When shopping for card games for the kids in your life, you should consider the child’s age range, how difficult the instructions are to master, how long the games will last, and how much space you’ll need to play. To compile this list we took all those things into consideration, in addition to making sure to provide some suggestions that would be perfect for getting the whole family playing together. Here are the best card games to keep your kids entertained. Price at time of publication: $11 Price at time of publication: $5 Price at time of publication: $20 Price at time of publication: $11 Price at time of publication: $16 Price at time of publication: $15 Price at time of publication: $8 Price at time of publication: $25 Price at time of publication: $20 Price at time of publication: $20 Price at time of publication: $20 We made sure to pick games that would hold the interest of kids who might normally prefer to play their games on screens. “It is critical that parents and caregivers have children playing games that are not on computers or devices of any kind,” says Fox. “The benefit comes from the live interaction. Children learn through experiences so any imitation of real concepts like money or ethical questions winning or losing are learned more completely when done in live settings.”
What to Look for in Card Games for Kids
Age Level
When shopping for card games for kids, it’s important to know the reading and comprehension levels of the child or children who will be playing. Younger kids will do better with games that don’t involve a lot of reading and rely more heavily on matching like colors with like or following a number sequence. Children who are proficient readers can play slightly more complex games, but you’ll want to keep in mind that elementary school-aged kids may not have quite the same attention span as their tween and teen counterparts, which means you’ll want to provide this age group with games that move quickly from round to round.
Difficulty of Instructions
Learning a new game can take time, which is why it’s important to determine how long the card game will take to understand. Most of the games we picked claim that players could easily master the rule of play after watching just one round. This is important when introducing kids to new games, since it’s hard for them to get into a game if they can’t understand the rules.
Time to Play
They say time flies when you’re having fun, but you want to double check exactly how long each round of a potential card game is before deciding to buy. Shorter games may increase the level of competition between the players (which could be good or bad, depending on how you want your kids to play), but many kids will lose interest in games if they drag on for too long.
Games of Luck vs. Games of Strategy
Card games can fall into two different categories: There are ones that require players to pay fierce attention to their cards as well as the plays that their opponents are making, and then there are ones where the outcome is determined solely by the hand that you’re dealt. Older kids, or children with competitive streaks, might do better with games that involve strategizing (like Uno and Rummikub), while younger kids or those who want to lose themselves in the moment will probably benefit from games of luck (like Go Fish or Old Maid). The best games have a mix of both elements. For both types of games, Fox suggests that you remind your kids that playing is not about winning. “Take the importance of the actual winner or loser out of the game, and make sure you discuss [how] everyone wins and loses at different times,” says Fox. “Promote doing what you can to improve your chances of winning but not really worrying about it.”
Why Trust Verywell Family
Lauren Wellbank is a mother of three small children, and finding card games the whole family can enjoy is always a top priority. Nobody likes being left out of the fun, so Lauren finds it important to keep a wide variety of games on hand at home so everyone can be included. Well, everyone but the family dog, who is forbidden from family card games since he ate a set of Minnie Mouse memory cards.
