10 Fun and Engaging Card Games for the Whole Family

Though sitting in front of the TV is a common American tradition, it's not the best way to connect with your children. Family gatherings and activities create the real memories, and all you really need is a deck of cards. Playing card games with your kids is not only enjoyable, but it also teaches valuable skills like following rules, sportsmanship, and yes, how to cheat at poker. These 10 family-friendly card games promise lots of fun and wholesome entertainment.

10: Go Fish

Go Fish, a beloved game for kids of all ages, is simple yet fun. Players take turns asking their opponent for specific cards, like 'Do you have any Aces?' You must already hold one of the requested cards to ask. If your opponent has the cards, they must give them to you. If not, they say 'Go Fish,' and you draw from the deck. The goal is to collect sets of four cards of the same value. Once you get a set, lay it down and continue playing until someone runs out of cards and wins.

9: Concentration

Also known as the 'memory game' or 'pairs,' this simple yet fun card game is perfect for boosting your child's memory skills while giving you a reminder of how much yours might be fading. It can be played by two to six players, or more if you add a second deck. Lay all the cards out in rows of seven. Each player takes turns flipping over two cards at a time. If the cards match, the player keeps the pair. If not, the cards are turned back over, and the turn goes to the next player. The player with the most pairs at the end of the game wins, proving their memory skills.

8: War

War is one of the simplest card games for two players, and even young children can quickly learn how to play. The deck is divided evenly between the two players at the start. In each round, both players simultaneously flip their top card, and the highest card wins. If you win the round, you collect the two cards. The game continues until one player has collected all the cards and won the war. In the case of a tie, three cards are placed face down by each player, with the fourth card being the 'battle' card. The player who wins the round takes all of the cards. If the name 'War' doesn’t suit your preferences, feel free to rename the game to something like 'Head to Head.' Either way, your kids will love it.

7: Old Maid

To start this game, remove three of the Queens from the deck. The remaining Queen is known as the 'Old Maid' and acts as a 'hot potato' for players. Deal the entire deck, one card at a time, to up to eight players. Players organize their hand and discard any pairs. The first player draws a card from the person on their left. If the drawn card forms a pair, they place it down immediately and continue play. If not, the turn simply moves on. The game continues until all pairs are discarded, and the player holding the Old Maid at the end loses the game, while everyone else wins.

6: Crazy Eights

The game begins by dealing five cards to each player, with up to four players participating. Place the remaining cards face down, and turn over the top card. The first player must play a card that matches the face-up card by either suit or number, or draw a card from the deck if no valid move is available. An eight acts as a wild card and can be played on any card. When you play an eight, you must call out a new suit, like 'the suit is now Hearts.' If the next player has a card of that suit, they can play it. If not, they must draw cards until they find a playable one. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins.

5: I Doubt It

This game is often played under a different name when adults are involved, sometimes with the addition of alcoholic drinks. Thankfully, there's a family-friendly version called "I Doubt It," where no shot glasses are needed. Deal five or seven cards to each player, with a total of three to six players. The first player declares a rank, and the suit doesn’t matter. Then, players take turns clockwise, either passing if they don’t have the named rank, or placing a card face down on the table. The round continues until all players pass, or a challenge is issued. If you suspect your younger sibling is bluffing, smack the deck and say, "I doubt it!" Turn the card over — if it’s not the correct rank, the bluffer picks up all the cards and the challenger sets the new card rank. If it is the right card, the challenger picks up the cards, and the person who was doubtful takes the lead. The first person to play all their cards wins.

4: Go Boom

This exciting and quick-paced game can accommodate up to 12 players. Deal seven cards face down to each player, one at a time. The remaining deck is placed face down in the center. The player to the dealer's left plays a card face up. The following player can either match the rank or suit, or continue drawing until they find a card they can play. After a complete round, the played cards are reviewed. The player with the highest-ranked card leads the next round. Play continues until the first player to discard all their cards shouts "BOOM" to declare victory.

3: Lie Detector

This is a bluffing game for up to six players. Deal seven cards face down to each player, one by one. The remaining deck goes in the center, also face down. The first player to the left of the dealer starts the round by placing either one card or a group of cards of the same rank face down, while announcing their cards (e.g., "two Jacks"). The next player must either play a higher rank, draw a card from the pile, or try to bluff by placing "dummy cards" face down. For example, they might play two Queens, draw, or bluff. At any point, anyone can call a "Lie Detector" challenge. If the bluff is caught, the liar picks up all the cards in the center. The game ends when a player has no cards left, and that player is the winner.

2: Animals

This game is perfect for younger children. To begin, each player chooses an animal, and the more complicated the name, the better! Afterward, deal all the cards face down. Players take turns flipping over one card at a time from their own pile. When one card matches another player’s face-up card, both players must race to shout the other's animal name three times. The fastest to do so wins the round and collects the opponent’s discarded cards. The player with the most cards at the end is declared the winner and takes home the spoils.

1: 21

In Las Vegas, this game is played for large sums of money, but you can adapt it for a family-friendly environment without any cash involved, while still giving your kids a chance to practice some math. You’ll take on the dealer's role as the adult. Deal each child one card face-up in a circle, then deal yourself one card face-down. Give each player a second card face-up, followed by another face-up card for yourself. Forget about the complicated Vegas rules like splitting pairs and doubling down for now—those can come later. Go around the circle, asking each player whether they want to 'hit' or 'stay', aiming to get as close to 21 as possible without going over. At the end of the round, reveal your cards and see who won. Each round in this family version stands alone as its own game, or you can assign points in place of chips for a fun twist.