Welcome to ChildFun…where Play and Learning go Hand in Hand
...where play and
learning go hand in hand!
Home » Recommendations » 15 Unique Kid-Friendly Card Games You Haven’t Played Yet
15 Unique Kid-Friendly Card Games You Haven’t Played Yet
If you have children, or they’re a regular feature in your life, keeping them occupied can be a challenge. However, there are ways to get your kids to have fun away from screens. Card games are an entertaining, fun way to involve all of the family and learn new skills at the same time. Your kids will develop key life skills such as communication, decision-making, cooperation, strategy and mathematics. You’ll also find card games boost healthy competition between your kids and their siblings – in short, they’ll get the whole family talking.
When you play card games with your kids, a number of sociological and developmental benefits kick in.
Just holding cards can teach your children hand to eye coordination and dexterity.
Most card games need multiple players, so straight away, you’re fostering social interaction with your family.
Playing card games teaches your kids the benefits of engaging in a little friendly competition.
You can also choose different card games that focus on particular skills. For example, games for younger children help with counting and colors, while games for older children strengthen collaboration and boost vocabulary.
Shop With Your Kids
Even going to your local card game shop can be a perfect opportunity to spend some precious quality time bonding with your kids. You could find out what games they have their eyes on, and why. Maybe their friends have discovered a brand new game, and it’s time you knew about it.
Alternatively, have a chat with staff that will be able to recommend the right card game for the skills you want your kids to develop. They may highlight some card games you and your children have never heard of, like some of the games on this list.
Here’s some of the top card games for you and your kids to enjoy that you probably haven’t played yet:
1. Too Many Monkeys
Age: For 6+ Players: 2 to 6
This is ideal to help your younger children learn how to count. Primo the Monkey was fast asleep in bed until his friends arrived for a surprise pajama party. Players must simply flip and swap cards in numerical order to entice Primo back into bed. Watch out for elephants and giraffes who are eager to join in the fun as the first player to get Primo back into bed wins. It only takes 15 minutes to play a single game, so your little ones don’t have a chance of getting bored. This educational game encourages number sequencing and probability skills.
An update on popular games such as War and Slapjack, this exciting and fast-paced game is all about players flipping their cards into a central pile to win a stack. This educational game is easy for young children to learn and play with adults, and is a whole lot of fun for all the family to enjoy. Your kids will discover more about number comparisons, such as 49 is greater than 36. Game times average between seven and 14 minutes.
Dreamt up by six year-old Miranda Evarts one night when she couldn’t fall asleep, this fun family game is all about the Ladybug Queen and ten of her closest friends. It’s your job to wake them from a sleeping spell using quick thinking, strategy and maybe taking a chance on a juggling jester. Watch out for evil potions, a dangerous dragon, and a knight that could steal a queen. The player that wakes the most queens is the winner. With colorful, long-lasting cards, an average session of this educational game lasts 20 minutes.
In a game featuring the mythic Greek gods, Zeus has escaped from Mount Olympus and it’s up to you to catch him when your total reaches a multiple of 10. This strategic card game is all about adding up numbers as players climb the mythic mountain. You can also bring in help from other gods, such as Apollo, Poseidon and Hera. By figuring out how to harness the strength of various gods, your kids will sharpen their strategic thinking, plus addition and subtraction skills. This educational game has a playing time of approximately 15 minutes.
This rowdy, fast-paced game involves players using their facial expressions to ‘talk’ to each other. while swapping cards. Signals to your fellow players include making farmyard animal noises, sticking out your tongue and bulging your eyes, and pretending to suck on a lemon. Nobody takes turns in this game, so be prepared for utter chaos in an educational game which helps your family develop their creativity and interaction skills. Be prepared for lots of laughter.
No products found.
6. Picture Memory Pets
No products found.
