Ideas for Card and Domino
Games to help your child with
number in Year 1
Try some of the games at home. All you
need is a pack of playing cards and some
dominoes.
Have lots of fun!
Card Games
Pairs
Use two of the suits (black and red) with the Jack, Queen and King removed.
(20 cards in all (numbers 1-10)
Lay out the cards face down on a flat surface. Take turns to turn up two cards.
If they match i.e. the 2 of hearts and 2 of spades you keep them, if not turn
them back over and it’s the other persons go. Encourage your child to memorise
where the cards are.
The person to collect the most pairs is the winner.
If your child finds this difficult, simplify by using the cards 1 to 5 only and
build up to 1 to 10.
Snap
Play as any snap game- but when two cards of the same number go down the
first to shout out the correct number wins the deck of cards already down.
Variations to snap – ‘More or Less’
Decide on your rule for the game- e.g. 1 more. If you place a card that is one
more then the previous card say ‘snap’.
Decide on your rule for play depending on how easy your child finds this game.
Order your numbers
Give out a shuffled suit of cards to your child.
Can your child order their suit of cards from 1 to10 or 10 to 1
Extension
After they have ordered the cards ask them to close their eyes and remove a
card- can they tell you which it is?
Make my number - Addition
Use for adding games. Give two cards to your child if they can add them
together they can keep the cards. Take turns- show you’re having to count out
and counting on as a role model.
Make a number- Subtraction
As above, but subtract the smaller number from the bigger number. You may
need to start with numbers below 5 to begin with.
Make my number – For example make 5
I want to make a number. Using the cards 1 to 5 play a slow version of snap.
The first to recognise a pair of consecutive cards adds up to 5 wins the pile and
starts off the game again. Play until one person o ends up with all the cards or
until interest fades.
Note
Why not make up your own game and decide on the rules. Your child could then
teach it to a friend in class
Domino Games
Matching Game – The basic game (easy game)
Each player chooses 7 dominoes from the pile and put the rest to the side.
Decide who is going to go first. The next player has to try to match one of the
ends of their dominoes to the domino ends put down. For example if the domino
2:4 was placed down the other player would have to place a domino with either a
2 or 4 spot down to follow. If you cannot follow pick up a domino from the left
over pile:
The game continues until one person has no dominoes left. They are then the
winner.
The other player counts how many spots they are left with.
This game can be adapted:
Make my number – e.g. Fives
When a player goes they have to make sure they can make a given number by
adding their domino end to one end already down – e.g. fives
The next player can only go if they have a domino with 2 or 1 spot.
2 +3 = 5
or
1+4=5
If a player can’t go they again pick up a domino. The first person to have no
domino’s left is the winner.
You could make the game harder by trying to make two different numbers – for
example 5’s and 9’s.
Add one more
Play by adding a domino with 1 more spot to either end of the first domino
placed.
The next player places a domino with a 5 spot or a 4 spot. The basic rules are
the same as for thee normal game.
(If they find this game easy try 2 or 3 more)
Add one less
Play as above, but to make 1 less each time.
(If they find this game easy try 2 or 3 less)
Can you order them?
Arrange the dominoes in order from 0 to 10 or 0 to 18 depending on how able
your child is at counting. Encourage them to count all the spots on the domino.
Show them how to check if they hurry and miss count the spots.
Note
I am sure that once you start playing these games you will make up some of your
own as well.
Some useful websites:
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
www.ictgames.com
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/parents
Able students
www.nrich.maths.org.uk