20 Fun Family Card Games with a Standard Deck

There are a variety of popular card games that can be played with a 52-card deck. Enjoy this set of 20 popular card games for families. The printable family card game set includes not only game directions but also has a printable 52-deck of cards. Get ready for a fun and easy kid-friendly family game night!

Family games are loved by many. They create quality time and long-lasting memories. In fact, in the United States, 4.2% of families own between 51-75 games! That is a lot of money and a lot of waste for items that sit untouched on a shelf. Instead of buying tons of family board games, grab a $0.97 pack of playing cards for priceless fun and take a look at all the endless possibilities.

So you want to play card games with the family…

Kid-friendly playing card games are great family activities. What makes them great is they require only one supply… a 52-deck of cards from Ace to King (and perhaps a few enthusiastic players!) A Bicycle cards deck is easy to find in stores or online and takes up very little space. In addition, there is an endless list of card games with a standard deck. A standard deck of cards can create easy games that are fun for all.

Games not only fabricate family bonding, but they also build essential life skills. Games increase hand-eye coordination, provide opportunities for wins and losses, resolve conflicts and showcase teamwork.  Games can cultivate decision-making skills, gift the ability to multi-task and create logic and problem-solving. All of which are life-long skills.

First, get to to know the lingo…

Playing Card Game Terms

before you begin, it’s important to know a few key playing card terms. Understanding card game language will help you understand the concept of a card game and game instructions. You might even use a few of these card-playing phrases as a gameplay tactic of intimidation (wink!)

Take a look at this glossary of card game words.

• Ace: The card with an A. It can be the highest-value card or the lowest-value card depending on the game.
• Ante: Payment of Poker chips, candy, or coins.
• Around the Corner: Runs that are built on either side of the A. For example Q, K, A, 2, 3 of hearts.
• Bid: The number of playing card tricks one expects to win.
• Dealer: The person who passes out the cards to each player.
• Discard Pile: A pile of discards or cards that are unable to be played. Also called the waste.
• Draw: To take a card from the stock (stack).
• Draw Pile: A pile of cards, face down, which are left over after setting up the rest of the game and will be used in the rest of the game. Also called a stock pile.
• Face Cards: A playing card that is a king, queen, or jack of a suit.
• Face-down: A card is laid so the face value and suit are hidden. The back of the card is showing.
• Face-up: A card is laid so the face value and suit are shown.
• Fan: To spread out a hand or pack of cards or to spread out a row of cards.
• Foundations: Piles on which a whole suit or sequence must be built up.
• Hand: Cards held by a player.
• Knock: When a player chooses to end the game or play.
• Lay-Off: To add your own playing cards to another player’s combination or meld.
• Meld: A scoring combination of cards; a run or set of matching cards usually in groups of 3 or 4 For example three-of-a-kind or four-of-a-kind or 2, 3, 4, 5 of spades.
• Pip Value: Also known as face value or marked value of a card. For example, 9 of clubs is worth 9 points.
• Pot: The winnings (Poker chips, candy, cards, coins.)
• Run: A combination of three or more playing cards with consecutive rank values. Also called a sequence.
• Shuffle: A motion to re-arrange the cards.
• Stack: A pile of cards less than the whole pack.
• Stock Pile: A pile of cards, face down, which are left over after setting up the rest of the game and will be used in the rest of the game.
• Tableau: A lay-out of face-up cards sometimes on top of face-down cards. These piles are built in descending order, alternating colors, with an overlapping of the cards.
• Trick: A set of cards played by a player during their hand.
• Undercut: When a player knocks (to win the game) but the opponent comes in with a better hand and wins the game.
• Unload: to get rid of dangerous cards in your hand.
• Waste: A pile of discards or cards that a player is unable to play. Also called the discard pile.
• Wild Card: A card that may be designated by the owner to represent any other card. This is often a joker though other cards may be used.
• Work Pile: Similar to a tableau, a layout of face-up cards sometimes on top of face-down cards. These piles are built in descending order, alternating colors, with an overlapping of the cards.

