Math Game Monday: Nine Cards

This game helps young children build mental math skills. And it’s fun for older kids or adults to play along!

Many parents remember struggling to learn math. We hope to provide a better experience for our children.

And one of the best ways for children to enjoy learning is through hands-on play.

Nine Cards

Math Concepts: addition, number bonds for ten.

Players: two or more.

Equipment: one deck of playing cards, face cards and jokers removed.

How to Play

The first player shuffles the deck and then turns up the top nine cards, placing them face-up in a 3 × 3 array: three rows with three cards in each row. The player captures (removes and keeps) any tens and any pairs of cards that sum to ten, then passes the deck to the next player.

Each player in turn deals out enough cards to fill in the empty spots in the array — or, if there are no empty spots to fill, the player covers all nine cards with new ones. Then capture any tens and any pairs that make ten, and pass the deck on.

Bonus: If your capture uncovers an older card, you may also look for a pair to match that one.

The game ends when the deck is gone or when there are not enough cards left to fill in the holes in the array. Whoever has collected the most cards wins the game.

Variations

Concentration (Memory): Lay all the cards out face down on the table in a single layer with no overlaps. On your turn, flip up two cards. If you find a ten or a number bond, take it. If not, leave the cards showing long enough that all the players can see what they are. Then turn them face down before the next player’s turn.

History

Tens Concentration has always been one of my favorite math games. The face-up Nine Cards version comes from Constance Kamii’s Young Children Continue to Reinvent Arithmetic.