From Go Fish to Snap nothing beats a family game of cards as an inexpensive activity to do with the kids. Expect loads of laughter and a bit of controversy as you work your way through some of our favourite fun card games for families. All games use a standard 52-card deck.
1. Old Maid
Suitable for three or more players.
How to Play: Remove one Queen card from the deck and deal the remaining cards out evenly. Players then sort through their cards discarding any pairs e.g. a pair of 5s, Ace’s etc. Then one player begins by offering their cards to the player on their left, face down, for them to pick one. If you can make a pair with the picked card, you can discard it. Play moves on around the table with each player picking one card.
If you get rid of all your cards you are out. The Old Maid is the player left with the single queen card that can’t be paired.
2. Go Fish
Suitable for up to four players. The idea of the game is to collect the most sets of four cards i.e. 4 10s, Jack’ etc.
How to Play: Shuffle the deck and deal five cards to each player. Place the remaining cards face down in the middle. The first player asks another player for a specific card they need to begin creating a set. “Mary do you have any fives?” If Mary has any fives she must hand them all over. If you are successful in getting a card(s ), you get another go. If not, the player you have asked says “Go Fish” and you have to pick a card from the pile in the middle. If you collect four of a kind, you put them down beside you.
The game continues until all the cards are finished, the winner is the player with the most sets of 4.
3. Memory
Suitable for any number of players. The idea is to get the most pairs.
How to Play: All the cards in the deck are placed face down on the table in rows. The first player turns over any two cards and shows them to the rest of the players. If they make a pair, they take them out and keep them, if not the cards are turned back over in their original position. Play continues to the left. Players must remember where cards are to try and make pairs. The game is won by the player with the most pairs when all the cards are removed and paired.
4. Slapjack
Suitable for two or more players. The object is to win all the cards.
How to Play: Similar to snap, the cards are dealt and the 1st player places a card from their pile face up in the middle, play continues until a Jack is placed on the pile and players race to ‘slap’ the pile and shout “SlapJack”, the successful player takes the cards in the pile to add to their own. Play continues until one player has all the cards.
Check out www.mykidstime for more fun cards games.