If this vocabulary list of card terms is intimidating, it’s okay. We include a description of each word in the card game instructions.

What are some fun cards games for families?

Now that we realize the benefits of playing card games, let’s take a look at some of the best family card games to play. Many of these card games for families are 2-person card games though most can be played with more. The only single-person card game is Solitaire and if you like solitaire, try Nerts as the concept is very similar only you are playing with opponents.

These deck of card games are great for kids, teens, youth, and even adults (did we include everyone? No the dog can’t play!) We list 20 fun card games families can play. Each includes the number of players and a brief description of the game. The printable playing cards games set will include the full game instructions as well as how to score multiple rounds of each game.

Let the games begin – good luck!

War

War is likely the most popular card game. In the well-known game of War, two or more people battle to win the entire deck of cards.

Number of Players: 2 or more.

How to Play: The goal of war is to win all 52 playing cards. In the play, each player turns up a card at the same time and the player with the higher card takes both cards and puts them, face down, on the bottom of his stack. The game continues until one player has all the cards.

Go Fish

The popular card game for children, Go Fish can also be played with a 52-standard deck. Players work to get 4 cards of a kind.

Number of Players: 2 or more.

How to Play: Players ask their opponents for a specific card’s number or face value. If the player gets the cards they asked for, either from the top card of the deck or from another player, then the player gets another turn. After the first player, the next player goes and the game continues. If the player gets four of the same cards, then can put their cards face up in front of them. The goal is to win the most cards.

Old Maid

The fun children’s game of Old Maid can be played with a standard deck. Enjoy this classic game by removing one queen from your card deck before passing out the cards.

Number of Players: 2 or more.

How to Play: Similar to Go Fish, the player will pass cards amount, other players. If a player makes a match of two cards, they may lay the match down. The first player to get rid of all their cards, wins. The player with the old maid (remaining unmatched queen) is the loser.

Solitaire

Solitaire is the most popular online card game. It can be played most anywhere and only needs one player to play. The classic card game of Solitare has a lot of action with thirteen stacks or places cards can lay. The goal of the game is to move all the cards to four piles in order with the same suit.

Number of Players: One.

How to Play: The objective of Solitaire is to release and play into position certain cards to build up each foundation, in sequence and in a suit, from the ace through the king. Cards are laid out in a unique format including stock, waste, foundations, and a tableau. The goal is to move all the cards to four foundations without getting stuck with no more moves available to play.

Nerts

Nerts is also called the Peanuts card game. One is the loneliest number you’ll ever do… If you like the game of Solitaire but have an interest in playing with more than one player, the game of Nerts is for you. Instead of having an individual foundations pile, the pile of Aces is shared by all players and anyone can play on the foundations. In this game of group Solitaire, each player has a deck of cards.

Number of Players: 2 to four.

How to Play:  This is a fast-paced multiplayer card game involving multiple decks of playing cards. It is often described as a competitive form of Solitaire. Players race to get rid of all their cards in their Nerts pile by stacking cards into foundations or work piles. The player who moves the most cards to the foundation’s pile typically has the highest score though being left with a nerts pile at the end of play will cause players to lose points.

Kings Corner

Two or more players will work toward getting the king cards into a corner and then play cards in ascending order K-Q-J-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-A (ace low).

Number of Players: 2 to four.

How to Play: To begin, deal seven cards to each player. Place the remaining cards in the middle of the table as a stockpile and then turn the four top cards over, placing one on each of the four sides of the deck — to the north, south, east, and west. Players will each take turns moving cards around on the board, drawing cards, and unloading cards in their hand. The first person to get rid of all their cards wins.

Crazy Eights

The game Crazy 8s gets its unique name because it’s a game where 8s are the wild card. Each player wants to rid their hands of cards.

Number of Players: 2 or more.

How to Play: Each player is dealt five cards at a time. Players take turns to play down a card in a shared discard pile.  The card laid down must match the value of the card under it or the same suit. If they cannot lay down a card, that player must draw a card until they can play. Eights are wild. The first player to rid of all their cards wins. The remaining players total the cards that remain in their hand.

