How to Host a Family Card Game Night

Learn how easy it is to host a family card game night (including instructions on how to play the garbage card game).

 

Hosting a weekly family game night is a great way for working moms to spend quality time with the kids.

It’s hard to have the energy to play with the kids when you get home from a long day of work. My 17- year-old son doesn’t typically want to “sit down and play” with me.

He’d much rather watch funny videos on social media, play games on the Playstation or XBOX, or FaceTime his friends on the phone.

However, my 10-year-old daughter is all about snuggling and cuddling with me. I know that this is just a season and it will pass…very quickly. So, I’m soaking up every minute I can before she becomes a teenager.

But, sometimes that’s hard to remember when all I want to do is sit down for a few minutes and veg out, after being up and at ’em for 12 hours.

I have learned, though, that if I just give them a few minutes of my time, the evening generally goes smoother. So, my routine is to ask my high schooler about his day, his homework, and his after school activities.

Then, I will hng out with my daughter for a few minutes before sitting down to tackle dinner, a project, or some writing. Another great way for us to get quality time is to carve out time for family game night.

Some of our favorite games are Monopoly, Sorry, Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Scrabble, Dominoes, and Operation.

Here’s how to easily host a family game night:

1. Pick games.
2. Set a recurring day of the week and time (i.e. Wednesday nights from 6:30-7:30).
3. Post rules (i.e. no cell phones, mandatory attendance, etc.)
4. Serve family favorite meals and/or snacks and desserts.
5. Have fun!

We received complimentary products in exchange for posting.

My daughter loves to teach me new games. The most recent one was a card game known as “Garbage.” She’d learned the game during the after school program she attended at church.

This gave us the chance to use one of these sets of new cards from Bicycle.

While many of us typically enjoy our Bicycle cards over a game of gin rummy or poker, a deck of cards actually has a limitless amount of ways to be used and enjoyed. This can include practicing card or magic tricks or even making up a whole new card game on your own.

The company behind Bicycle Cards has created a FREE fun and educational resources page available online or through Bicycle’s How To Play app. These online tools include games to play, rules, and introductory videos for magic and the new art of “cardistry.”

How to Play the Garbage Card Game

Supplies Needed

Two – four players

52 card deck

Objective

The object of the game is to be the first player to line up your cards in a sequence starting with the ace.

Deal

To start, deal ten cards to each player. Set up your cards in a straight row. The remaining deck is placed in the middle. The cards remain face down.

How to Play

The player left of the dealer goes first by drawing the top card from the middle deck. In the first round, each player has ten card spots. The spots are numbered 1 to 10, starting from the left. When a numbered card is drawn, the card is placed in the corresponding spot.

For example, a 5 drawn will be put face up in the fifth spot on your row. The face-down card in the fifth spot is flipped up and moved accordingly. When a player can no longer make a move, a discard takes place to end the turn.

In this example below, I drew a 10. So, I would place the 10 in the tenth spot on the table.

But first, I would flip the card currently in the 10th place – which was the 9.

So, I place the 10 in that spot.

I now put the 9 in the ninth spot and draw a new card.

I drew an 8, so I put that card in the 8th spot. Then, I drew a new card. I drew the Jack.

We’d continue until I had placed all 10 cards.

The next player to the left can choose to take the top discard or draw the top card of the deck.

The kings are wildcards and can be put in any spot. The jacks and queens are garbage and are discarded when picked up. Aces are used for the 1 spot.

Winning

Once a player has flipped up all his/her cards, each other player gets one more turn.

All the players that were able to flip up all ten cards will only be dealt nine cards in the next round, and will only need to get a sequence of 1 to 9. Players that did not flip up all the cards will have to play the next round with ten cards again.

Play continues this way with winning players going down one card, and losing players replaying with the same amount of cards as the previous round.

The first player to flip an ace in his/her last round wins the game.

Rules

• When a player flips up all his/her cards, the other players get one more turn. If on that last turn a player is able to flip up all his/her cards, he/she will also go down one card for the next round.

• Wildcards can move. For example, a player with a wildcard in the 2 spot that draws a 2 can replace the wildcard with the 2. The wildcard can then be moved to a different spot.

Speaking of games, we’ve recently learned about some unique, new card games.

I received a free product in conjunction with hosting this giveaway.

Introducing Super Fun Family Card Games.

Shuffle up your evening with hundreds of hours worth of engaging, screen-free fun that every member of the family can get in on! This giant collection of card games features everything from all-time classics to schoolyard favorites to beloved solo-play options. There are even handy tips for making sure your game nights are a big success!

Online Family Game Nights

We understand that everyone’s lives are busy and it’s sometimes hard to make sure you can get to one family member’s house for a game night each week. Luckily, there are online game options so that families with people of all ages, near and far, can come together virtually for an online game night.

One popular card game that’s fun to play online is Hearts.

While this game is very different from Garbage, it involves more strategies that can keep the older kids engaged for a full family game night. Hearts is a trick-based game, so the goal is to end the game with the fewest points possible by picking and choosing when’s best to win ‘tricks’.

What are you waiting for? Get the whole extended family together virtually for a weekly online game night!

 The book is available for pre-order on Amazon NOW and officially launches on March 10, 2020.

Fun is in the cards with 75 family-friendly card games

Make your next family game night unforgettable with just a single deck of cards. Super Fun Family Card Games is bursting with all kinds of easy-to-learn, enjoyable, and challenging games that are perfect for family game nights.

Shuffle up your evening with hundreds of hours worth of engaging, screen-free fun that every member of the family can get in on! This giant collection of card games features everything from all-time classics to schoolyard favorites to beloved solo-play options. There are even handy tips for making sure your game nights are a big success!

Inside Super Fun Family Card Games you’ll find:

• 75 Delightful card games―From Crazy Eights and Spider Solitaire to Speed and Rummy, this comprehensive collection makes it easy to find something new to play.
• All ages, any number of players―Get action-packed games that are perfect for the whole family, including young children, teens, and adults.
• Easy-to-understand instructions―Learn each game in no time with the help of simple and complete instructions that include helpful pictures.

Take family fun to the next level with Super Fun Family Card Games!

How to Win a Copy of “Super Fun Family Card Games”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This promotion is open until March 10, 2020, at 11:59 pm EST and is limited to US residents, 18 years or older.  The winner will be chosen randomly. Winner must respond to email within 24 hours or prize may be forfeited.  Promotional content and prize for this promotion is provided by and shipped by the sponsor and/or its representatives.  The prize may be sent via FedEx or UPS. No P.O. Boxes.

More Family Card Game Night Resources

• 7 Tips for Hosting a Rocking Family Game Night
• Family Game Night Ideas