Deal or No Deal?
Math Card Games for Kids
Math Fact Practice With a Deck of Cards
For the Primary Mathematician
Counting On
In this card game we’re practicing the basic skill of counting on (counting beginning at any number other than one).
Materials:
Deck of cards with face cards removed
Dice (1 or 2)
Instructions:
Shuffle and place the cards face down on the table. Player one flips over the top card and starts a discard pile.
Next the first player will throw the dice. Their challenge is to start counting from the number shown on the card and count on the number of times shown on the dice. Example: If I turned over a 10 and rolled a 6, I would count 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Or, you could simply add 6 to the card you turned over.
Take turns flipping over a card and counting.
There is no winner or loser in this game. It’s just simply a turn-taking game.
Race to 27
Materials :Deck of Cards
Face cards removed and Aces are 1
Deal out all of the cards to the players. Players put their cards into a pile in front of themselves with cards face down.
The first player turns over their top card and places it in the center.
The next player turns over their top card placing it on top of the first card. This player adds the value of the two cards and tells everyone the total.
The next player does the same adding the value of their card to the previous total.
Play continues until the total reaches 27 or over. The player who puts down the card that takes the total to 27 or over takes all of the cards in this pile and shuffles them into their pile.
Play continues for a set time or until one player has no cards left.
The winner is the person with the most cards.
For a more advanced version you can play Race to 50 or Race to 100.
I Spy With My Little Eye
Materials :Deck of cards with the face cards removed
Instructions:
The cards are dealt face up in an array, either a 10 x 4 or 8 x 5 array.
The first player challenges the other one to find two cards next to each other that add to make a particular number. The first player says, “I spy with my little eye two cards that add to make ______.” (You can also use multiplication for the more intermediate mathematician).
The second player then looks for 2 cards that add to make the number. The two cards to be added need to be next to each other either horizontally or vertically. The player then picks the cards up to add them to their pile. They do this with any other pairs that add to make the number as well.
If the second player misses any pairs that add to the number, then player one may claim them.
The players alternate taking turns and continue until all the cards are gone.
The winner is the player with the most cards at the end of the game.
As large gaps appear in the array, move the cards closer together to fill those gaps.
For the Intermediate Mathematician
Fast Facts
Materials: Deck of Cards with face cards removed
Instructions:
Deal out half the cards to each player with the cards facing down in a pile.
Both players take the card on the top of their pile and lay it face up in the middle.
The first player to call out the product of the two cards wins both cards.
If it is a draw the cards are left on the table. Turn 2 more cards over and whichever player wins, picks up all the cards in the middle.
The winner is the player with the most cards once all the card have been used.
Fraction Feud
Shuffle cards and place them face down in a pile in the center of the players.
Each player draws two cards from the center pile. (Or someone can deal two cards to each player.)
Players create a fraction by placing one card above the other with the smallest valued card placed on the top.
All of the fractions are compared and the player with the largest fraction wins the round and keeps their cards.
The other players return their cards to the pile which is shuffled and placed in the center.
Each player keeps adding the value of the cards they have won until one player reaches 50 and becomes the winner.
(HINT: Fractions can be compared by using a calculator to divide the top number by the bottom number or by using a fraction model.)
Flip Three
Materials: Deck of Cards with face cards removed.
This is a memory style card game with a twist. Players make equations from the three cards that they flip over.
The cards are all placed in rows face down.
Players take turns to flip over three cards and attempt to make an equation using the three cards. The equation can be an addition, subtraction, multiplication or division, e.g. 3+3=6, 8-5=3, 2x1=2, 10÷2=5.
If the player can make an equation they keep the cards. If they can’t make an equation the cards are flipped back over in the same place.
Continue playing until only 7 cards remain. The winner is the player who has the most cards.
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