Math Card Games for Children
Card Sort
Cards are perfect to use to practice sorting. Children can sort them by suit, color and numbers. Older children can also group them by odds and evens or into multiples.
Put in Order
Children can use cards to practice counting and ordering numbers correctly. Younger children can start with just a few to order at a time and older children can time themselves to see how fast they can arrange a larger group into numerical order.
Go Fish
Go fish is the classic number identification game. Asking each other if they have a certain number is a great way to practice recognizing the different numbers and is a good game to help get children ready for kindergarten.
Play with Patterns
Use the different suits, colors, or face cards to create math patterns. ABC, AABB, and ABAB are common math patterns young children should be able to start to identify and complete.
Make Ten
The ability to make a ten out of numbers is a math skill that will help children with addition and subtraction. Set out cards and have children combine them to make as many tens as they can. Kindergarten students can use the graphics on the cards to help them check to see if they are correct.
War
War is an all-time favorite game for kindergarteners. Each player turns up a card at the same time and the player with the higher card takes both cards. If the cards are the same, it is War. Then each player puts one card face down, and one card, face up. The player with the highest face up number takes all the cards. Comparing number values helps children develop number sense and sets them up for success with addition, subtraction and more.
Hi Low
Older children who are beginning to add and subtract numbers can play a variation of War called Hi Low. Instead of turning over 1 card, each player turns over 2 and adds them (or subtracts them). The player with the higher answer wins. This is much more fun than doing addition facts on flashcards.
Card Sort
Cards are perfect to use to practice sorting. Children can sort them by suit, color and numbers. Older children can also group them by odds and evens or into multiples.
Put in Order
Children can use cards to practice counting and ordering numbers correctly. Younger children can start with just a few to order at a time and older children can time themselves to see how fast they can arrange a larger group into numerical order.
Go Fish
Go fish is the classic number identification game. Asking each other if they have a certain number is a great way to practice recognizing the different numbers and is a good game to help get children ready for kindergarten.
Play with Patterns
Use the different suits, colors, or face cards to create math patterns. ABC, AABB, and ABAB are common math patterns young children should be able to start to identify and complete.
Make Ten
The ability to make a ten out of numbers is a math skill that will help children with addition and subtraction. Set out cards and have children combine them to make as many tens as they can. Kindergarten students can use the graphics on the cards to help them check to see if they are correct.
War
War is an all-time favorite game for kindergarteners. Each player turns up a card at the same time and the player with the higher card takes both cards. If the cards are the same, it is War. Then each player puts one card face down, and one card, face up. The player with the highest face up number takes all the cards. Comparing number values helps children develop number sense and sets them up for success with addition, subtraction and more.
Hi Low
Older children who are beginning to add and subtract numbers can play a variation of War called Hi Low. Instead of turning over 1 card, each player turns over 2 and adds them (or subtracts them). The player with the higher answer wins. This is much more fun than doing addition facts on flashcards.