Age: For pre-kindergarten and up Players: 2 to 6
Ideal if your children are still toddlers, and also a great memory boost for senior family members, this is a classic educational game. You don’t have to be able to read or count; it’s all about how well you or your kids remember. There are two cards each of cute kittens, puppies and hamsters. You have to find and match the pictures when they’re flipped over and jumbled up. The player with the most matches wins. The animal name is printed on each card, so your toddler can learn the names while still having fun.
No products found.
7. Goat Lords
Age: Teens and up Players: 3 to 6
This fun game is perfect for the teens in your life. The goal of this very silly strategy game is to become the Goat Lord by stacking pairs of matching goats with different points to build your goat herd. There’s also plenty of twists and turns in the form of goats with magical powers, as well as magical flower goatees and atomic goats. The first one to bag 1,000 points is the winner.
If your children are new to reading, or love word games, Quiddler is for them. The winner of many ‘Best game’ awards, players must combine their entire hand into words using the highest-value letters. There are bonuses to be won for the longest word and the most words in each round, which means that little words can help you win. This educational game helps enhance spelling, vocabulary and critical thinking.
This fast-paced educational game is a must for everyone, from toddlers to seniors. The roosters are starving and want to eat their fill of corn. It’s up to you to help your rooster gather corn by taking an educated guess about whether the top card in your racer stack is lower or higher than the lead racer. Your kids will have fun learning about probability and logic. The game requires little reading, so it’s easy to understand and play.
No products found.
10. Hoagie
Age: 5+ Players: 2 to 5
This entertaining game is fun for both pre-schoolers and adults, right through to grandparents. Your challenge is to build the perfect sandwich, and fight off the Oogies. Can your kids be the first to collect fresh ingredients for a hoagie sandwich before those dreadful Oogies destroy them? A character-driven educational game, your kids will effortlessly enter the world of fantasy while learning about strategy and how to take turns. Rules are easy to understand so that the game can be up and running in a matter of minutes.
Perfect for all the family, this game uses colorful cards and is similar to Rummy. The winner is the first player to create 10 phase sequences. However, each sequence needs to correspond to the hand you were dealt. To create a sequence, you and your kids use cards of all the same color, or combinations. Each phase needs to be completed in order. This educational game is a fun way to learn about numbers, and developing strategic skills.
For cat lovers everywhere, this strategic game was funded on Kickstarter. A feline version of Russian Roulette, your players take turns drawing cards from a pile on the table. If you draw a card of the exploding kitten then you’re out of the game. With a Defuse card, you can distract the kitten from exploding – using such things as laser pointers, catnip sandwiches, and of course, kitten yoga. There are a variety of cards you can play to skip your turn, or covertly move an Exploding Kitten Card.
The aim of this strategy game is not to clog the toilet. All of your players are dealt a hand of cards. Then a player puts down the toilet card which allows a certain number of poops before the toilet becomes clogged, and you have to take all of the cards. The winner is the first person to get rid of all of their cards. An average game play session lasts about 15 minutes for your family of poopers.
Another popular game that was crowdfunded by Kickstarter, this is fantastic for children as it’s easy to understand. Players need to score the highest points by choosing cards with the best combination of sushi dishes. This educational game will help your kids with probability, visual discrimination and strategic thinking. Average play sessions will last approximately 15 minutes.
A clever game to spark communication with your family, this four inch cube holds 135 questions. You’ll learn something new about your kids, possibly even yourself. With a good mix of questions appropriate for every age, questions range from silly to thought-provoking. This educational game is perfect for use at mealtime or bedtime. You’ll help boost your family’s critical thinking and conversational skills as you encourage your kids to express themselves.
Card games are a great way for children to learn more about a whole range of skills, like patience, sportsmanship, concentration, listening and communication. Your children will increase motor function, memory, number and pattern recognition, and complex math subjects as they search for new ways to win. Games are also an inventive way to improve relationships within the family by loosening things up and encouraging interaction between every generation, from grandparents and siblings, to parents and kids.. For even just one round of your favorite card game, the whole family can come together for a night of fun play.
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided ‘As is’ and is subject to change or removal at any time. / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