Guts

Don’t be intimidated by this occasion game. Guts is a actually very fun, family-friendly card game. Don’t let the name fool you. It’s nothing nasty. No vomiting is included.  This easy poker game does include poker chips (or use candy – why not?) and a declaration of being “in” or “out” based on the hand you were dealt. What makes it easier than a 5-card poker casino-style game? In this two-card game, only two cards are dealt before bets are made.

Number of Players: 2 or more.

How to Play: The dealer deals each player two cards. After seeing their two cards, players say “in” or “out” and toss in their ante (candy or poker chips) to the pot. The players show their hands. The best two-card hand wins. If no one has a pair, card combinations are compared. A higher pair trumps a lower pair. A high card and additional single care are then compared side by side first paying attention to the highest card amount opponents and then the additional card amount opponents.

Spoons

In this action-packed game, players pass around cards to make four of a kind. Be the last to spell S-P-O-O-N and win the game. Speaking of guts, this game has the potential to make your spill your guts when crazy concoctions are made on a spoon for the looser (this part is optional)

Number of Players: 3 or more.

How to Play: in this quick-thinking game, players pass around cards to their left. Each player lays one card face down to the player beside them. That player picks up, keeps, or passes the card again. The first player that gets four of a kind grabs a spoon. The last player to get a spoon gets a letter. Spell SPOON and you are out of the game.

Hearts

Many are familiar with the online card game of Hearts. The goal is to avoid getting hearts or the queen of spades. In this trick-taking game, if you get a hand with the Queen of spades, you get 13 points added to your total. Get a heart and get one point. The exception is when you get all the hearts and the queen of spades gives all your opponents all the points. The lowest points wins.

Number of Players: 3 or more. Four is best.

How to Play: Deal all players with an equal number of cards. Each player takes three cards and passes the card to their neighbor (to their left, right, or across.) The player with the 2 of clubs starts the game. The remaining players play a club, as well. The person who takes that hand last down the next card, any card is possible. All players must play the same suit. If you cannot play a suit you can play a card like a queen of spades or a heart card. In this trick-taking card game, be the player to get the least amount of points when totaled to win the game.

Spades

Similar to hearts only the goal is to win tricks and end up with the most card and points.

Number of Players: 3 or more. Four is best.

How to Play: Once the cards are equally passed out, each player bids on how many books they can win in the game. Bid more than you actually win and lose points. Players take turns playing cards to win a round. The highest card of a played suit wins however if a player uses a spade, it trumps the hands. Points are calculated at the end of all the rounds and the first player to get to 500 points after consecutive games, wins.

Trash

The trash game of cards is also card garbage. Start with ten cards in the first round and make it all the way to the last one of trying to get only one card played.

Number of Players: Two or more.

How to Play: Each player gets 10 cards placed face down. Each player gets a turn using their stock deck and discard pile. Players begin to rotate cards in and out of their ten face-down cards to get cards A  (low) to 10 in a face-up position. Jacks are wild, and Kings and Queens are useless. The first player to get to ten cards in a row on their layout, wins.  Play again with a layout of 9, 8, 7… all the way down to one card left to win.

Palace

This game can get very complicated and you will want instructions in front of you but once you get the hang of it, it’s a face-moving game.

Number of Players: 2 or more.

How to Play: In this fun card game, work to get rid of all your cards by discarding and stacking cards in order A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3. A two will reset the discard pile at any point. With a ten, the discard pile is removed. Players are dealt 3 cards face down, then three cards face up on top of them. Each player is then are then dealt 3 cards. There is a stock pile and a discard pile. Each player gets a new card during their turn and discards a card keeping the card in their hand at 3 cards. To win the game, get rid of all your cards.

Snap

In this zero strategy game, it’s a game of luck until you come to the word “snap!” pay attention to matches on the game board, and when you see two cards that match, kyell snap first to collect the pair.

