces the bigger number.
No. The point of the sign faces the smaller number.
When the numbers are the same, the alligator closes its mouth, which makes the equals sign.
About 4 to 8. Use counters for younger kids and bigger numbers for older kids.
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We love seeing these activities out in the wild: the lumpy letters, the snack breaks, the proud “I made a B!” moments. Leave a star rating, tell other parents what worked (and what totally didn’t), and add a photo of your setup if you’d like.
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