Playing card games
I am learning to play a variety of card games with my family.
I know I can do it when I have played different card games with my family.
Playing card games is a great way to spend time with your family, but also utilise your math skills.
Today’s card games can be played using UNO cards or regular playing cards, which can be purchased from Woolworths or Coles if you don’t have any at home.
You will be using the numbers only, so will need to remove the extra cards from the pack.
These games can be played with other family members or by yourself.
Independent Task
1. Memory
Separate the number cards from the UNO/cards deck.
Find 8 or more sets of cards that match in colour and number. For example, 1 set may be a 4 of hearts and a 4 of diamonds (red cards).
Take those cards and mix them up. Place them all face down on the table like the picture above.
Turn over one card of your choice and then another trying to match the colour and number on the card.
If they do not match, turn them both back facedown (keeping them in the same spot). Let the other player have their turn. If you are playing by yourself you can have another go.
Keep going until all the cards have been matched.
2. Uno/card addition
Separate the number cards from the deck.
Make two different piles of cards, one with numbers 5 and below, and the second pile can include all numbers 0-9.
The pile of numbers 5 and below will be your cards for the “problem” and the pile that includes larger cards, will be the answer pile.
Grab a small piece of paper or a post it note and a pencil. Make an addition sign on one and an equal sign on the other.
Flip a card from the “problem” pile and place it down. Next place the addition sign and then choose another card from the “problem” pile and then place down the equal sign.
Solve the addition problem and choose the correct answer from the answer pile of cards.
3. Uno/card subtraction
Separate the number cards from the deck.
Make two different piles of cards, one with numbers 9 and below, and the second pile can include all numbers 0-9.
The pile of numbers 9 and below will be your cards for the “problem” that will be face down and the other will be the answer pile.
Grab a small piece of paper or a post it note and a pen. Make a subtraction sign on one and an equal sign on the other.
Flip a card from the “problem” pile and place it down. Next place the subtraction sign and then choose another card from the “problem” pile and then place down the equal sign.
Solve the subtraction problem and choose the correct answer from the answer pile of cards.
On this game, you may need to get help from an adult for the first couple of problems, having them show you that the highest number needs to be on the left, or at least that the second card they flip over will have to be smaller than the first in order for the game to work.
If you don’t draw one that is smaller, have them just draw again.
4. Closest to
Select the number of digits to be in the numbers for this game, eg. 2-digit numbers, 3-digit numbers, or 4-digit numbers. Each player is dealt that number of cards. For example, if you are making a 2-digit number you will receive 2 cards.
The aim of the game is to make a number as close as possible to 50 if making 2-digit numbers (or to 500 for 3-digit numbers, 5000 for 4-digit numbers.)
The players arrange their cards to make a number as close as possible to 50 (or 500 or 5000). For example, if you are dealt cards 3 and 7 you can’t make the number 73 as it is larger than 50 so you would make 37.
The player with the closest number wins the round and scores one point. The winner is the player who scores the most points.
5. Addition odds
Shuffle the cards and place them face down in a pile in the centre.
Players take turns to draw two cards from the centre pile. The player adds the two numbers together. For example, if you flip over 4 and 3 you would add them together to get 7.
If the total is an odd number the player keeps the cards. If the total is an even number, the cards are placed face down in a discard pile.
When no cards remain in the original pile the discard pile is shuffled and placed in the centre to become a new playing pile.
When this pile is used the game ends and the winner is the player who has collected the most cards.
Welcome To Grade 1 