Card games provide meaningful practice of the basic number combinations. Becoming automatic with basic number combinations is the key to computational fluency. These common card games that children learn in school or at home can be revisited many, many times and can be adapted to children’s own math skills as they develop over time.

Go Fish!

Go Fish is a pair-seeking game. Players each have their own hand of 5 cards. Players ask their opponents for a card that pairs with a card in their own hand. Basic play begins with making matched pairs. For example, if you have a card with five dots you would ask you opponent for another card with five on it. If your opponent has the card, they give it to you, and then you keep asking for cards until your opponent does not have the card you request and says, “Go Fish!” You get to pick from the pile of face-down cards in the “fishpond.” If you make a match you continue. If not, it is the other player’s turn. The game continues until all the cards are paired up. Players count their pairs, and the player with the most pairs, wins the game.

Match ‘Em / Memory

Match ‘Em or Memory are similar pair-seeking games that allow you to adjust the memory challenge. In both games, cards are arranged in an orderly array on the floor or a table. In Match ‘Em, the cards are face up; in Memory, the card are face down. Players take turns finding pairs. The game is over when all the pairs are matched.

Capture

Capture is a comparison game also known by the traditional name of “War.” To play, deal the entire deck of cards among the players. Players show their cards at the same time, and the person with the greatest number wins the round and takes the cards. When the cards run out, the game is done, and players can count their cards to see who has the most cards.