Comparing Numbers Worksheet: Greater Than, Less Than, and Equal To!
Children ages 4-6 learn to compare two numbers and choose the correct symbol — greater than, less than, or equal to — building an essential foundation for later work with inequalities and algebra. Comparing quantities and representing the relationship symbolically is a more abstract skill than simple counting, so this worksheet stretches children just past straightforward number recognition into true numerical reasoning.
Part of the pack
Month 11: Learning & Development | Ages 5-6Curriculum
How to use this worksheet
Look at each pair of numbers together and ask your child which one is bigger and which is smaller before introducing the symbol choices. Explain simply that the open, wide side of the greater-than and less-than symbols always points toward the bigger number, like a hungry mouth. Have your child choose the correct symbol from the options provided and write it in the blank space, then read the completed comparison aloud, such as '23 is greater than 20.'
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Eraser
Extension activities
- •Create number comparison flashcards and quiz each other on which symbol fits between two numbers.
- •Use small toys or snacks to physically represent two quantities and compare which pile has more.
- •Compare real-life quantities, like the number of steps in two different staircases, using greater than or less than.
- •Draw the 'hungry alligator mouth' trick for the greater-than and less-than symbols and practice with several number pairs.
Tips for parents and teachers
Encourage children to say the comparisons out loud, such as '23 is greater than 20,' since verbalizing the relationship reinforces the symbol's meaning. The 'equal to' concept is sometimes overlooked by children eager to declare one number bigger, so point out when two numbers genuinely match. Real-life examples, like comparing the number of cookies on two plates, make the abstract symbols easier to grasp.
Written by
Hemsweta Jain · Teacher Cheena
MBA and Early Childhood Educator, teaching since 2014 · Founder of RaisoActive, Mumbai
Every RaisoActive worksheet is designed and checked by the founder before publishing.
Published · Last reviewed
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