Last Updated on January 7, 2024 by Gamesver Team and JC Franco
Who doesn’t want to look cool playing card games? Even James Bond used his card-playing skills to show off. Who would have thought that playing a game as simple as cards could provide an image boost, and yet it did (and still it does)?
That said, card games aren’t all about looking “cool.” They are also about breaking the ice, having fun, and possibly learning something new. Most people don’t give it much thought, but there are plenty of benefits and advantages linked to playing card games.
One wouldn’t say that playing a game of cards requires less ability than other games, but if you’re looking for a game that you can play seated and with limited physical requirements, a card game is a great choice.
These are 20 ways playing card games can be beneficial to us:
1. Keeps your mind sharp and active.
Studies demonstrate that card games can make you smarter by developing your brain’s processing speed and problem-solving abilities. Some researchers called card games “brain training games”, and it goes without saying that if you’re playing the right card games, they can keep the brain sharp.
Harvard Medical School defines brain games as any activity that stimulates your thinking – enter the spotlight; card games.
2. Improves your social skills.
Some people find it hard to communicate with others. Playing card games is an effective way of breaking the ice in a group of people where communication may otherwise be tense, awkward, or stilted.
For shy and awkward people, a game of cards can take the pressure off having to make conversation and provides a point of focus. It’s easier to talk about a game you are playing together than trying to come up with an interesting conversation.
3. Alleviates stress.
Playing cards can be a great way to relax, laugh, and connect. When you’re playing a card game, you are focused on the rules of the game, the cards in your hand, and another player’s actions. There is no space in your mind for other thoughts and worries. In this way, playing cards provides a healthy escape from your usual stresses.
4. Improves patience.
One of the essential rules in a game of cards is that you must wait for your turn. In the meantime, you focus on what other players are doing while keeping the impulse to jump ahead in check. Not only does this help to teach patience (especially in young children struggling with impulse control), but it also plays a part in teaching concentration.
5. Boosts memory skills.
Playing a game of cards is a fun way to help people boost their memory without even realizing it. If you are concentrated on winning, you are also concentrated on remembering which cards have been played, what moves have been made, and players’ general comments and actions. You can remember all of these things when your turn comes around.
6. Enhances motor skills.
Playing cards require players to use different fine motor skills like grabbing, holding, and laying cards down in an organized way. While fine motor skills can be part of rehabilitative therapies, playing cards give people a chance to improve their motor skills and enjoy their time while doing so.
7. Provides health benefits.
Sitting around the table playing cards with family or friends is a great way to combat symptoms of depression. This simple activity boosts mood and encourages social interaction. As a result, it can help limit depression symptoms. And also, playing card games is one way to exercise the mind and help with memory retention.
8. Gets you away from digital devices.
Usually, spending “quality time” with the family ends up in a session of television watching. Unfortunately, this robs people of actual quality time, as the conversation comes to a halt and everyone ends up staring at a screen.
Playing cards has become the go-to quality time interaction for families that want to deepen bonds and connections while having fun together. Hauling out a deck of cards and luring the family away from the TV screen or digital devices is a great way to implement real quality time in your family life.
9. Accessible to people of all ages.
While growing up, we often forget that our parents are growing old too. Different schedules also push each family member in a different direction each day, and as a result, it can be hard to find time to spend together as a family.
Card games have been a way of bringing family members of all ages together because they are easy to understand and fun for all ages.
10. Provides an indoor activity for kids and adults.
What’s there to do on a rainy day or when the kids have a cold? Play card games! While there’s plenty to do in the world outside, finding something to do indoors that doesn’t involve digital devices can be tough. Card games have proven themselves as a fun and educational way to pass the time when you have to be indoors.
11. Help children develop their cognition.
A kid’s cognitive skills that can be developed by playing different card games are many. Some of these are: memorizing, matching, number and pattern recognition, and understanding some math concepts.
Playing card games can help your brain enhance cognition, which boosts deeper thinking, reading ability, and the ability to pay attention, concentrate and remember.
12. Improves your mathematical and logical thinking.
Many card games include reasoning and mental mathematics. Testing our brains while playing card games is an excellent cognitive enhancer. When one has to pick up cards, there is some counting involved. When someone wins the game, there is even more counting involved as everyone has to tally up their cards and points.
Many games also involve logical thinking, and to get ahead in the game, you have to pay attention and be logical about your next move. Card games that combine mathematical and logical thinking include War, One Card Left, and Go Fish.
13. Promotes personal development.
When players start playing card games, the aim is often to get rid of their hands of cards as quickly as possible. Winning often takes goal setting and strategic planning. These skills can be applied to other areas of life too. Playing card games can thus provide a basis for personal development skills.
14. Improves family relationships.
Playing card games facilitates bonding within a family. Playing cards helps each family member get to know each other better. It also provides a way to have fun and laugh together, which can go a long way toward quelling any issues that family members might have with each other. There aren’t many family issues that cannot be solved with a bit of bonding.
15. Enhances concentration.
Card games might seem easy to play, but they still require your full attention. You cannot expect to win at a card game if you’re not concentrating on what the other players are doing. Each card game requires a certain level of concentration. The more you play, the more you learn to concentrate.
16. Enhances strategic thinking.
Card playing can teach us to plan competitive strategies in advance and also help us gain confidence and skill.
While there’s not much someone can do about the hand they get, they can increase their chance of winning by strategically using their cards. This can teach players the value of strategic planning.
17. Provides many hours of fun and entertainment.
Playing a card game can provide hours of fun and entertainment for everyone. Whether it’s just for a round or ten, you can while away the time with card games.
18. Teaches players how to win and lose gracefully.
It can be challenging to accept that you’ve lost yet another round of cards. However, it’s a learning opportunity. When you learn to lose with as much enthusiasm as you win, you become the kind of person who wins in life.
People don’t like a “downer,” and when playing cards, players quickly learn that when they lose, it’s not about them failing. It’s more about celebrating the other player’s win. It’s a great way to focus on the positive side of life. If you want kids to learn how to win and lose with grace, get them to play card games!
19. Hand-eye coordination.
Hand-eye coordination is enhanced while playing cards. Simultaneously examining the cards, holding them, and laying them down are all actions that help players improve their hand-eye coordination. This is particularly useful with small children and the aged.
20. Great for people with disabilities and the aged.
Card games are good for seniors who may have mobility issues because they don’t involve a lot of physical activity. Card games are also great for people who are unable to participate in sports and physical activities due to a disability. Just because someone isn’t as mobile as everyone else doesn’t mean that they have to miss out on the fun!
Last Word
As you can see, playing card games comes with a wealth of benefits. If you’ve been wondering if introducing card games to your family or friends gatherings is the right way to go, now you know that it most certainly is!
This article was co-authored by our team of in-house and freelance writers, and reviewed by our editors, who enjoy sharing their knowledge about their favorite games with others!
JC Franco
JC Franco serves as a New York-based editor for Gamesver. His interest for board games centers around chess, a pursuit he began in elementary school at the age of 9. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Mercyhurst University, JC brings a blend of business acumen and creative insight to his role. Beyond his editorial endeavors, he is a certified USPTA professional, imparting his knowledge in tennis to enthusiasts across the New York City Metropolitan area.