Greater Than Less Than worksheets – Kindergarten Math Activities

Welcome to my collection of greater than and less than activities for kindergarten !

These engaging math resources are perfect for helping young learners understand how to compare quantities using the symbols “>” (greater than) and “<” (less than) — or in simpler terms, which number is bigger and which one is smaller .

If you’re just starting out with number comparison, we recommend trying our earlier activity More or Less – Basic Comparison , which introduces the concept in a simple visual way. Once your child is comfortable identifying “more” and “fewer”, they’ll be ready to move on to working with the actual symbols!

What Does Greater Than and Less Than Mean?

Before diving into the activities, let’s quickly explain what these symbols mean:

Greater than (>): The open side faces the bigger number. Example: 5 > 3
Less than (<): The pointy side faces the smaller number. Example: 2 < 4

A popular teaching trick is the “hungry alligator” story : the alligator always wants to eat the larger number, so its mouth opens toward it!

Use this analogy to help kids remember which symbol to use — it’s a great visual tool!

Printable Greater Than Less Than Worksheets

I’ve created a variety of free downloadable and printable worksheets to help children practice comparing numbers using the correct symbols.

1. Compare Numbers Up to 10

These worksheets includes two types of exercises:

In the first set, students look at two numbers and insert the correct symbol (> , < or =).
In the second set, one number and a symbol are already given. Students must fill in the missing number to make the comparison true.

✅ Great for building confidence with small numbers.

Download Worksheet (PDF)

Download Worksheet #2 (PDF)

2. Circle the Bigger or Smaller Number

Choose between two numbers and circle the one that is bigger or smaller.

A friendly hungry alligator joins in on the learning adventure to remind students that he always wants to “eat the bigger number!” His presence makes the concept more memorable and helps visual learners grasp the idea of comparison easily.
✅ Reinforces symbol recognition and number sense.

What’s Included in This Worksheet:

Circle the Bigger Group
Students look at two groups of objects and decide which group has more items. They circle the bigger group.
Choose: More Than or Less Than
After counting each group, students match and circle the correct comparison phrase — “more than” or “less than” — to describe the relationship between the two groups.
Practice with Symbols: > , < or =
Finally, students apply what they’ve learned by placing the correct symbol (greater than , less than , or equal to ) between two numbers.

Download Worksheet #3 (PDF)

3. Cut-and-Paste Activity

Kids cut out symbols and paste them between pairs of numbers.
✅ Hands-on learning that keeps kids engaged.

This colorful and engaging math worksheet helps children compare numbers using fun alligator symbols. Students cut out alligators facing left and right, then glue them between pairs of numbers to show which one is bigger.

Perfect for practicing the concept that the alligator always “eats the greater number” in a hands-on and visual way.

Just print, cut, and play — a playful way to build number sense!