Card games are a go at any leisure activity. They can keep family members engaged and allow for the practice of problem-solving skills. There is a plethora of family-appropriate card games from which you can select, ensuring that you can find something just right for your kiddos. The next time rain threatens a fun day or you are looking for some easy on-the-road fun, consider an enjoyable–and portable–card game as a way for your family to pass some time.
Uno
Uno is a fast-paced game perfect for high-energy children. The game, which is played with a special Uno deck, requires players to discard cards from their hands that match a set color or number. Once a player has only one card remaining, he must yell “Uno!” or face a potential penalty. With skips, wild cards, draw cards and reverses, players can take delight in seeking vengeance on others who have done them wrong during the course of the game.
Phase 10
Phrase 10 is a rummy-style game that is perfect for building problem-solving skills. In this game, players must complete set phases one at a time. As players advance through the phases, they face ever-growing challenges. The game requires score keeping, which provides an opportunity to let your kiddo practice his simple math.
Go Fish
Go Fish is a simple game, ideal for introducing children to card play. This game is played with a standard deck. To begin, the dealer passes seven cards out to each player. He then spreads the remainder of the cards out in the center of the playing area. The goal of the game is to match all of the cards in your hand. To begin, the player to the left of the dealer asks another player whether she has a card that he needs to make a set, saying, for example, “Mom, do you have any eights?”. If you do, you must give him the eight. If you don’t, you tell him to go fish, and he picks up a card from the center of the playing area. As players create matches, they can set down their matched cards. The first player to match all of his cards wins the game.
Spoons
Players must move quickly and keep their eyes on the prize to be successful in Spoons. To play this game, you need only a deck of cards and some standard or plastic spoons. The dealer distributes four cards to each player and sets the deck next to himself. Before play begins, set spoons in a pile in the center of the circle of players. Place one fewer spoons than you have players in the game in this pile. Cards move in a clockwise circle starting with the dealer. The goal is to gather a set of four matching cards. To begin the game, the dealer picks up a card from the pile and determines whether he wants to keep it. If the dealer wants the card, he replaces one of the cards in his hand with the new card and passes the old card to the player to the left. Play continues in this fashion until someone has four of a kind. The player who has four of a kind picks up a spoon. Upon seeing the player pick up the spoon, the remaining players must race to get one of the remaining spoons. The player who fails to pick up a spoon is out.
Photo Credit
- playing cards image by Mijakowska from Fotolia.com
