Types of Playing Cards
Number cards: Most cards in a deck are number cards. A deck of regular playing cards has numbers 2 to 10. The number in the corner of the card matches the number of large shapes in the center of the card. For example, a card with the number 10 in the corner has 10 large shapes in the center.
Picture cards: Some cards have a K, Q, or J in the corner. These are for the King, Queen, and Jack. These are also called face cards.
Ace cards: The Ace card has an A in the corner. Ace cards are worth 1.
- Math exploration idea: Ask your child what they think an Ace card is worth after explaining that the number in the corner matches the number of shapes on the card. There is only one shape on the Ace cards, which is why they are worth 1.
Card Game Terms
Here are some common terms from the card game directions:
- A deck of cards refers to the whole pile of cards needed for the game.
- When you shuffle cards, you change the order of the cards by thoroughly mixing them up.
- When you deal cards, you pass them out to each player the way the rules of the game you’re playing tell you to.
- A hand is the set of cards that each player has when playing a particular game.
- The center pile is the stack of cards in the middle. Each player picks up cards from the center pile.
- The discard pile is the stack of cards where players get rid of cards.
- The saved pile is the group of cards a player wins while playing the game. This pile is saved and counted at the end of the game to determine each player’s score.