If you watched my Instagram Stories yesterday then you probably saw just how excited I was about these large playing cards that I found. They are regularly priced $12.00, BUT if you use your Hobby Lobby 40% coupon on the app, then you can save some money. I found them with the 4th of July decorations. If you cannot find the playing cards at your store, Amazon has some here. Today, I am sharing several playing cards games for math that you can use in your classroom…or home!
PLAYING CARDS GAMES FOR MATH
All of these games could be played with regular size playing cards as well….but there’s just something about these large cards that bring loads of fun.
Alrighty, let’s get started. Here are 10 playing cards games for math!
1 and 2. ONE TO ONE COUNTING & BUILDING NUMBERS
1 to 1 correspondence and counting is an important skill for our little learners. It builds number sense that they will continue to use as they grow. For this activity, simply place some counters (they could go along with your current theme) in a container and let them start counting! They can flip a playing card over and place a counter on the little symbols that are on the cards as they are counting. Once your student(s) have 1 to 1 mastered, they can then move on to building the number. For example, they can flip a card over, write that number on the recording sheet and build that number in the 10 frame. For whole group, you could use this magnetic ten frame (affiliate link) and place it on your board. Students can take turns flipping over a card and building that number on the board. These would also be fun intervention activities!
3. MAKE 10 (ADDITION)
Making 10 could be done as an independent game or as a partner game. If playing in parters, each partner flips over a card and partners work together to count and see if the two numbers make 10. Adding in some thematic counters or math cubes would also be great for this one! Student or partners can complete the recording sheet as they are problem solving to see which numbers make 10!
4. COUNT ON / COUNT BACKWARDS
Counting on and counting backwards are great for number sense as well as an informal way to practice addition and subtraction. Again, throwing in some counters is always a good ideas as it makes it more concrete and helps your visual/hands-on learners. To play, student(s) flip over a playing card and roll a die. If they are counting on, then they will start with the number on the playing card and count on the amount of pips that are on the die. If they are counting backwards, then they will start with the number on the playing card and count backwards the amount of pips that are on the die. Both the counting on and counting backwards printables are here.
5 & 6. NUMBER LINE / NUMBER ORDER
This is a fun way to get your students up and moving. Give 4-5 students a number card and have them work as a group to put their playing cards in order from least to greatest or greatest to least.
Another way to do this is to put the cards in a station and they flip over 4 cards and put them in order. As they are completing the activity, they can write the numbers from their cards on their recording sheet.
7. COMPARING NUMBERS
There are 2 ways to do this activity. (1) for numbers less than 10 (2) for numbers greater than 10.
To play with numbers less than 10, students can work with a partner to flip over two cards and compare the numbers using the comparison symbol. While they are playing, they can complete the recording sheet.
To play with numbers greater than 10, you will need to put the numbers in separate colored stacks; red numbers in one stack, black numbers in another stack. One parter is red cards, and the other is black cards. Red card player will flip over two cards and place their numbers down in front of them. Black card player will flip over two cards and do the same. They will compare their 2 digit numbers with the other and use a comparison symbol to compare them.
8. BUILDING FRACTIONS
This might just be my favorite. Place some washi tape on the floor and you’ve got your self an engaging fraction activity. Due to the numbers in the deck of cards, I found it best to do this activity with fractions for sixths and eighths. Also, depending on which fractions you are doing, some numbers will need to be taken out if they are greater than the denominator. So, for sixth fractions, the numerator cards are 2 – 6, and for eighths the numerator cards are 2-8. To play, student(s) will place either a 6 or 8 on the bottom for the denominator and flip over a card for the numerator. They will read their fraction and write that fraction on their recording sheet and color in the model to create the fraction. This is so much fun!
9. COMPARING FRACTIONS
I didn’t snap a picture of this activity but it would be the same idea as the Building Fractions, except there would be two players and the denominators would not have to be the same.
10. PLACE VALUE
Ok, so maybe this is my favorite! Again, this is such an engaging way to reinforce and practice place value! To play, students flip over two cards and build that number using snap cubes or base 1o blocks. Afterwards, they can record the numbers they flip onto their recording sheet and draw that number in picture form. Again, depending on how high of numbers you are wanting your students to build, you will need to take some numbers out. Another idea: Let’s say you want your students to only build numbers in the 20s and 30s…make 2 stacks of cards. One stack red (tens place) with only the numbers 2 and 3 in it and then another stack with the black cards (ones place) with the numbers 2-9.
Alright y’all. There are the 10 Ways to Use Playing Cards for Math! All the FREE printables to use with these activities can be downloaded HERE.
I hope these activities are helpful to you and add some fun to your math lessons. You can pin the picture below to share these games with your friends!