Number of Players: 2 or more.

How to Play: Plays keep their cards in a face-down pile in front of them. On your turn, each player flips over their top card to a face-up pile in front of them. If any two cards (from different players) form a pair, someone shouts snap. The first player to do this, gets the cards. Have a tie? Add these cards to the snap pile. That pile will be part of the snap game. Win all the cards and win the game.

Ninety-Nine

There is a bit of strategy in this fun math card game. It is a fun card game for the classroom as the players need to continuously add the center pot and not the shared pile to get over the number 99. Happy adding.

Number of Players: 3 or 4 players.

How to Play: In this fun game, don’t let the stack of cards get higher than 99. Keep track of the total value of the center pile. However, there are special cards. A can be 1 or 11, 4s can reverse the pile, 9 is zero and kings quickly add the deck to 99.  If you cannot make a play without the value going over 99, the game is over. You lose the hand. The game restarts with the dealer shuffling the deck and passing out more cards.

6 Card Golf

The card game six-card golf is also known as Polish Poker and has many variations. We will share the basic rules for this family-friendly casino-type game.

Number of Players: 2 to four.

How to Play: The dealer passes out six cards to each player face down in a 2 by 3 pile. There is a stock pile and a discard pile.  The first player flips over two cards. They may draw a card from the deck or discard pile and replace that card they took with a face down or face up card (they cannot look at the face down card.) Once the first player has all their card face up, the game ends, and points are calculated. Columns matter for calculating the total score.  The lowest score at the end of nine rounds wins.

500 Rummy

This fun game is also called Rummy 500 or 500 Rum. In this fun group game of rummy, players try to earn runs or 3 or 4-of a kind. Players can lay down their cards and other players can play off their meld.

Number of Players: 2 or more.

How to Play: The dealer gives each player seven cards. There is a stock pile and a discard pile. Be the first player to play all your cards into melds. A set of 3 or 4 cards in the same rank or a run in the same suit. Players can also play on each other’s melds, creating a game of paying attention.

Gin Rummy

In this two-player card game, you want to score the most points by collecting runs and sets.

Number of Players: Two.

How to Play: For this two-person card game, the dealer gives each player ten cards. Players can look at their own cards. There is a stock pile and a discard pile. Each player begins their turn by getting a stock card or a card from the discard pile. They then lay down another card in the discard pile keeping ten cards in their hands. The play continues until one player goes gin. This happens when one player has all ten cards in a run or set. The points are calculated. The first player that gets to 100 points after multiple rounds wins the entire game.

Egyptian Rat Screw

This fun game is a fast-action paced game of cards. Pay attention to the cards that are being laid down because all players have a chance to win the game not only the player playing the hand.

Number of Players: 2 or more.

How to Play: The dealer deals all players with an equal number of cards. Extra cards are placed in a discard pile. Without looking at their cards, each player flips over a card to the discard pile one at a time. If a face card is flipped, the next player has one to four chances to flip another face card. If they fail to do this, the player who flipped the face card gets the pile. If they do this, they get the pile. A fun twist to this game is the slap. Lay down two cards in a row of the same value and any player can slap the pile and win the deck. There are a few variations of the slap allowing this card game to become one of strategy. The first player to get all the cards, wins.

Thirty-One

The card game 31 is also known as Scat. It’s great for young kids learning to add and a fun game of strategy.

Number of Players: 2 or more.

How to Play: In this fun game, the goal is to get three cards to thirty-one points or close. Only cards with the same suit (for example all clubs) are calculated. Pip cards are with their point value. Jacks, Queen, and Kings are worth 10 points and Aces are worth 11 points. When a player is sure they have the best hand, they knock on the table to call the game. Each player gets one last turn to draw and get the best hand. The player that has the least points (furthest from 31 loses a life.) Lose 4 lives and you are out of the game.

The number of players and how to play each game was a brief explanation. On our printable family card games, each game is on one 8.5 x 11 page with a full description of the goal, card game rules, glossary terms, and scoring. As a bonus, get a printable 52 deck of cards too or make your own game cards.

