Sorting
Ask children to sort cards by color,
suit, number, etc.
Order Please
Remove the face cards and then have the
children put the cards in numerical order.
Patterns
Can children make a pattern with their
cards? Can friends identify the pattern?
Mind Reader
Remove face cards. One child comes to
the front of the room and draws a card. Don’t let anyone see what it is! Classmates
take turns trying to guess the number by asking yes/no questions that include
math vocabulary. For example, “Is it greater than 5? Is it even? Do 3 and 5
equal it?”
Line Up
Remove face cards and pass out a card
to each child. Call out directions for lining up using math vocabulary. For
example, “If you come between 7 and 9 you can line up. If you are an odd number
lower than 5 you may line up. If you add your number to 6 and get 8 you may
line up.”
Number Stories
Remove face cards, shuffle, and then
have each child draw two cards. Encourage them to think of a number story using
the two digits. Can their friends tell the answer?
Memory
Use two suites of cards for this game.
Shuffle cards and place them face down in rows on the floor or a table. Children
rotate turning over two cards. If their cards match they may keep them and take
another turn. If their cards don’t match they turn them back over and the next
child has a turn. The game continues until all pairs have been matched.
Top It
(This game was formerly known as “war,”
but “top it” sounds more politically correct.) Remove face cards and shuffle.
Split the deck and place face down. Children remove one card at a time and turn
it over. The child with the highest number takes both cards. If they turn over
the same amount they place 3 cards face down and turn over the 3rd card. The
highest number takes all the cards. The game continues as long as time permits.
Add It Up
This is similar to top it. Children
turn over one card at a time. The first child to correctly add up both numbers
gets both cards.
High, Low, Equal
Make a game board similar to the one
shown. Children place a deck of cards face down. They select two cards at a
time and place them in the correct category.
Scramble
Remove face cards. Pass out a card to
each child. The teacher calls out a number between 2 and 20. Children
“scramble” around the room and find one or two other numbers that will equal
that amount.
Go Fish and Crazy Eights are other traditional card games your students can play, or let them create their own games.
Homework
Wouldn’t it be great if children taught their parents how to play some of these card games?
Note! I’ve heard that if you have a casino in your area they will donate free cards to your classroom. Apparently they drill a hole through the cards first, but they’d be just fine for classroom activities.
