PLAN WITH LEANNE

We have started a weekly family game where we each take turns picking a game. This has been such a fun family bonding time- but we have burned through all of our board games already! Of course we will still repeat our favorite board games – but one of the best overlooked games- is with a simple deck of cards. That’s right, there are dozens of games you can play with a single deck of cards (besides Go Fish). Here are some of our favorites:

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1. Crazy Eights

Players: 2-6

Objective: Be the first to get rid of all your cards.

How to Play:

• Each player starts with five cards, and the rest form a draw pile.
• Flip one card to create a discard pile.
• Players must match the top discard card by rank or suit. An eight is wild and can be played at any time to change the suit.
• The first player to empty their hand wins.

2. Slapjack

Players: 2-6

Objective: Be the first to collect all the cards.

How to Play:

• Deal the entire deck evenly among players.
• Players take turns placing a card face-up in the center.
• If a Jack appears, players race to slap it. The first to slap gets the pile.
• The player who collects all the cards wins.

3. Snap

Players: 2-6

Objective: Win all the cards by reacting the fastest.

How to Play:

• Deal the entire deck among players.
• Each player takes turns placing a card in the center.
• If two consecutive cards match in rank, players yell “Snap!” The first to do so takes the pile.
• The game continues until one player has all the cards.

4. King’s Corner

Players: 2-4

Objective: Be the first to get rid of all your cards.

How to Play:

• Each player starts with seven cards, and the rest form a draw pile.
• A cross-shaped layout of four cards is dealt in the center.
• Players take turns placing cards in descending order and alternating colors, similar to Solitaire.
• Kings can be placed in corner spaces to start new piles.
• The first to empty their hand wins.

5. Garbage (Trash)

Players: 2 or more

Objective: Be the first to arrange your cards in numerical order.

How to Play:

• Each player gets ten face-down cards.
• Players take turns drawing and replacing cards in their layout, aiming to place them in spots numbered 1-10.
• Face cards are wild, and incorrect placements go to the discard pile.
• The first to complete their sequence wins the round and moves to a smaller layout in the next round.

6. 99

Players: 3-5

Objective: Keep the pile total under 99.

How to Play:

• Players take turns playing a card and adding its value to the running total.
• Special cards: 4 reverses order, 9 skips the next player, 10 subtracts 10, and Kings set the total to 99 instantly.
• The player who pushes the total over 99 loses the round.

7. Pig

Players: 3-6

Objective: Collect four of a kind and avoid being the last to notice.

How to Play:

• Each player is dealt four cards.
• Players pass one card at a time to the left, aiming to collect four of a kind.
• When a player gets four of a kind, they quietly place a finger on their nose.
• The last player to notice and do the same loses the round.

8. Stealing Bundles

Players: 2-4

Objective: Collect the most cards by stealing bundles.

How to Play:

• Each player is dealt four cards, and four more are placed face-up in the center.
• On a turn, a player can take a card from the center that matches one in their hand or steal an opponent’s pile if their top card matches.
• The game continues until all cards are played, and the player with the most cards wins.

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These easy card games are perfect for a family game night! Let me know what your favorite card games are in the comments!