Card Games for Kids

Math War

Can you add numbers faster than your friend to win Math War?
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.

Can you win a math war? When you play this simple card game, you'll need to think -- and add -- as fast as you can if you want to be declared the winner. You'll have lots of fun with your friends as you get faster at addition, subtraction, and even multiplication.

Math War is great for two players, but it can be played with more players, too -- you'll just need to add more numbers. Which one of you will be the conquering math hero?

What You'll Need:

  • Package of plain index cards (any size, any color)
  • Colored markers

How to Play Math War:

Step 1: Use a marker to print numbers from 1 to 12 (one on each card -- and write BIG). You can use the same number more than once. This will make things more fun as you play the game. Decorate the backs of the cards, if you'd like.

Step 2: Deal out all the cards to the players until all the cards have been distributed evenly. Each person makes a pile of his or her cards.

Step 3: Each person draws from the top of his pile and lays a card out, face up, on the table.

Step 4: The first person to yell out the correct sum of the numbers on the cards wins­ that round of play and takes the cards.

Step 5: The game continues until one person has all the cards.

When just two people play, you can vary the game by subtracting the larger number from the smaller one, or by multiplying the two numbers.

Build a house of cards and try to be the last house standing! Find out how to play on the next page.

For more great math exercises and math activities, check out: