Here are some games that can be played with young children (ages 3-8, depending on the child and specific fame) that require only 1) a child, 2) a regular 52-card deck and 3) a patient adult.
The list is not intended to be all inclusive. No doubt readers will add some of their own, but it is a place to begin with simple directions included. They are listed from the youngest kids on up.
1. War (Ages 2.5 and up)
-The cards are evenly divided among the players – face down. If the number of players does not divide evenly in to 52 …. It doesn’t really matter.
-Each player turns over one card at a time. The highest card takes all of them and starts a second pile, also face down.
-Should any two turned cards be the same, there is a “War.” Each warrior places three cards face down next to the matching cards then turns the next one face-up. The highest card takes all.
-If that fourth card should be the same for both warriors, you have a “Double War.” Three more cards are laid face down with the next face up determining the winner.
-Once a player is out of cards, s/he is out of the game.
-WARNING: A game of War can be over in 15 minutes or can go one for hours.
-Because there is no skill whatever involved, kids are on an equal footing with adults in this game: It is entirely luck.
2. Go Fish (Ages 3 and up)
-Five (for ages 3 and 4) or Seven (for ages five and up) are dealt to each player.
-The remaining cards stay in a face-down pile in the center.
-The object is to make pairs of same value cards. Each pair is placed down in front of the player to be tallied at game’s end.
-Players begin by seeing if they have been dealt any pairs. If so, these are placed down (face up) right away.
-Once this is down, the youngest player gets to ask any other player if they have a card – one that would match one they have in their hand thereby giving them a pair to lay down.
-If the person asked has the card asked for, they turn it over to the asker who lays down the pair AND gets to ask again.
-If the person asked does NOT have the card asked for, they say “Go Fish!”
-The asked takes a card off the top of the face-down pile and adds it to their hand of cards.
-IF they pick the card they just asked for, they say, “I fished my wish!” and get to ask again.
-Once all the cards are paired and down, the hand is over. Each player counts up their pairs and the player with the most pairs wins that hand.
-This game is a little more than simple luck as memory of who has asked for what last time around can be a clue about what to ask someone for. Also, more sophisticated kids will ask the player holding the most cards, improving their chances of getting the card they asked for.
3. Concentration (Memory) (Ages 4 and up)
-Any (even) number of pairs can be spread on the table or floor in straight rows face-down.
-The object is to turn over pairs by remembering where one of them was the last time it was seen. Two cards are turned over on each turn. If they match, they come off the board. If they do not, both are turned back over in their original places.
-The game is won by the player with the most pairs when all the cards are removed and paired.
-This can be played with as few as ten cards or as many as all 52, depending upon the age and skill level of the child.
-Adults have also been known to use this game to practice and sharpen their own special memories. An adult version called “Concentration” is still popular on television.
4. Steal the Old Man’s Pack (Ages 5 and up)
-A mildly mean-spirited game where the pairs gained by turning the higher card (and are stacked face-up) can be ‘stolen’ by the other player if they have a card of the same value as the one showing on top of the pother player’s pack.
-Very sensitive kids don’t care too much for this one and more than one child has cried for having had their pack ‘stolen.
-Caution is advised. Know who you are playing with!
5. Crazy Eights (Ages 5 and up)
-The deck is evenly divided and, one at a time, players turn a card face up onto a pile. They can look at all of their cards as they play. If a certain number or picture is played, it must be followed by a card of either the same value OR the same suit.
-Lacking either, a player may play any “8” and simply announce the new suit to be played. This should coincide with the suit they are holding the most of at the time, because as in most of these games,
-The person who spends their last card first wins.
6. Rummy (Ages 6 and up)
(There are many versions of this game… Most simply:)
-Seven cards are dealt to each player.
-The object is to create melds (sets of three or four of a kind) or runs (sequential same-suited cards in groups of three or four.)
-These runs and melds are laid face-up in front of the player. They can be added to (by a fourth card in a meld) or additional cards (in a run.)
-Players can add to EACH OTHER’S groups, too.
-The first person to run out of cards wins.
As you can see, the level of difficulty increases, gradually, from pure luck to some modest strategy as the child ages and becomes more sophisticated.
One deck of 52 cards is all that it takes … with a floor or table. If you search your memory as I have searched my own, you will probably come up with many others. They are all fun…. And kids often love to learn new card games!
Break out the cards and have some fun with the kids!
