“Noah’s Arch” or Matching game
Easy game for small ones to understand and play. You can use a regular deck of cards and/or any other set with matching cards.
The goal is to collect the most matching pairs. The smallest/youngest player is the dealer. Give out all the cards one at a time and picture/face side down.
Players pick up their cards. Look through their cards and take out any matching pairs such two queens, two eights… Each player places the pairs down in front of them. When no mo pairs can be made; start play. Fan out cards, making sure no one else can see them.
Player on the dealer’s left leads the game. Ask any other player for a card that would allow you to make a new pair. For example the player could say: “Chris, do you have any twos, please?” It remains the players turn as long as he/she is successful in making a pair from receiving the requested card. Players must hand over cards if asked politely for them. If the asked player does not have the requested card; he/she can say: “I’m sorry, I don’t have any …”
Keep taking turns, with play going around to the left, until all the cards have been played. The play with the most card pairs is the winner.
Have fun!!
You can also make your own card, using index cards and animal pictures. Pictures do not need to be exactly the same; you just need to make sure not to have more than a couple of pairs of each. You can call the game “Zoo”.
