Mackinaw Road Monday: 5 Card Games for Kids
Hi again!
It’s been awhile since we’ve had a Mackinaw Road Monday, so I thought another one was due… even though it isn’t Monday… again. One of the silver linings of being quarantined has been the opportunity for more family game nights. We also use the games as breaks during the day or as incentives for finishing online school tasks. Five games have quickly become our family favorites. (Okay, one may not be as loved by the parents as the kids. More on that in a bit.) Keep reading for our top card games for kids.
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Let’s start with the tried and true game of Sleeping Queens. There are dragons and sleeping potions and, of course, queens. When I first played it with the kids, I thought that they were trying to pull one over on me with all of the rules. I quickly found that they weren’t. It seems like there are a lot of twists and turns, but it is really quite easy to learn. And for whatever reason, it just becomes second nature when you realize you can’t keep the Dog Queen because you already have the Cat Queen.
Our newest favorite has been Sushi Go. This is another really fun game. I love this one because there isn’t any arguing about who leaned over and saw someone else’s cards. The hands are passed from person to person, with the players taking one card each time until the cards are gone. Naturally, wasabi doubles the points of any nigiri and the person with the most maki rolls gets 6 points. Maybe this will translate into our kids eating sushi? Finger crossed. Breath not held.
Super Tooth is also a great game for dino and non-dino lovers alike. Our daughter actually requests to play this game the most, and she has zero interest in dinosaurs. This one is nice because everyone can see everyone else’s hand (and help out/guide if needed). A certain number of pairs equals a super tooth. But, you’d better watch out for events such as asteroids, volcanos, and a hot sun that can turn your plans around in a snap. Depending on the number of players, 3 or 5 super teeth equal a win and end the game.
Okay, we might as well talk about Throw Throw Burrito. It is our son’s favorite, and it somehow combines versions of cards and dodgeball for fast paced and sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat fun. This game is great not only because you occasionally get to throw squishy burritos (they are super soft) at your parents, but no one really has to wait for a turn. Everyone is active for the entire time. The goal is to get three of the same card for a point. One person’s draw pile is the other person’s discard pile and there are more piles to draw from in the center. Everyone just keeps drawing until… someone lays down three Burrito War cards and yells “Burrito War!” That is when the dodgeball game with the two squishy burritos comes into play. Whoever loses, gets a burrito bruise and loses a point. Points are tallied when all of the burrito bruises are gone.
What would a list of card games be without UNO? We have had some long, long games of UNO over the past couple of months. If the kids want to avoid bedtime, brushing teeth, etc., they choose an after dinner game of UNO. My favorite card in our new-ish deck (one that wasn’t around when I was a kid) is the Swap Hands card. This card is like gold in our family and keeps us all a little bit more on our toes. We also always have the discussion of whether you draw until you get a card to play or you just draw one card and skip your turn if you can’t play it. Of course, we always choose that you need to keep drawing until you get a card to play. Gluttons for punishment that we apparently are.
So, those are our Top 5 Card Games for Kids … Have you played these? Any favorites? Any we should add to our list? Let us know! If you’re looking for some Art Projects at Home (most of which can be done as activities with kids), check out this Mackinaw Road Monday from last month.
