Card games and holding one's hand

[eepster]

I ran into a multi pack of kids cards games at Costco yesterday, and got them. I was trying to play Go Fish with DS last night and it wasn't going well. DS had no trouble grasping the rules, but holding his hand was a whole n'other matter. As soon as he started adding cards they started slipping on him.

I know they sell devices that one can use, but that seems to kill half the point of card games, which is there convenient simplicity. Does anyone have a trick for either teaching a person with tiny hands how to hold their cards, or a way to get around the need to hold them, that doesn't involve one opponent seeing one cards?

[The4OfUs]

we usually have the kids put their cards out on the table/floor and cover them with paper or whatever else we have around....

orrr, just have a card holder thingy. They don't take up much room and are really useful. My mom says when she was a kid they used a block of wood with a thin line routed out to stick the cards in. They just stored it with the cards so it was already there.

[jtbuko]

Our youngest still leaves hers face up on the table after about 5 minutes of trying to hold, but our six year old needed no help learning. I will be watching your responses.

[laohaire]

Honestly, we just lay our cards down but DD isn't bothered by the idea of anyone seeing anyone else's cards. But what about a divider, like a book opened to stand up? Then the cards can be laid down in private.

[limabean]

From about age 3 to 5, we just laid our cards on the table and didn't care that we could see each other's cards. Now, at almost 6, DS is able to hold his cards in his hand more easily.

[laohaire]

Another idea to consider is to stick with card games that limit the number of cards you'll be holding. But I can't think of any - poker is the only one that comes to mind, lol. But maybe someone else can chime in with a similar idea.

Certainly you can limit the number of cards you shuffle out in the beginning - say Go Fish starts with 7 cards, you can just deal 5.

And yet another idea is to buy a small pack of cards. I used to have a deck that was maybe half the size of standard cards. That could be easier. (I don't have it anymore, though, so I can't report if my kid finds them easier or not).

[velochic]

We have a set of these that dd has been using since she was about 3 yo. My mother lives with us and has a hard time holding cards and she uses them as well, now.

[loraxc]

Take two yogurt container lids and staple them together in the middles.

[texmati]

we look, and then lay our cards on the table. When playing with my little cousins, we are often asked to look away, while they shuffle through their cards. too cute!

[Girlprof]

I've been really tempted by those card holders. For now, DS (age 6) is getting better at holding his cards. And, if it's something where you end up with a lot of cards, he just collapses them into a pile and then peeks through the pile when it's his turn. The yogurt lid thing sounds like a great idea!

[rhiOrion]

When I was little we either put them face-down on the table and looked through them as needed, or we used something to block the view and put them down face up. A 3 ring binder on its side, or the top of a board game box- something like that.

[JollyGG]

Instead of slaying the cards out in a fan holding them with their fingers have them line them up and hold them with their palm.

So stack the cards then slide the cards down so that the number and suit can be seen, so you should have one long column of cards that can be held in one palm.

I don't know if I explained that so that it makes sense.

[journeymom]

Originally Posted by The4OfUs

orrr, just have a card holder thingy. They don't take up much room and are really useful. My mom says when she was a kid they used a block of wood with a thin line routed out to stick the cards in. They just stored it with the cards so it was already there.

Originally Posted by velochic

We have a set of these that dd has been using since she was about 3 yo. My mother lives with us and has a hard time holding cards and she uses them as well, now.

Originally Posted by loraxc

Take two yogurt container lids and staple them together in the middles.

That's cheating! All of those things are cheating! Kids are supposed to fumble around with their cards. They're supposed to drop them all, scattering across the floor, where big brothers can mercilessly tease them. "I can see your cards!" (Well no s***, Sherlock. )

If I had to struggle then they have to struggle with it.

Though I have to give the yogurt-cup-lid contraption points for cleverness and resourcefulness.

[JollyGG]

Originally Posted by JollyGG

Instead of slaying the cards out in a fan holding them with their fingers have them line them up and hold them with their palm.

So stack the cards then slide the cards down so that the number and suit can be seen, so you should have one long column of cards that can be held in one palm.

I don't know if I explained that so that it makes sense.

Found pictures - so hold them like this or this instead of like this.

Hubby claims that it also keeps your opponent from seeing where in your hand you are placing a card and reduces their ability to see exactly how many cards you actually have.

[Llyra]

DD1 struggles with that, too. We put up a file folder, standing up, and she lays them out behind it.

[Red Pajama]

We just play with open hands right now. I could put effort into teaching them to keep their hands hidden, but I haven't done it yet.

[One_Girl]

I help dd reposition her cards when she needs to and I don't ask for cards I see because she isn't able to hold the cards steady yet. I remember doing this as a child and growing out of it once I got the hang of the cards and I am sure she will also. We play to have fun, not to win or to teach sportsmanship so I don't see this as a big deal and I wouldn't go out and buy something to help her hold her cards. If you are playing for fun and in strictly competitive way then I can see an artificial device as a helpful tool. When I was young we used to play as a team so my brother could also play when it was a competitive game. If you have more people that may help.

[annettemarie]

My kids love the card holders. I don't look at card games as an exercise in small motor coordination. Using the holders frees them up to focus on having fun playing the game.