Classic fun for the whole family
Are you looking for a simple, free, and fun game that can entertain the whole family? Look no further, our Animal Pairs printable cards are the perfect activity for a little family time. We all remember playing pairs, and how proud we were every time we got a little better at it!
Simply print the cards, cut them with the help of your children, and start playing. How? We came up with four different ways to have fun with our Animal Pairs printable cards; read below and start having fun!
Prepare the cards
Download our free pdf and print it. For best results, glue the sheet on a thicker piece of paper or light cardboard. Cut the cards with the help of your children. This part already sounds like fun!
Ways to Play
Animal Pairs!
Shuffle the Animal Pairs Cards and scatter them face down on the table (or on the floor!) so that they don’t overlap each other.
The youngest player starts. They turn two cards; if the animals match, they take the cards and put them in their pile, if the animals are different, they turn them face down like they were before. The second player does the same, and so do all players until there are no more Animal Cards on the table. The player with the most matching animals wins.
Pairing games are important because they help children develop their memorisation skills.
Animal Snap!
Shuffle the Animal Pairs Cards and put the deck in the middle, then turn the first card. Game on! Each player, in turns, reveals the first card of the pile. If the card matches the one before, the first player to shout “Snap!” gets a point. When all cards are turned, the player with the most points wins the game.
Animal Super Snap!
Animal Super Snap is for two players. You can organise a tournament to include all family members. Shuffle the Animal Pairs Cards and divide them into two equal piles, one for each player. The two players (or a referee) count backwards from three (“Three, two, one, GO!”) and on the “GO!” each player reveals the first card of their pile. If the animals match, the first player to shout “Snap!” gets a point. When all cards are turned the player with the most points wins the game.
Playing snap is good because it helps develop attention skills.
Animal Mime!
The Mime shuffles the Animal Pairs Cards and looks at the first one without showing it to the other players. Then, they mime the animal on the card. The player that guesses the animal gains one point and becomes the Mime. At the end, the player that has the most points wins.
Miming is a great way to develop imagination and spatial skills.
What Next?
Do you like to use our Animal Pairs Cards for other games? Let us know! contact@justfamilyfun.com
Did you enjoy our Animal Pairs Cards activities? Check out our other fun family games!