Rainy Day Projects

Homemade Memory Card Game

This is a two-part activity: making the game, then playing it. Children this age are capable of the whole production side with light guidance, and the payoff of playing something they built themselves keeps engagement high. You end up with a reusable card game that can come out on the next grey afternoon too.

Ages
5–8
Time
35 min
Adult help
Light adult help
Mess
Low mess

Before you start

Before you start, cut plain paper into roughly 20 equal rectangles if you have no index cards — they do not need to be precise, just consistent enough to look like a deck. Lay out two identical sets in front of the child and explain that every card needs a twin drawn the same way. The activity most commonly stalls when the child wants to draw elaborate pictures and runs out of steam by pair five; suggest simple subjects — a sun, a star, a cat face, a lightning bolt — before they begin. Once the cards are done, let them dry briefly if markers were used, then shuffle and play. The game itself is quiet and focused, and if there are two children, they can play without you once the rules are clear.

You will need

  • Index cards or cut paper rectanglesAbout 20 pieces, roughly 3 by 5 inches; plain printer paper cut into rectangles works
  • Washable markersSeveral colors; washable preferred over permanent for this age
  • PenciloptionalFor sketching before inking, optional
  • RuleroptionalFor cutting paper evenly; child can use to measure, optional
  • ScissorsAdult cuts rectangles if using plain paper; child uses only with supervision

    If the child is cutting their own rectangles, use blunt-tip scissors and stay alongside.

Steps

  1. 1

    Prepare the card blanks

    Cut or count out 20 rectangles of equal size. Lay them in two rows of ten so the child can see they are making pairs. Explain that everything drawn on the left row needs a matching twin drawn the same way on the right row.

    Tip: Keep both cards of each pair next to each other while drawing so the child can check they match.

  2. 2

    Brainstorm subjects together

    Suggest they pick ten things they can draw simply — animals, shapes, food, vehicles, faces. Write a quick list together if they want. Simple, bold drawings work better than detailed ones because pairs need to look alike.

    Tip: If they are stuck, open a book and point at ten things on random pages.

  3. 3

    Draw the pairs

    Let the child draw and color each pair. Step in only if they ask for help. If one twin looks noticeably different from the other, ask them to look at both and decide if they match — do not correct it for them.

    Tip: Resist the urge to make the cards look neat. Imperfect cards still play perfectly.

  4. 4

    Shuffle and play

    Once the markers are dry, help the child shuffle all 20 cards and lay them face-down in a four-by-five grid. Walk through the rules: each player flips two cards per turn looking for a match. Matched pairs come off the table; most pairs at the end wins.

    Tip: With a 5-year-old, play with only 8 cards — four pairs — to start.

  5. 5

    Store the deck

    Gather the finished cards into a stack and keep them together with a rubber band or inside a folded piece of paper. Remind the child they can play again tomorrow without making anything new.

    Tip: A label on the outside of the folded paper lets them find the deck easily next time.

Try it another way

  • Make a Go Fish deck instead by drawing four of each subject, which suits an older child who finds memory too easy.
  • A second child can each draw half the pairs, then combine the decks — a natural collaborative project for two siblings.
  • Limit the palette to one marker color per child, which makes the drawing faster and the finished game look consistent.

Keep in mind

  • If the child is cutting their own paper rectangles, use blunt-tip scissors and stay alongside for that step.

What they get out of it

Children practice drawing the same thing twice with care, learn to plan ahead across a small project, and exercise memory and concentration during the game.

Take it to the table

Materials checklist, the steps and the variations on one Letter page.

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