Most homes have a deck of playing cards somewhere in a drawer. For children, it is a ready-made math kit: every card shows a number both as a digit and as a group of symbols, and there are four of each. With a few simple rules you make up yourselves, the same deck can practise sorting, matching, comparing and adding. This article explains how to prepare the deck and suggests games for different stages.
Why playing cards are good for math
- Digit and amount together. A 7 shows the digit 7 and seven symbols. Children can count the symbols to check, which links the written number to the amount.
- Lots of ways to sort. Red or black, four suits, numbers from 1 to 10: one deck holds many possible groups.
- Quick and portable. A game takes five minutes and needs only a table or a patch of floor.
- Everyone plays together. Card games mix luck and thinking, so younger children can sometimes win against grown-ups.
Getting the deck ready
- Start with fewer cards. For young children, keep only the cards from ace to 10, and count the ace as 1. With 4-year-olds, you can start with 1 to 5 only.
- Put the picture cards aside. Later, they can be worth 11, 12 and 13, or be left out for good.
- Play with cards face up. Holding a fan of cards is hard for small hands. Laying them on the table also lets you see your child's thinking.
- Keep rounds short. A few quick rounds are better than one long game.
Sorting and matching (around ages 4–5)
- Sort the deck. First into red and black, then into the four suits, then by number. Ask, "How did you sort them? Is there another way?"
- Number line. Lay out one suit from 1 to 10 in order. Then turn one card face down while your child closes their eyes: which number is hiding?
- Pairs. Choose five or six pairs (two 3s, two 7s and so on), shuffle them and lay them face down. Take turns turning over two cards. If the numbers match, keep the pair.
- Count to check. Whenever your child names a card, they can count the symbols in the middle to make sure.
Comparing numbers (around ages 5–7)
- Bigger card wins. Split the cards between two players. Each turns over the top card, and the bigger number takes both. If the cards are equal, each player turns over one more.
- Smallest to biggest. Deal five cards and put them in order. Then try with seven cards, or from biggest to smallest.
- Higher or lower? Turn over a card. Before turning the next one, guess: will it be higher or lower? Count how many guesses in a row are right.
Mental math (around ages 6–10)
- Make ten. Lay out twelve cards face up. Take any two cards that add up to 10, such as 3 and 7, or an ace and a 9. Refill the gaps from the deck. Ten-pairs are a strong base for adding and taking away.
- Biggest total. Like "bigger card wins", but each player turns over two cards and adds them. The bigger total takes all four.
- How far apart? Both players turn over a card and say the difference between them: 9 and 4 are 5 apart.
- Multiply the cards. For older children, turn over two cards and multiply them. Start with cards up to 5, then use the whole range.
- Target number. Turn over four cards and try to reach a target, for example 20, using any of +, −, × with each card used once.
A quick overview
| Stage (approximate) | Game | What it practises |
|---|---|---|
| 4–5 | Sort the deck | Sorting by colour, suit and number |
| 4–5 | Pairs | Matching and remembering positions |
| 5–7 | Bigger card wins | Comparing numbers |
| 5–7 | Smallest to biggest | Ordering numbers |
| 6–8 | Make ten | Number pairs that add up to 10 |
| 8–10 | Target number | Combining operations and planning |
Ages are only a guide; follow your child's pace rather than the table.
In Dologi, the "Memory cards" puzzles in the Memory topic work like the pairs game above: children turn over two cards at a time and look for the ones that match. Real cards on the table are a nice way to play the same idea together.
In short
- A deck of cards links digits and amounts, and offers many ways to sort and compare.
- Start with cards from ace to 10, face up on the table, in short rounds.
- Move from sorting and pairs, to comparing, to making ten and other mental math.
- Make up your own rules and change them as your child grows.
Read more: Dice games for children: counting and mental math with a pair of dice