5 Fun Games to Play with Playing Cards Besides Go Fish
By eeBoo Piece and Love | Unique Puzzles & Games by | Published: 2026-09-07
Category: How-to Guides
Discover five easy and classic card games for kids that go beyond Go Fish. Perfect for family game night with any standard deck.
Quick Answer
For a fresh twist on family game night, try these five easy card games: Crazy Eights, Old Maid, War, Snap, and Memory. Each game uses a standard deck and teaches matching, strategy, and turn-taking. For a beautiful, durable deck, consider the Sunshine Garden Playing Cards from eeBoo.
Go Fish is a classic, but there's a whole world of card games that are just as easy and even more exciting for kids. Whether you're looking for a quick game to fill an afternoon or a new family tradition, these five games are perfect for young players. They help develop memory, strategy, and social skills—all while having fun.
You don't need special cards; a standard deck works for all of these. But a high-quality deck, like eeBoo's Sunshine Garden Playing Cards, can make the experience more enjoyable. They're easy to shuffle and feature friendly, diverse face cards that kids will love.
Why Play Card Games with Kids?
Card games are more than just a way to pass the time. They teach important skills like taking turns, following rules, and handling winning and losing gracefully. Many games also involve matching, counting, or simple strategy, which helps build cognitive abilities in a playful context.
Playing cards together is also a wonderful bonding activity. It encourages conversation and laughter, creating memories that kids will treasure. Unlike screen-based entertainment, card games require face-to-face interaction, making them a great choice for family time.
- Start with simple games and add variations as your child's skills grow.
- Keep sessions short and positive to maintain enthusiasm.
How to Play 5 Fun Card Games
- Crazy Eights: Deal 5 cards to each player. Place the rest face down as a draw pile, and turn over the top card to start a discard pile. On your turn, play a card that matches the suit or rank of the top card. If you can't, draw a card. Eights are wild and can be played anytime to change the suit. Common mistake: forgetting to call 'Crazy Eight' when you play an eight. Make it a rule to announce it to keep the game clear.
- Old Maid: Remove one queen from the deck, leaving the other three. Deal all cards. Players remove pairs from their hands and place them face down. Then, taking turns, players offer their hand face down to the next player, who picks a card. If it makes a pair, they discard it. The player left with the unpaired queen is the 'Old Maid'. Common mistake: peeking when picking a card. Emphasize that the pick must be random to keep the game fair.
- War: Deal the entire deck evenly. Each player turns over the top card simultaneously. The player with the higher card takes both. If cards are equal, it's war: place three cards face down, then turn a fourth; the higher fourth card wins all. The game ends when one player has all cards. Common mistake: getting upset over losing a war. Remind kids that the game can turn around quickly, teaching resilience.
- Snap: Deal all cards face down in a pile to each player. Players take turns flipping their top card to a central pile. When two cards in a row match, the first to shout 'Snap!' wins the pile. The player with the most cards at the end wins. Common mistake: shouting 'Snap' on non-matches. Establish a penalty, like giving back a card, to encourage careful observation.
- Memory (Concentration): Spread all cards face down on a table. Players take turns flipping two cards. If they match, the player keeps them and goes again. If not, they flip them back. The player with the most pairs wins. This can be played with a full deck or a subset for younger kids. Common mistake: flipping cards too quickly without memorizing. Encourage players to study the cards before turning them back.
Why the Right Deck Matters
- Sunshine Garden Playing Cards: Two 52 card decks plus 2 jokers, cards have a linen finish surface, bright metallic gilding and are easy to shuffle, sustainably sourced with recycled board and vegetable-based inks. A durable, easy-to-shuffle deck makes card games more enjoyable for small hands. The linen finish prevents slipping, and the gilding adds a touch of magic that kids love. Plus, the sustainable materials align with eco-conscious family values.
These five games are easy to learn, require minimal setup, and provide hours of entertainment. Whether you use a standard deck or a beautifully illustrated one like the Sunshine Garden Playing Cards, the key is to have fun together. Try them at your next family game night and watch the laughter unfold.
