Top-it For Every Age (Card Games)
“Top-it” is the Everyday Mathematics version of the card game “War”. We have listed
the games from easiest to hardiest.
Original Top-it (Grades K-1)
Materials: Deck of cards with face cards removed
Players: 2-4
Skills: Comparing Numbers
Directions:
1. Shuffle the cards. Place the deck number side down on the table.
2. Each player turns over a card.
3. The player with the largest card wins the round and takes all the cards.
4. If there is a tie, each tied player turns over another card. The player with the
largest card wins the round and takes all the cards.
5. The game ends when not enough cards are left for each player to have another
turn.
6. The player with the most cards wins.
Addition Top-it (Grades 1-3)
Materials: Deck of cards with face cards removed
Players: 2
Skills: Addition Facts 1-9
Directions:
1. Shuffle the cards. Place the deck number side down on the table.
2. Each player turns over 2 cards and calls out the sum of the two numbers
3. The player with the largest sum wins the round and takes all the cards.
4. If there is a tie, each tied player turns over 2 more cards. The player with
the largest sum wins the round and takes all the cards.
5. The game ends when not enough cards are left for each player to have
another turn.
6. The player with the most cards wins.
Double Digit Top-it (Grades 1-3)
Materials: Deck of cards with face cards removed
Players: 2
Skills: Addition Facts 1-9
Directions:
1. Shuffle the cards. Place the deck number side down on the table.
2. Each player turns over two cards and uses them to make a 2-digit number.
3. The player with the largest number wins the round and takes all the cards.
4. If there is a tie, each tied player turns over two more cards. The player with
the largest number wins the round and takes all the cards.
5. The game ends when not enough cards are left for each player to have another
turn.
*Variation: Each player draws 3 cards to make a 3 digit number
Multiplication Top-it (Grades 4-5)
Materials: Deck of cards with face cards removed
Players: 2
Skills: Addition Facts 1-9
Directions:
1. Shuffle the cards. Place the deck number side down on the table.
2. Each player turns over 2 cards and calls out the product of the two
numbers
3. The player with the largest product wins the round and takes all the cards.
4. If there is a tie, each tied player turns over 2 more cards. The player with
the largest product wins the round and takes all the cards.
5. The game ends when not enough cards are left for each player to have
another turn.
6. The player with the most cards wins.
Make a Ten
Materials: Deck of cards with face cards removed
Players: 2 (Grades 2-5)
Skills: Sums of Ten
Directions:
1. One player deals five cards to each player. Then he lays one card face up
on the table (discard pile) and stacks the rest of the cards facedown
(chance pile). The object of the game is to make sums of ten. Aces are
worth one point each.
2. The player to the left of the dealer takes his turn first. This player
checks his hand for sums of ten. If the player has cards that total ten,
he lays them face up on the table in front of him, then discards one card
from his hand and his turn is over.
3. If a player has no cards to lay down, he takes the top card from the
chance pile. If this new card creates a sum of ten, he lays down the
appropriate cards; then he discards one card from his playing hand.
4. The winner of the game is the first player to have no cards at the end of
his turn.