3 Fun Math Games Using a Deck of Cards
Math can be tough. Lots of kids don’t like it. However, we still need to be able to use numbers. We use them every day and they’re everywhere! So, how can we make math fun? Through games! Below, we have three fun math games for kids, where all you need is a deck of cards.
War
This is a popular game and can be made easier or harder.
You need
- 1 deck of cards (more decks can make the game longer)
- 2 people
To play
- Give each player half the cards
- Each player flips the top card from their stack
- The player with the higher number takes both cards and puts them in their own separate stack (their winnings pile)
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all the cards from the original stack have been flipped
- The person with a bigger winnings pile wins the game
Sometimes the players will flip the same number over. In this case, the players battle. Each player puts 3 more cards face down. Then, both players will flip the top card from their stack. The person with the higher number takes all 10 cards.
To make this game harder, add the flipped cards. The person who says the correct answer first takes the cards. Ex. 6 and 3 are flipped. Player A says ‘9’ first, so they take the cards.
If both players say the answer at the same time, they battle, as explained in the paragraph above.
If you’re still looking for a challenge, try multiplying.
Make A Buck
Not only does this game work on addition and subtraction, it also helps with financial literacy!
You need
- 1 deck of cards
- 2 people
To play
The goal is to be the first player to create exactly $1.00 with the 10 cards in their hand. An ace is worth $0.01, a 2 is worth $0.02, and all the way up to the King, which is worth $0.13.
- Deal each player 10 cards, then set the remaining cards in the middle
- On your turn, you can discard one card, then pick up one card. You can’t pick up from the discard pile
- Continue taking turns until one player has exactly $1.00 in their hand. They’ve won!
If your kid is younger or has trouble with decimals, try this with whole numbers. Instead, you want to make $100. An ace is worth $1 and a King is worth $13.
Elevens
This is a great solo game for addition.
You need
- 1 deck of cards
- 1 player
To play
- Place the cards in a 3 x 3 grid
- If 2 cards add up to 11, remove them from the grid
- Fill the 2 empty spaces with 2 new cards from the deck
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the deck is finished
- After the deck is finished, pair the remaining cards on the grid until they’re all gone
If you have a second deck of cards, you can make this game a race to see who can pair all their cards first.
Have fun playing these math games!
Want another game to work on your kid’s numeracy? Check out this game that also works on financial literacy!