6 Card Games to Joyfully Build Math Skills for Kids this Summer

Summer break is here, and while kids deserve time to relax and play, many of us worry about the dreaded "summer slide" – that gradual loss of academic skills during the months away from school. But what if we told you there's a way to build math skills at home that doesn't involve flashcards, workbooks, or complaints from our kids? One solution is a simple deck of playing cards!

Why Card Games Are a Great Way to Build Math Skills

Card games naturally incorporate mathematical thinking in fun, accessible ways. When children play cards, they're engaging with numbers, patterns, and problem-solving without the pressure that often comes with formal math instruction. This play-based approach creates positive associations with mathematical concepts, which is exactly what we want for building long-term math confidence and joy.

Playing with numbers through games helps children develop number sense, which is foundational for future math learning. Unlike repetitive worksheets, card games require active thinking, strategy, and decision-making that mirrors real mathematical reasoning.

Math-Packed Card Games to Try This Summer

Here are some super fun card games that build math skills while having lots of fun:

Go Fish - Build Matching and Counting Skills

How to play: Deal 7 cards to each player. Players ask others for specific cards ("Do you have any 7s?"). If they have them, they hand them over. If not, they say "Go fish!" and the asking player draws from the deck. Collect sets of four matching cards to win.

Math skills unpacked: This classic game builds counting skills, set recognition, and matching abilities. Children practice organizing information and keeping track of multiple pieces of data simultaneously, important skills that transfer directly to more complex math concepts.

War - Think of the Size of Numbers and Practice Comparisons

How to play: Split the deck evenly between players. Each player flips their top card simultaneously. The highest card wins both cards. In case of a tie, players place three cards face down and flip the fourth. The highest wins all cards.

Math skills unpacked: Simple but effective, War teaches number comparison and reinforces concepts of greater than and less than. It's perfect for younger children who are still solidifying their understanding of number relationships.

Advanced version: Like regular War, but players must add, subtract, or multiply their cards before comparing totals. For example, if playing "addition war," each player flips two cards, adds them together, and the highest sum wins all four cards.

Make 15- Add, Subtract and Think Flexibly

How to play: Deal 4 cards to each player. Players take turns using any combination of their cards with addition, subtraction, or both to try to make exactly 15. For example, with cards 7, 3, 9, 2, you could play 7 + 9 - 3 + 2 = 15. When you make 15, you get a point and draw new cards to replace the ones used. First to 5 points wins.

Math skills unpacked: This game provides direct practice with addition and subtraction while encouraging flexible thinking about numbers. Children learn to see multiple pathways to the same answer and develop computational fluency.

Golf - Practice Addition and Strategic Thinking

How to play: Deal 4 cards to each player in a 2x2 grid, face down. Players can look at their bottom two cards. Take turns drawing and discarding to replace cards in your grid, aiming for the lowest total score. Aces = 1, face cards = 10.

Math skills unpacked: Golf combines addition practice with strategic thinking. Players work to achieve the lowest total score by making smart choices about which cards to keep and which to replace. It's an excellent introduction to optimization thinking.

Advanced version: For children ready to work with negative numbers*, try assigning negative values to black cards and positive values to red cards. This creates opportunities to compare positive and negative integers (like comparing -7 to +3) and introduces the concept that negative numbers get smaller as their absolute value increases.

*We recommend your child have experiences with negative numbers prior to playing this version. Negative numbers are typically introduced in grade 6.

21/Blackjack (Kid-Friendly Version) - Mental Math up to 21

How to play: Deal 2 cards to each player. Players take turns deciding whether to "hit" (take another card) or "stay" with their current total. The goal is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over. Aces = 1, face cards = 10. You can also adjust the total you’re aiming for to 10 or 20 depending on the needs of your child.

Math skills unpacked: Simplified versions of blackjack are fantastic for mental math practice. Children work on adding and recognizing different number combinations. 

Tens- Master Addition Facts that Make Ten

How to play: Lay out 10 cards face up. Players take turns finding pairs of cards that add up to 10 and removing them from play. Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces can be removed individually. The player who removes the most cards wins.

Math skills unpacked: Perfect for reinforcing addition facts and helping children recognize number relationships, particularly combinations that make 10 (which are extra important to many higher level reasoning strategies)

Tips to Maximize the Math Learning in Card Games 

Let kids be the dealers and scorekeepers. When children handle the organizational aspects of games, they're practicing even more math! 

Ask open-ended questions. Instead of quizzing kids on math facts, we can ask questions like "What do you think will happen if..." or "Why did you choose that card?" These promote mathematical reasoning.

Celebrate strategic thinking. When children make smart moves, we can acknowledge their thinking process, not just whether they won or lost.

Keep it pressure-free. Let the learning happen naturally through play. This shouldn’t feel like a formal lesson.

The Bigger Picture: Why Math Through Play Works

Card games represent something important about how children learn best: through engagement, play, and positive experiences. When we move away from the idea that math practice must involve worksheets and flashcards, we open up a world of possibilities for making mathematics more enjoyable and accessible.

What's your family's favorite card game? Have you noticed the math skills it develops? We'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!