As a mum, I’ve come to understand that all our children really want from us is our time. If you’re able to do something fun as well, that’s simply a bonus—and that’s where card games come in. I’m not a huge fan of the various games played with a standard pack of cards, I’m just not particularly good at them and I lose interest quite quickly.
Nowadays there are so many fun card games to choose from and there’s something for every age, from toddlers all the way up to adults. They don’t even have to a huge academic angle to them to make them educational; just by playing children are learning how to communicate, to share, wait their turn, take turns and interact. They are also gaining skills like focusing on a task until completion and learning some important life lessons including never giving up or throwing in the towel and that situations can change at any time, sometimes for the worse (losing) and sometimes for the better (winning).
Because they’re relatively inexpensive, when compared to some of the toys available, we have managed to get a few fun card games together already. Here are a few of our favourites.
11 Fun Card Games—to Keep You Entertained and Coming Back for More!
1. Smart Ass
I might be a potty-mouthed mum but I call this game Smart Ass but you can call it Smart Alec, Smart A@@ or whatever else you like just make sure you have it. It is so much fun and although it might not teach children to wait their turn that’s half the fun. The game is fast-paced and because no specific knowledge is needed any Dumb Ass / Dumb Alec / Dumb A@@ can win.
Recommended Age: 12+
2. Go Fish!
A new look to a classic game, this version of Go Fish! is a great way to teach children how to play cards, from holding and dealing them to reading the numbers and taking turns. There are instructions for a simple game, to get younger players into the swing of things and a more challenging one. The pictures are colorful and fun and perfect as a stocking filler or gift idea.
Recommended Age: 3+
3. Five Crowns
An all-time classic and winner of ‘Best Game Awards’ Five Crowns is a five-suited rummy-style card game played in quick rounds. The fun card game contains five suits including stars, diamonds, clubs, hearts and spades that gives each player multiple options for arranging their hand into books or runs. The wild card changes every round and that’s what makes it so much fun. The aim of the game is to play ’til the Kings Go Wild.
Recommended Age: 8+
4. Spot It
Spot It is an award winning game of perception and observation. All you need to remember is there is always one, and only one, matching symbol between two cards. Got it? Now Spot It! The game comes in a handy grab ‘n’ go tin and is a perfect travel game. Up to eight people can play at a time and the game can go as fast as you want.
Recommended Age: 7+ but is suitable for younger players
5. Watch Ya’ Mouth Family Edition
Warning! You might die laughing. This is one of the most ridiculously fun card games ever. With cheek retractors in place, players read and interpret or speak out phrases the rest of the players have to recognize. Watch Ya Mouth has various phrase packs available, from family-friendly to adults-only. Eets a ghoot!
Recommended Age: 8+
6. Exploding Kittens
I’m going to start off with this disclaimer: No kittens were harmed in the making or playing of this game. If you’re a bit of a trainspotter then fun fact: Exploding Kittens is created by Shane Small of Xbox and Marvel, Elan Lee of Xbox, ARGs, and Matthew Inman from The Oatmeal. To best explain the game think of it as a highly-strategic, kitty-powered version of Russian Roulette. The idea is for players to draw cards until someone picks up an Exploding Kitten, which means they explode and die, unless…
Recommended Age: 7+ although younger players might get a little bored
7. Roll and Play
This is a great card game for toddlers, designed specifically with them in mind. Little hands toss the big cube and identify the colored side facing up, they then choose a card that matches the color and perform the action written on it. The activities are simple and fun, like “roar like a lion”, “sing a song” or “find something red”. Roll & Play is the perfect game for bonding for parents and toddlers and encourages active play and creativity while developing gross motor skills—of the toddler, not the parent.
Recommended Age: 18 months + but younger kiddies enjoy it too
8. Deer in the Headlights
Deer in the Headlights is one of those fun card games that is easy for the entire family to learn. Players need to discard all their cards in order to win a round; a ‘running deer’ can help you get rid of cards and rolling a ‘car’ lets you pass off cards to your friends but a ‘deer in the headlights’, well that’s just trouble. From losing a turn, to being frozen out the game, you want to watch out for those deers.
Recommended Age: 8 years +
9. 4 Classic Children’s Card Games with 2 Hands-Free Card Holders
My kids love card games but I noticed when they were younger they battled to hold the cards, without them falling all over the place and so this set with four classic card games plus the nifty holders, is the perfect way to encourage a love of games and family time. The holders’ clever design is perfect for helping little hands and they even stand on their own. The classic card games include Old Maid, Crazy Eights, Alphabet Soup and Go Fish!.
Recommended Age: 4 years +
10. Uno Attack
UNO Attack! is the extreme version of the classic game we know and love; it includes an electronic card shooter which adds to the excitement. If you can’t match a card in your pile with a card from your deck you have to push the launcher button; if luck’s on your side nothing happens but if it’s not, the rapid fire machine launches a whole lot of UNO Attack! cards. With loads of different features,this game keeps everyone entertained for hours.
Recommended Age: 7 years +
11. KinderPerfect – A Timeout for Parents Party Card Game
Holiday time is soon upon us and weekends happen all the time, so I thought this is a great game to include. KinderPerfect is a fun card game for all frazzled parents out there, turning the everyday pain of parenting into an excuse for mum (or dad) juice. There is a ‘parent’ player who reads out a red question card, the other players use their white answer cards and the ‘parent’ picks the one they like best; for no reason other than because they said so. The winner is the person with the most amount of useless parenting question cards. Like in real life!
Recommended Age: 17 years +
What are the fun card games your family likes to play? Let us know in the comments below!
Feature image courtesy of Flickr, noreenreyes.