Can this anyone play these card games?

Yes! Anyone can play these kid-friendly card games. In fact, I was aware of all of these playing card games and never played with my parents growing up. While this game is fun for the whole family, I played many of these games with friends. My love for every one of these fun standard deck card games was grown from summer camp. These 52-deck card games can be enjoyed by any group including teens, adults, kids, youth, and students.

I plan to print and laminate this card game printable set so my child can bring it to play her cabin with friends at sleepaway camp.

Do you want the 20 Family Card Games Printable?

Ready to play. We’ve put together all these popular card games to play with families into one easy-to-access printable. Pair younger children with older children (or adults) and once everyone gets a hang of the fun, let each child play on their own. Print all 20 games plus their instructions, supply list, and scoring directions. This 30+ page printable playing card games PDF will be a resource you can use time and time again. Take a look at what’s included.

Ho to Play Playing Cards Games Download

Included in the set are instructions for 20 popular card games. The list includes supplies, the object of the game, how to play, and directions for scoring card games so there is always a winner. They include card games for groups or single-player card games. They can be played by most age groups and are kid-friendly. No casino adult card games are included that cannot be played by kids. Use the how to play card games cover page for an easily accessible card game binder.

Playing Cards Games Template

Want to add your own card games? Use this card game template and add your favorite card games. You can print this printable game template as many times as you want and increase your portfolio creating the largest-ever list of playing card games.

Score Card Template

In order win most of these popular card games, it requires many rounds and keeping track of the score. Download this printable score sheet template for keeping track of scores. List the players and calculate the points each round. This gives everyone a visual of how well they are doing in the game. This is a generic game card template so feel free to make your own card game grid in the layout you need to keep track of players’ card scores. All it requires is a pen and paper for supplies.

Printable Deck of Cards PDF

Purchasing a bicycle deck of cards is not expensive however it does require a run to the store. Want access to cards immediately? This set includes a printable playing cards deck PDF.  Download, print, cut, and play! You could even use these adorable miniature playing cards for Elf too!

Playing Card Blank Template

In addition to playing games, how about a little art? Use this playing cards blank template to make your own 52 standard card deck. Kids can add their own designs and include hearts, spades, diamonds, and clubs!

Glossary of Playing Card Terms

Of course, some of these card game terms are easy to forget. Use this index of playing card vocabulary words as a resource when you play the game.

Each of these card game products is an instant download. That means, upon purchase, download and quickly print from your home computer. You have the option to laminate and extend the life of the product or re-print as needed as this is your product to keep forever.

Get all the printable card game directions and templates! Over 30 printable pages of fun!

Get the Playing Card Games Download PDF

Free Game Printables

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More Fun Family Games to Play

It’s time to put together a game binder. In addition to these printable games, there are plenty of other family games to play that you can quickly download and play. From party games to games with cards, let the fun begin.

To begin, are you tired of the same old games? Want to shake things up? Toss the uno game aside. Put the best family board games on the shelf and enjoy this family game night checklist with a printable family bucket list. This checklist of games will force you to try plenty of new things. The game directions are included so you have all you need at your fingertips (plus a few game supplies.)

If you love Family Feud, try these 5-Second Game Cards. Similar to the concept of Charades only you have 5 seconds for a 3-word response in this quick-thinking game.

Also, enjoy these fast-paced games. Minute to Win it Family Games are great family-friendly game ideas. 60-second game challenges can be used at a birthday party, a holiday celebration, in the classroom, or just because.

What are your favorite family card games to play?

Our Pinterest community and I would love to hear about your unique and popular card games. Share your fun ideas for family and friends.  Leave a comment here or with this Cute Pin on Pinterest with the best card games in your family.

WHAT’S TRENDING? Looking for a few engaging activities? Grab Minute to Win it Games – Traditional, Holiday, Group, and more! Use these fun activities in the office, classroom, or at your next birthday party.

Last Updated on February 2, 2023 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living