The 20+ Best Math Card Games That Are Easy To Learn

Looking for simple and fun math card games to engage your learners? This list includes a huge variety, organized by skill, will help you find a “just right” game to practice math skills. And the best part? All you need is a simple deck of cards and perhaps some dice!

A great way to engage kids who would otherwise loathe math practice (and also just a fun way for anyone to review important skills!) is to play a game. My son has a hard time getting motivated to do school work, but he is always more excited and engaged when I turn whatever we’re doing into a game. Here you will find some of my favorite math card games, organized by topic!

A great collection of fun math card games! These are easy, and in most cases all you need is a deck of cards!

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Benefits of Math Card Games:

Sometimes, board games can be cumbersome, have a lot of pieces, or require a lot of money. One thing you can always use that is easy, portable and cheap is a simple deck of playing cards. Just one set of cards can be used for countless games! And if you have two decks, it just adds to the challenge!

Math Card Games Collection4_MathGeekMama

To help you, I have been searching for awhile to find the best math card games and round them up into one giant post so you can find something for virtually any math skill! I hope you find something just right for your kids!


And if you don’t have time to wade through this list, grab my “quick start” set with 15 different simple and fun math games, sent right to your inbox!


20+ of The BEST Math Card Games:

Sorting & Counting Card Games:

Helping young kids learn how to sort and count can be fun with a deck of cards. Although you probably don’t even need formal games, here are a few ideas to get you started.

Fan Tan (with multiple variations) – 2+ players (best with 4-6 players)

Builder’s Paradise (number sequencing)- 2+ players

Counting On – 1+ players

Here are some other simple ideas for letting your kids learn counting and sequencing through play:

  • Let your kids sort the deck by suit. Then have them put each suit in order from least to greatest.
  • Have your kids draw 5 cards. Then ask them to put them in order from least to greatest, or sort them between “less than 5” or “greater than 5”.
  • Let your kids gather and sort a collection of various objects into piles (such as pennies, stuffed animals, cups, marbles, etc.). Then let them use cards to label each pile with “how many” are in each stack.

Addition & Subtraction Card Games:

What kids couldn’t use some extra practice with addition or subtraction? These are such essential math facts to master and grow in confidence that having a deck of cards handy is a simple way to review. There’s a wide variety of games listed below, so check them out and figure out which ones are your favorites!!

Pyramid Math Card Game_Math Geek Mama

Pyramid – 1+ players (Found in Games for Math by Peggy Kaye)

Close Call (adding 2-digit numbers and mental math) – 2-4 payers

Addition War (and so many variations, your kids can practice math skills from Kindergarten through high school!) – 2 players

Once Through the Deck – 1 player

Thirty-One – 2 players

Blackjack Math – 2+ players

Gain or Loss – 2-4 players

Make Ten – 2+ players (This is also found in Games for Math)

Practice with Double Digit Subtraction – 2+ players

Hit Me! – 2+ players (addition and subtraction, absolute value)

Simple Place Value Card Games:

Place Value Mat

Place Value Game (with rounding) – 2+ players

Beat the Teacher (similar, but with a different point scale) – 2+ players

Hold the Line – 2+ players

Triple Digit Dare– 2+ players (easily adapted)

Prime Numbers Card Game:

Prime Number Challenge – 2+ players

Fractions and Decimals Card Games:

Math Card Games Collection 2_MathGeekMama

My Closest Neighbor – 2-4 players

Fraction Flip It (multiplying fractions) – 3-5 players

Make a Buck– 2-4 players (adding decimals)

Fun Multiplication Card Games:

Just like addition & subtraction, multiplication facts are so important and require lots of practice and review before kids gain mastery. These math card games are easy to set up and play again and again.

Spiral is especially useful because you rebuild the game board each time, so every game is different!

Spiral– 2+ players (can also be adapted to practice addition or subtraction)

Integer Flash (multiplication with integers) – 2 players

Once Through the Deck – 1 player

Practice Exponent:

Exponent Battle – 2 players

Order of Operations:

Math Card Games Collection_MathGeekMama

24 Math Game – 2+ players

Target – 2-4 players

OrdOp – 2+ players

Metric Conversions:

Let’s Convert– 2+ players

Plus, this post includes 6 more easy card games, covering a variety of concepts. 🙂

And don’t miss my resource, Math in the Cards, a huge collection of math card games! You’ll never pull out a boring worksheet again!

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Enjoy playing with math!

9 Comments

    1. Great! I hope you find some fun ideas for him! My daughter really enjoys “doing math” by playing a card game with me. So much more fun than a worksheet!

  1. I was wondering if anyone has heard of a math card game for a single player called “Recycle”. My nephew taught it to me when he was in primary school. I used it in my middle school math intervention class. It’s been four years since either one of us have played it. Neither one of us can remember the rules. I have a colleague who would like to teach using it. I had taught it to her a few years ago as well. I have tried looking on the internet, but I just get games on recycling…instead of math skills. Any help would be FABULOUS!
    Thanks!

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