As a parent, free time can be one of your most valuable assets. Keeping the kids busy without spending too much money or relying on screens requires creativity and innovation, but with so many classic card games available for the whole family to enjoy, it doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality entertainment!
Whether playing simple favorites like Go Fish or more complex ones like Hearts, these classic card games will keep young minds engaged in interactive fun. At the same time, it provides excellent opportunities for teaching them about critical thinking, strategy applications, social skills development, and having plenty of laughs along the way!
In this blog post, we’ll review several amusing classics your children will love. If you’re ready, let’s get started!
Top Card Games to Keep the Kids Busy
Timeless card games were a primary form of entertainment back when technology wasn’t a thing yet. Today, it continues to deliver endless excitement to everyone, including kids! If you want to introduce your child to this tradition, here are some classic card games that will keep them busy for hours on end.
Go Fish
One of the most popular classic card games for kids is Go Fish. It’s simple, so it’s the perfect introductory game for kids of all ages! The best part is it can accommodate up to ten players for more laughter. However, the number of cards each player receives depends on how many players there will be.
For instance, two to three players receive seven cards. For more than three players, they receive five cards each. The rest is played in the middle as the draw pile or fishpond. The goal is to win the most books of cards, which means melding a four-of-a-kind. The game begins clockwise, with the player asking the next player if they have a specific card.
If the player has it, they must give it to the player who asked. If not, they tell them to “go fish,” which means they need to draw a card from the fishpond. The winner is determined to be the player who has exhausted all their cards or who has the most four-of-a-kind piles in front of them.
Hearts
Next on our list is Hearts, which is a tremendous trick-taking game for kids. Here, the goal is to avoid winning tricks while following the popular trick-taking mechanic. It’s best for four people, so it’s easier for you to teach them if they’re still young!
How to play Hearts:
- Each player receives 13 cards, and the goal is to avoid winning tricks with the penalty cards (cards from the Heart suit).
- The player on the dealer’s left leads the game with 2 Clubs, and everyone must follow suit.
- A player can play any other card if they don’t have the same suit.
- Winning a trick with a card from the Heart suit gives you penalty points.
- The game ends when a player reaches 100 points.
The trick is to play those high cards as soon as possible to prevent winning a trick containing an unwanted card. It’s all about strategy and paying attention to what cards everyone else plays! You can play online Hearts on your PC to learn how the game is played before teaching your young ones.
Crazy Eights
Another classic card game that has been around for centuries is Crazy Eights. It’s a fun, fast-paced game that anyone can enjoy. Plus, it’s easy to learn, making it perfect for kids of all ages. As the name implies, any 8s card is a wild card. The main objective is for players to eliminate all cards from their hands as quickly as possible.
You play Crazy Eights with two or more players, and the game has no limit to the number of players. Each player receives five cards; the rest is placed in the middle as the draw pile. The top card is flipped over as the starter pile.
Each player takes turns going in a clockwise manner, placing a card of the same suit or number as the top card on the starter pile. If they don’t have one, they draw from the deck until they find a suitable card. A player can also play an 8 and state the subsequent suit for the next player.
War
War is the ideal game for competitive kids who want to learn more about numbers! It’s an old-fashioned card game that can pit players against each other in a race to gather all the cards. With two people playing, it should take a few minutes to finish.
How to play War:
- A set of 52-card standard decks is divided equally between the two players so that they each get 26 cards.
- Both players flip over their top cards simultaneously, and whoever has the highest value gets to take their opponent’s card.
- If they have the same value, then the War begins where both players take two cards, one face-down and the other face-up, for the player to beat.
- Whoever has the highest value during the War gets to take all six cards: face-down cards, cards that led to War, and two cards that were pitted against each other.
Since War is incredibly simple with straightforward rules, kids can quickly grasp the concept and play it with their siblings or friends. It’s also the best option to keep them occupied during long car rides!
Old Maid
Last on our list is Old Maid, which was once a gambling game where the loser or the Old Maid would buy their friends a round of drinks. For the kid-friendly version, the Old Maid can be dared to do something funny.
The game needs a 52-card standard deck where one Queen is removed, so there’s an odd Queen, the Old Maid. All players receive an equal number of cards. After that, they match the pairs and discard them on the table.
The remaining cards are offered face down to the next players, where they will pick one in a bid to pair it with one of their cards so that they can discard it. If not, it’s added to their hand. The game continues until only the odd card is left, with the holder becoming the Old Maid.
Kickstart Your Child’s Love for Card Games
These are just some classic card games kids can enjoy and learn from. Playing these games can hone their ability to form strategies and make quick decisions. It’s also a terrific way to practice their math skills and improve their memory. What are you waiting for? Gather those rascals and have some fun playing these timeless games! You might even discover a new favorite game that will be passed down to future generations.
