Make Time to Play . . . and a Whole Lot More

  • Playing cards games can be a fun activity for the whole family. It makes time for your family to get together, maintain open lines of communication and develop positive relationships. An additional benefit is that is not always about winning: Games provide child the opportunity to:

    • become more self-aware
    • show empathy toward others
    • manage emotions
    • use self-control, resolve conflicts
    • make positive decisions

    Oh, by the way, these games included below support real math skills that will help your child:

    • practice counting
    • develop cardinality
    • develop fact fluency (memorization of math facts)
    • apply math operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division)
    • strategize/problem-solve using math
    • practice communicating mathematical reasoning

    Many times, the games are fun and engaging enough that your child does not even realize all of the learning opportunities playing these game provides. Playing these games is a win-win.

Math Game Library

  • Try for a Total of 10

    Try for a Total of 10

    Play this math card game alone or as a team. Lay out 20 cards on the table (leave out face cards or change them to equal 0, while aces equal 1). Kids remove sets of cards that add up to 10, ultimately trying to remove all the cards from the table. It’s harder than you think!

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  • Counting On with Cards

    Counting On with Cards

    Players flip a card and roll the die. Starting with the number on the card, they “count on” using the number on the die. For instance, if the player flips a 7 and rolls a 4, they would say, “Seven… eight, nine, ten, eleven.” If they get it correct, they keep the card.

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  • Go Fishing for Pairs that Make 10

    Go Fishing for Pairs that Make 10

    Your child might already know how to play Go Fish, but in this version, they’re fishing for pairs that add up to 10. Have them ask: “I have a 2. Do you have an 8 to make 10?”

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  • Pyramid Solitaire

    Pyramid Solitaire

    Some versions of solitaire are really just sneaky math card games, and pyramid is one of them. Try to find cards that add up to 10 as you clear your pyramid row by row. Play alone or in teams.

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  • Race to 100

    Race to 100

    Flip a card and add its value to your running total. First person to reach 100 without going over wins! (Remove face cards for younger players; use these values for older kids: Jack-11, Queen-12, King-13, Ace-0.)

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