Rummy is a great classic card game for kids and families because it combines strategic thinking with simple rules, making it accessible and engaging for all ages. It encourages social interaction and helps improve cognitive skills like memory and pattern recognition, providing both fun and educational value.
Players: For two or four players
Ages: 5 and up
Objective: Be the first to discard your final card after playing all of the cards in your hand by making books (3 or more cards of the same animal) or sets (4 or more cards of the same suit).
Setup:
- Shuffle and deal 7 cards to each player.
- The remaining cards are placed facedown for a draw pile, with one turned up as a discard pile.
Gameplay:
- The youngest player goes first by drawing either the exposed card on the discard pile or the top card from the draw pile.
They can choose to lay down any books if they have them. Each player must play a book before other cards are played. They can then play either books or sets going forward, or add to other players’ laid-down books or sets. When they have played any cards they wish to, they end their turn by placing one card from their hand on the discard pile. - Play continues to the left, with each player drawing a new card or the top discarded card at the start of their turn and then playing any books or sets they wish.
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All turns must end with a discard.
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Shuffle the discard pile and turn it over if the draw pile is used up.
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When a player has played all of their cards, save one, they discard their last card, and win.
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If the discard and draw piles are used up and no player has gone out, the player with the fewest cards in their hand is the winner.
Winning: The first player to empty their hand by discarding their last card, wins.
