- 1). Make enough cards for your game: 10 will be enough to make a very simple shape-matching game for a small child. An alphabet-letter matching game takes 52 cards (26 pairs). A number-matching game could run from 1 to 20, requiring 40 cards. A picture-matching game can be as big or small as you want.
- 2). Mark pairs of cards, using markers or crayons. For an alphabet game, two cards need to contain the letter A, two need B, etc.For a picture game, draw the same picture on a pair of cards, then another picture on the next pair, etc. For a shape-matching game, draw a circle on two cards, a square on the next two, a triangle, rectangle, oval, star, etc., two of each.
- 3). Use already-printed pictures to make a big game. The easiest way to do it is to buy two copies of the same magazine. That way, you can be sure your pictures will exactly match each other. Pick out pictures you like, cut them to fit cards, and put them on with paste or glue.
- 4). Play the game with someone else to test the results. The simplest way to play your game is "simple match." Put all your cards on a table face-down. A player picks up two cards, looking for a match. If she finds a match, she keeps the pair. If there is no match, the player puts both cards back down, and the next player gets a turn. The player with the most pairs at the end of the game is the winner (See Tips for other ways to play).
- 5). Decide on whether your game is too easy, too hard or just right to have fun. Make more cards or discard some to make your game work better. If you get tired of your game, now you know how easy it is to make another.
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