Math games with playing cards turn an ordinary deck into quick practice for comparing numbers, making 10, adding, subtracting and multiplying. Take out the face cards, count aces as 1, and start with simple games like War before moving on to addition or multiplication versions. All you need is a deck and a partner.
A deck of cards is a ready-made set of numbers from 1 (the ace) to 10, and the shapes on each card let young children count to check. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) practice guide Teaching Math to Young Children recommends using games to teach math concepts and skills. It says games can supply repeated practice that isn't boring, give children and adults a chance to talk about strategies, and generate excitement.
To be honest about the research, the panel rated the evidence for this recommendation as minimal. Some studies found that young children who played number board games did better on basic number concepts than children who played color-based games or none, but effects on number recognition and operations were mixed. Think of card games as enjoyable practice, not a shortcut.
For most games, take out the jacks, queens and kings and count aces as 1.
For beginners, play with only the cards from 1 to 5, or 1 to 7. Stanford's Family Math site suggests adding the higher cards back once your child knows the lower numbers well.
Keep a few face cards handy for special rules, like a jack that beats everything or a queen that can be any number.
For older kids, a common house rule is jack = 11, queen = 12 and king = 13.
1. War (comparing numbers)
Deal the whole deck evenly, face down. Both players flip their top card at the same time, and the higher card wins both. If the cards tie, it's a "war": each player puts one card face down and one face up, and the higher face-up card takes everything on the table. Standard War counts aces as high, so for math practice just agree that aces are 1. Wikipedia lists many versions, including Peace, where the lowest card wins. War practices the kindergarten standard of comparing two numbers between 1 and 10.
2. Count Jack Is Highest
This War-style game comes from Stanford's Family Math site, adapted from card games developed by Boston College researchers. Remove all face cards except the jacks, deal everything out, and have everyone say "1, 2, 3, Jacks!" as they flip. The highest card wins the round, but a jack beats any number. If two players tie for highest, they play another round and the winner takes all the cards. Not sure which number is bigger? Count from 1 to 10 together; the number you say later is bigger. For a challenge, each player flips two cards and the single highest card wins.
3. Line Them Up (ordering numbers)
Deal five cards face up. Your child puts them in order from smallest to largest. Flip one more card and ask where it fits. Then try largest to smallest.
4. Addition War
Each player flips two cards and adds them. The bigger total wins all four cards. Teach your child to count on from the bigger card instead of counting every shape: for 6 and 4, say "6," then count up "7, 8, 9, 10." Stanford's Family Math site recommends this counting-on tip.
5. Subtraction War
Each player flips two cards and takes the smaller number away from the bigger one. The bigger difference wins. Flip the rule now and then so the smaller difference wins.
6. Queen of 10s (making 10)
This 2 to 4 player game is also from Stanford's Family Math site. Remove all face cards except the queens, and count aces as 1. Give each player four cards, face up in a row, and put the rest in a face-down pile.
On your turn, find two cards in your row that add up to 10, or take a 10 card, and move them to your saved pile.
A queen can stand for any number from 1 to 10, but you have to say out loud which number she is.
If you can't make 10, put one card from your row at the bottom of the pile.
Refill your row from the top of the pile at the end of each turn.
When the pile runs out or nobody can make 10, the player with the most saved cards wins.
A helpful prompt from the site: "You have a 6 here. How many more do you need to add up to 10?" To make it harder, remove the queens or look for three cards that make 10.
7. Make 10 Go Fish
Deal five cards each (no face cards) and put the rest in a pile. Instead of matching pairs, players look for two cards that make 10: 1 and 9, 2 and 8, 3 and 7, 4 and 6, or 5 and 5. On your turn, ask for the card you need: "Do you have a 7?" If not, "Go fish!" and draw. A 10 can go down on its own. The most pairs wins. For more on these pairs, see our sister site's guide to number bonds to 10.
8. Multiplication War
Each player flips two cards and multiplies them. The bigger product wins. Start small: use only cards 1 to 5, or play "Double War," where you flip one card and double it.
These are rough fits based on the Common Core math standards. Follow your child's lead.
Pre-K and kindergarten: War with cards 1 to 5, Count Jack Is Highest and Line Them Up. Kindergartners are expected to compare numbers between 1 and 10 as written numerals.
Kindergarten and grade 1: Queen of 10s and Make 10 Go Fish. The kindergarten standards ask children to find the number that makes 10 when added to any number from 1 to 9.
Grades 1 and 2: Addition War and Subtraction War. Grade 1 covers adding and subtracting within 20 with fluency within 10, and by the end of grade 2 children are expected to know all sums of two one-digit numbers from memory.
Grade 3: Multiplication War. By the end of grade 3, children are expected to know all products of two one-digit numbers from memory.
Say the math out loud. "Seven beats five." "Six and four make ten."
Let your child run the game. Dealing, shuffling and counting the piles at the end are all extra practice.
Mix up who wins. A "lowest wins" round evens things out.
Stop while it's fun. A few short rounds beat one long game nobody enjoys.
Plain War practices comparing numbers. With small changes it covers addition, subtraction and multiplication too, and counting the shapes on each card helps younger children check their answers.
Wikipedia notes War is often played by children. A child who is learning which of two numbers is bigger can start, especially with only the cards from 1 to 5.
Remove the face cards, deal a few cards face up, and look for two cards that add to 10, like 3 and 7. Queen of 10s and Make 10 Go Fish above are two easy versions.
Multiplication War is the simplest. Start with cards 1 to 5, or double a single card, then add bigger numbers as your child becomes more confident.
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Teaching Math to Young Children (What Works Clearinghouse, IES)
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (corestandards.org)