Fun Card Games that Also Teach Skills

Playing games together is always bound to be a good time. We regularly get together to play card games, board games, puzzles, and of course video games. The last few times playing games there were several card games. It struck me how educational some of these games are so I thought I’d share our favorites.

Don’t let the name fool you, this game isn’t much like scrabble. For starters, it’s fast paced. Scrabble can be time consuming. At least whenever I play. I’m one of the reasons they set time limits for turns. Everyone is exasperated when I play Scrabble but I can’t figure how they play Words with Friends games that last weeks.

Anyway, Scrabble Slam rounds are short, just a few minutes. So we wind up playing several rounds during a session. Sessions can last from a few minutes to an hour or more.

The idea behind Scrabble Slam is to play a card which changes one letter of the word to make a new word. For example, playing the letter A to change Bit to Bat.

At the start of each round you decide on a 3 or 4 letter word to begin. Then deal out all the cards and start slamming down those cards to change the word to a new one. The first to play all their cards wins the round.

It takes a practice round or two to get warmed up. Yet, once everyone is warmed up the rounds go very fast. Rhyming words or switching back to previous words are common.

I’m not sure why, but going back and forth between the same word several times is hilarious. It sounds like Daffy Duck and Bugs arguing over duck season or rabbit season for some reason. Anyway, once you get warmed up and get the hang of it this game is loads of fun.

We’ve tried rounds consisting of 2 letter or 5 letter words. However, they fizzle out before all the cards are played or take a long time to complete. If you’re looking for a slower pace then you may prefer rounds with 5 letter words.

We like the fast pace of rounds with 3 or 4 words. Switching a vowel for a consonant really mixes it up, such as going from stem to item. If you want a challenge then you should try 2 letter word rounds.

This game teaches spelling, rhyming, and creativity.

This card game consists of ten rounds. The first to complete all ten “Phases” wins. Each round has a different objective. Such as a run of 10 or 7 cards of the same color. Most rounds involve a run or several cards of the same number.

Each round is progressively harder. So if a player is stuck on an earlier round, in theory, they can catch up and still win. In our experience the last few rounds are the hardest. So anyone can catch up but getting ahead is harder.

Either way this card game is a lot of fun. It teaches matching numbers, counting runs, and color matching. Having a good memory of what others are discarding also comes in handy.

This is another favorite around our house. Players try to corner the market to win the game. They can trade as many or few cards as they want. But the first to collect 8 of a kind wins.

Pit seems like the loudest most pushy person in the room would usually win. However, that isn’t the case. The loudest or quietest person in the room stand equal chances of winning.

Once the all the cards are dealt and the trading starts, it can be chaotic. Yet, trading requires two people to happen. While quieter people may initiate fewer trades, they still engage in as many trades as they want.

Some rounds are over after several trades. Other rounds last several minutes. Either way there’s a lot of laughter. There’s something silly about trading the same 2 cards over and over.

Sometimes the least wanted commodity becomes the most sought after commodity. Especially when two people are trying to corner the market on the same item.

We like this game since there’s a lot of action, competition, and unexpected outcomes. All the while nobody gets hurt feelings or mad and everyone has fun whether they win or lose.

Some games have a way of bringing out the worst in people. While I can see how this game may seem cutthroat, it’s actually quite the opposite. Sure, everyone is trying to corner the market but it feels more like you’re trying to individually build something before everyone else.

Since it’s hard to figure out what the other players are saving there isn’t an opportunity to tear down or block each other. It’s about making as many trades as you can. Since you stand to benefit from trading there isn’t any reason to employ any negative tactics.

Pit isn’t as educational as the other games listed as far as teaching spelling or math. However, I believe it teaches something about social skills. About how everyone contributes to the fun. Whether they’re outspoken or not. About being glad when others win.

Almost every round follows up with having a conversation about how close they were to cornering the market. Or bad trades. Or good trades. Even silly trades. For some reason, this game brings out a lot of discussion after each round. At least more than other games we’ve played.

For that reason, I included Pit on my list. I am always surprised by how much fun we have playing a game that seems would bring out the worst in people. I think it has a lot to do with the character of the people I’m playing with. Still, I think this game brings out the better side of most players.

My list includes card games that teach spelling, counting, and social skills. While card games are no substitute for good curriculum. These games do provide an opportunity for people to hone their skills while having fun.